It seems that no venue or worksite in the U.S. is immune to workplace violence these days, and while there are currently no specific OSHA standards for workplace violence, under the General Duty Clause, employers are required to provide their employees with a place of employment that is free of conditions that cause physical harm to employees when there is a feasible method to abate the hazard.
For the construction industry, this means that a violence prevention program should be incorporated into a safety program or employee handbook. A policy statement should specify that the company will not tolerate violent or disruptive behavior and that all claims of workplace violence will be investigated and remedied promptly.
A number of different actions in the work environment can trigger or cause workplace violence, for example: anger over disciplinary actions or the loss of a job, or resistance to regulatory actions.
By assessing their worksites, employers can identify methods for reducing the likelihood of incidents occurring. OSHA believes that a well-written workplace violence prevention program, combined with engineering controls, administrative controls and training can reduce incidences of workplace violence in both the private sector and federal workplaces.
Specific measures include:
- Ensure that employees know specific procedures for dealing with workplace threats and emergencies, and how to contact police, fire, and other safety and security officials.
- Respond to potential threats and escalating situations by utilizing proper resources from local law enforcement, Federal Protective Service, human resources staff. Prompt reporting is essential to escalating any workplace violence incident.
- Take all threats seriously.
- Check prospective employees’ backgrounds prior to hiring.
- If necessary, implement a security staff for potentially dangerous or high-flow traffic areas.
Workplace violence often catches employers by surprise, but making the policy well-known and training employees goes a long way to prevention.
For more information, contact our offices at Diversified Safety Services.
