More On Violence In The Workplace

As you know, I've been musing on the idea of breaking down the workplace violence data into less alarming yet more useful chunks...

I wouldn't be averse to breaking apart the categories. Doing so would help us put the different elements of the problem in better perspective, allow our profession to develop a variety of effective preventatives, and encourage firms to tailor their responses to their risks.  Let's walk through the numbers while I explain.

Using the BLS final numbers from 2009 we see that “assaults and violent acts” is the second leading cause of death in the workplace but, unbeknownst to many with strong opinions on this topic, this category includes both the 542 homicides and 263 suicides that occurred that year.

TOTAL 4,551
Transportation accidents 1,795
Assaults and violent acts 837
Contact with objects and equipment 741
Falls 645
Exposure to harmful substances or environments 404
Fires and explosions 113
Other events or exposures 16

If we break “homicide” and “suicide” out of assaults and violent acts in 2009 then homicide falls to fourth place and suicide becomes the sixth place hazard.

TOTAL 4,551
Transportation accidents 1,795
Contact with objects and equipment 741
Falls 645
Homicides 542
Exposure to harmful substances or environments 404
Suicides 263
Fires and explosions 113
Other events or exposures 16

According to the BLS between 1997-2010 75% of all workplace homicides are perpetrated by criminals, many while engaged in armed robbery (Type I). The remaining 25% are divided between clients, customers, and patients (7%); coworkers and former coworkers (10%); and family, friends, and associates (8%). Offenders in these categories are Types II, III, and IV, respectively.  If we regroup the 2009 homicides according offender types then the 124 cases of what most people think of when the phrase “workplace violence” is used (or misused) assume their proper place in relation to other workplace hazards.

TOTAL 4,551
Transportation accidents 1,795
Contact with objects and equipment 741
Falls 645
Homicides – Criminal (Type I) 407
Exposure to harmful substances or environments 404
Suicides 263
Homicides – Types II, III, and IV 124
Fires and explosions 113
Other events or exposures 16

Once broken down to this level of granularity I propose the solutions our profession needs to continue to develop at least four in number.  We could break down the homicide into the three remaining types but that does not seem to illuminate any more solutions.

A) Robbery prevention and survival training
B) Police and security officer training, equipment, and procedures
C) Suicide prevention efforts
D) Workplace violence prevention and intervention program

There is still plenty of work for security professionals (and our peers in HR, EHS, and Legal) to do in this area.  All forms of workplace violence - threats, assaults, injuries, homicides, and suicides - remain important issues to address.  We do our profession no service by using the aggregated statistics to motivate our peers, employers, or clients unless the businesses in question are enterprises with known high risk factors. Sooner or later the decision makers will catch those who rely on hyperbole to move their programs forward.

Sources:

Fatal occupational injuries, comparison of 2009 preliminary and updated, selected characteristics http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfoi_revised09.pdf

Using percentages from Occupational homicides by selected characteristics, 1997-2010 http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/work_hom.pdf

Photo credit: Sam Mugraby at Photos8 http://www.photos8.com/view/bullet_on_desk-normal.html