How to Survive Workplace Violence

Workplace violence is any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site. It ranges from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and even homicide. It can affect and involve employees, clients, customers and visitors. Homicide is currently the fourth-leading cause of fatal occupational injuries in the United States according to OSHA.

Those of us in the industrial sector have had training on procedures to deal with confined space safety, electrical safety, hazards of working at elevations, excavation hazards, crane safety and the list goes on and on. How many of you can tell me exactly what your plant or companies procedure is for an active shooter? 

Being a taxi driver increases the risk of becoming the target of workplace violence by 20x when compared to the general working population.

What to Do

Most work place violence episodes, as well as active shooter situations, are unpredictable, evolve quickly, and are over within minutes. If you should find yourself in the midst of an evolving workplace violence scenario consider the following actions. The following is a collection of tips and suggestions from the FBI, OSHA, and Bureau of Labor websites.

1. Flee the area, run, if there are clear escape routes take them, fire escapes and windows are all fair game.
2. Evacuate yourself regardless of whether others agree to follow. Do not waste time arguing about what to do - just get out as fast as you can.
3. Leave your belongings behind, anything can be replaced or recovered later.
4. Help others evacuate if they need assistance.
5. Call 911 only when you are safe and able to do so - do not wait on a 911 operator rather than fleeing the area.
6. Prevent individuals from entering the area where the hostile party may be only if it does not put you in danger.
7. Hide or shelter in place if evacuation is not possible.
8. Do not trap yourself – but if you are stuck in an office and there are shots being fired you may want to; lock the door, blockade the door with heavy furniture, silence your cell phone so it does not give away your position, and remain quiet.
9. Fight only as a last resort, and only when your life is in imminent danger, but if you must acting as aggressively as possible, throw items, consider improvising weapons, use fire extinguishers, fire hoses, and even cleaning supplies can be used for your defense.
10. When police arrive, remember they do not know you. Keep your hands visible. Follow the instructions of any police officers. Avoid making quick movements towards officers. You could easily be misidentified and shot.

In two-thirds of workplace homicides, the assailant has no known personal relationship with the victims, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 Take the Workplace Violence Quiz

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RUN. HIDE. FIGHT. Surviving an Active Shooter Event

Warning Signs

1. increased use of alcohol or illicit drugs where there was no prior or suspected use.
2. Unexplained increase in absenteeism and tardiness.
3. Noticeable decrease in appearance and hygiene.
4. Withdrawal from other employees and group activities at work like lunch and coffee breaks.
5. Depression or lethargy.
6. Noticeable drop in work performance, missed deadlines, notable decrease in detail and rigor.
7. Resistance or overreaction to change in policy and procedures.
8. Repeated violations of company policies and a disregard for the comfort or needs of other team members.
9. Unstable behavior, inappropriate emotional responses, severe mood swings, loss of perspective and relative importance of minor workplace issues. Everything becomes a deal breaker or the end of the working here.
10. Explosive outbursts of anger or rage without provocation.
11. Suicidal comments about “putting things in order” or "getting even".
12. Behavior that is paranoid or comments like “everyone is against me”. 
13. Increased comments about firearms, explosives, or an interest in violent crimes.

 Responsibility

According to OSHA, there are currently no specific standards for workplace violence. However, under the “General Duty Clause”, OSHA has the right to write up employers for failing to make efforts in the prevention of workplace violence.  These prevention efforts are reiterated in the wording of the General Duty Clause that states that employers must provide employees with a workplace that “is free from recognizable hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious harm to employees”.  OSHA may place workplace violence among the “recognizable hazards” your business must strive to prevent or minimize. Every organization should have a written procedure and a training package to inform employees of the hazard and how to respond.

I accept all invites so please join my network.

Tim

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Tim Crocker currently is engaged with the SASOL LCCP Cracker Project in Westlake, Louisiana as the Utilities and Infrastructure Production Manager. During his career, he has worked on infrastructure development at BASF, biofuels technology development with British Petroleum, and utilities management at Georgia Pacific and Domtar. His areas of expertise are process improvement (Kaizen); lean, steam and power system; water treatment; chemical recovery; energy management; waste treatment; and performance management. Tim received his Bachelors in Chemistry from the University of Portland along with a Major in Philosophy. Later he earned his Masters from the Institute of Paper Science in Atlanta, GA. Tim is an active blogger and is working on his first eBook. He is available for management consultation and speaking engagements. Currently, Tim lives in the Moss Bluff community with his wife, Cathy, and daughter, Yuri. They enjoy gardening, amateur astronomy, cooking, and model rocketry.