Workplace Violence and Safety Programs: What is Your Company Doing to Reduce Risk?

In early 2019, five employees met in the conference room of a manufacturer in Aurora, Illinois, and were shot to death by an employee they were about to terminate. Among the victims were the human resources director and a young HR intern at his first day on the job. This was just one of dozens of gun violence incidents that happened in the USA this year alone.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that every year, nearly two million US workers are victims of workplace violence. According to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics Census, homicide accounted for 10 percent of all fatal workplace injuries. An FBI study found that businesses were the setting for nearly half of 160 active-shooter incidents over a 13-year-period the agency examined.

Workplace violence takes many forms, including homicide, assault, stalking, threatening words, threatening conduct, and harassment. It results in a decline in employee morale, management inefficiencies, and decreased productivity. Employers also bear the burden of workplace violence because its consequences include significant costs in lost wages, employee absences, and increased benefit payments.

A strong workplace violence program is only one component of a good workplace safety program.

Employers have a duty to provide a safe workplace and environment for their employees. As no two business are the same how confident are you that your company is doing just that.

Through our risk assessment process, we can help determine if there are any hidden risk within your plan and help you develop a custom fit policy to insure you and your employees are properly protected.