NCJ Number
163791
Date Published
1996
Length
29 pages
Annotation
This bulletin reviews what is known about fatal and nonfatal violence in the workplace, defines research gaps, and recommends general approaches to workplace violence prevention; the bulletin also summarizes issues that need to be addressed when dealing with workplace violence in such settings as offices, factories, warehouses, hospitals, convenience stores, and taxicabs.
Abstract
Violence is a substantial contributor to occupational injury and death and that homicide has become the second leading cause of occupational injury death. Each week, an average of 20 workers are murdered and 18,000 are assaulted while at work or on duty. Nonfatal assaults result in millions of lost workdays and cost workers millions of dollars in lost wages. Workplace violence is clustered in certain occupational settings. For example, retail trade and service industries account for more than half of workplace homicides and 85 percent of nonfatal workplace assaults. Taxicab drivers have the highest risk of workplace homicides of any occupational group. Workers in health care, community service, and retail settings are at increased risk of nonfatal assaults. Risk factors for workplace violence include dealing with the public, the exchange of money, and the delivery of services or goods. Prevention strategies for minimizing the risk of workplace violence include but are not limited to cash handling policies, physical separation of workers from customers, good lighting, security devices, escort services, and employee training. A workplace violence prevention program should include a system for documenting incidents, procedures to follow in the event of violent incidents, and open communication between employers and workers. Although no definitive prevention strategy is appropriate for all workplaces, employers and workers should assess the risk of violence in their workplaces and take appropriate action to reduce those risks. 52 references, 15 tables, and 3 figures