Options ~ Workplace Violence




	Workplace violence has emerged as an important safety and health issue in today's workplace. Its most extreme form, homicide, is the third leading cause of fatal occupational injury in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), there were 674 workplace homicides in 2000, accounting for 11% of the total 5,915 fatal work injuries in the United States ⁽¹⁾. Non-Fatal Assaults Between 1993 and 1999 in the United States, an average of 1.7 million violent victimizations per year were committed against persons who were at work or on duty, according to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) ⁽²⁾. The NCVS is the nation's primary source of information on the frequency, characteristics, and consequences of criminal victimization. One of the largest continuous household surveys conducted by the Federal Government, the NCVS collects information about crimes, both reported and not reported to police. The survey provides the largest national forum for victims to describe the impact of crime and the characteristics of violent offenders. Overall, 18% of violent crimes (22% of all male and 15% of all female violent crimes) were committed while the victim was working or on duty. These acts of non-fatal violence include rape and sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault. The rate of violent crime experienced by persons at work or on duty was 13 per 1,000 persons in the workforce. The BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses reports a total of 16,664 workplace non-fatal assaults and violent acts with lost work-days in 1999. The Survey is a Federal/State program in which employer's reports are collected annually from about 176,000 private industry establishments and processed by State agencies cooperating with the BLS. Injuries and illnesses logged by employers conform with definitions and recordkeeping guidelines set by OSHA. Under those guidelines, nonfatal cases are recordable if they are occupational injuries which involve lost worktime, medical treatment other than first aid, restriction of work or motion, loss of consciousness, or transfer to another job. The industries with the highest incidence rates are: social services with a rate of 14 assaults per 100 full time equivalent workers and health services with 9 assaults per 100 full time equivalent workers. The national average is 1.8 assaults per 100 full time equivalent workers ⁽³⁾. Homicide Workplace homicides in 2000 were the third leading cause of job-related deaths. The leading motive for workplace homicide is robbery. Job-related homicides in the retail industry account for almost half of all workplace homicides. Of the 3,829 workplace homicides in 1996-2000, the industries with the highest numbers of homicides are: retail - 1,693, services - 659, and government - 415. The occupations with the highest risk of fatal injury are taxicab drivers, police, private guards, and managers of food-serving and lodging establishments. In 1998 taxicab drivers' risk of dying on the job was 36 times that of the national average. Overall, however, work-related homicides decreased 34% from 1994 to 1998 ⁽⁴⁾. Risk Factors Factors which may increase a worker's risk for workplace assault, as identified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), are ⁽⁵⁾: Contact with the public Exchange of money Delivery of passengers, goods, or services Having a mobile workplace such as a taxicab or police cruiser Working with unstable or volatile persons in health care, social services, or criminal justice settings Working alone or in small numbers Working late at night or during early morning hours Working in high-crime areas Guarding valuable property or possessions Working in community-based settings OSHA does not have a specific standard for workplace violence. However, under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the OSH Act, or the Act), the extent of an employer's obligation to address workplace violence is governed by the General Duty Clause. Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, or P.L. 91-596 (the "General Duty Clause") provides that: "Each employer shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees." 29 U.S.C. 654(a)(1) REFERENCES Bureau of Labor Statistics (2001). National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2000. Bureau of Justice Statistics (2001). National Crime Victimization Survey, 1993-1999. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2000). Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 1999. Sygnatur, E. and Toscano, G. Work-Related Homicides: The Facts. Compensation and Working Conditions, Spring, 2000. NIOSH Current Intelligence Bulletin 57. Violence in the Workplace: Risk Factors and Prevention Strategies, 1996.