Transcript Workplace Violence: What To Know What To Do

Workplace Violence:
What To Know
What To Do
William McPeck
Director
Employee Health and Safety
Maine State Government
The Perspective I Bring
 Social worker with EAP specialization
 Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office
 Investigated fires, explosions and arsons
 Trained in criminal profiling
 Trained in threat assessment
 Instructor in non-violent crisis
intervention
What Is Workplace Violence?
 Workplace violence
 Any act of physical violence – overt aggression
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Homicide, physical and sexual assault
 Workplace aggression – emotional toll
 Expressions of hostility
 Gestures, facial expressions and verbal assaults
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Threats of physical violence
Harassment, intimidation, bullying
 Ostracism/shunning
 Obstructionism
 Passive/aggressive behaviors that impede job
performance or achievement of organizational
objectives
Source: Joel Neuman, Journal of Management, May/June, 1998
Workplace Violence Can…
 Be inflicted by a stranger with
criminal intent, or
 Be inflicted by an abusive
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Employee, supervisor or manager
Client, patient or customer
Former employee, manager or supervisor
Family member or significant other
Workplace Violence Can…
 Affect or involve
 Employees
 Visitors, customers, patients or clients
 contractors
Why the Increase in Workplace
Violence?
 Increase in societal tolerance of violence
 Acceptance of violence as a form of
communication
 Increased accessibility to weapons
 Less control over work environment
 Lack of careers, commitment and loyalty
 Job vs. career
 Downsizing, Reengineering
 Do more with less
 Loss of middle management
Why the Increase in Workplace
Violence? (con’t)
 Substance abuse
 Psychological factors
 Increasing stress
 Breakdown of support systems
 Nuclear families
 Extended families
 Sense of neighborhood/community
 Change
 The increasing pace of change
 Ability to cope with pace of organizational
change
Why the Increase in Workplace
Violence? (con’t)
 Insatiable electronic media demands
 24/7 TV news
 The Internet
 Government and government workers
easy targets for angry citizens
 Changes in government benefits and
services
 Entitlement philosophy
How Big Is The Problem?
 Source of the statistics needs to be
kept in mind
 Two general sources of data
 Crime statistics
 Occupational injury statistics
 OSHA
 Bureau of Labor Statistics Annual Survey
 National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities
Surveillance System - NIOSH
How Big Is The Problem?
 Nationally
 1 million individuals are the victim of a
violent workplace crime each year (BJS)
 This represents 15% of all violent
crimes committed annually in America (BJS)
 The 1998 National Crime Victimization
Survey estimates some 2 million
American workers are victims of
workplace violence each year.
(Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1994)
(Source: National Crime Victimization Study – 1998)
How Big Is The Problem?
 Nationally (con’t)
 1980 – 1989 nearly 7,600 U.S. workers were
victims of homicide in the workplace
 Approximately 12% of all deaths from injury in
the workplace
 Causes of death in the workplace
 #1 Motor vehicle
 #2 Machinery
 #3 Homicide
(Source: NIOSH, 1993)
How Big Is The Problem?
 Nationally (con’t)
 Workplace Homicides
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@7,600 1980 – 1989 (NIOSH, 1993)
1,080 in 1994 (BLS)
860 in 1997 (BLS)
645 in 1999 (BLS)
 Overall workplace homicide has
remained the third most frequent
cause of fatalities in the workplace
How Big Is The Problem?
 Nationally (con’t)
 1997, Percent of Work-Related
Homicides by Type
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Type
Type
Type
Type
(Source: BLS)
1
2
3
4
Criminal Intent – 85%
Customer/Client – 3%
Co or Past Worker – 7%
Personal Relationship – 5%
How Big Is The Problem?
 Nationally (con’t)
 From 1980 – 1989, workplace homicide
was the leading cause of fatal
occupational injury for women (NIOSH, 1993)
 In 1999, workplace homicide was the
second leading cause of fatal
occupational injury for women (BJS)
How Big Is The Problem?
 Nationally (con’t)
 Victims of Workplace Violence 1992 –
1996
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73.6%
19.7%
4.2%
2.5%
0.05%
Simple Assault
Aggravated Assault
Robbery
Rape and Sexual Assault
Homicide
Source: National Crime Victimization Study - 1998
How Big Is The Problem?
 Nationally (con’t)
 Fully 99.8% of the victims of workplace
violence survive the assaults they
experience
Source: Joel Neuman, Journal of Management, May/June, 1998
 This doesn’t make the experience any
less traumatic!
How Big Is The Problem?
 Nationally (con’t)
 Average number of violent non-fatal
victimizations in the workplace, 1992 –
1996,by selected occupations
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Retail - @285,000
Law Enforcement – @240,000
Teaching - @135,000
Medical - @130,000
Mental Health - @ 75,000
Transportation - @ 65,000
Source: University of Iowa, Injury Prevention Research Center, February 2001
How Big Is The Problem?
 Maine’s Experience
(Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
 Disabling Cases
 1997 144 cases
 1998 164 cases
 1999 218 cases
1.1%
1.3%
1.3%
 Maine State Government Employees
 Mental health workers
 Correctional workers
 Law Enforcement personnel
Who Commits Workplace Violence?
 80% committed by males
 40% committed by complete
strangers
 35% committed by casual
acquaintances
 19% by individuals well known to
victim
 1% by relatives of the victim
(Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1994)
Weapons Used
 WORKPLACE HOMICIDES, 1990-1989
 Guns – 75%
 Knives etc. – 14%
(Source, NIOSH, 1993)
 In 62% of the violent crimes the
perpetrator was not armed; in 30% of
the violent crimes the perpetrator
was armed with a handgun
(Source: BJS, 1994)
Where Did The Incidents Occur?
 61% in private companies
 30% in government agencies
 8% involved self-employed
individuals
(Source: BJS, 1994)
What Does Workplace Violence
Cost?
 The Economics of Workplace Violence
 Three most affected areas are:
 Costly litigation
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Negligent hiring
Negligent retention
Negligent supervision
Inadequate security
 Lost productivity
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80% for 2 weeks post incident
CISD, investigations, PTSD
Increased turnover
Decreased morale
What Does Workplace Violence
Cost?
 The Economics of Workplace Violence
(Continued)
 Damage Control
 Tangible
 Customer buying decisions
 Intangible
 Media exposure
 Community relations
 Corporate image
(Source: Workplace Violence Research Institute)
What Does Workplace Violence
Cost?
 Estimated that some 500,000
employees miss 1,751,000 days of
work annually or 3.5 days per
incident
 This missed work equates to
approximately $55 million in lost
wages
(Source: BJS, 1994)
Classifications of Workplace
Violence
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Type
Type
Type
Type
I Criminal Intent
II Customer/Client
III Worker-on-Worker
IV Personal Relationship
Source: University of Iowa, Injury Prevention Research Center, February 2001
Classifications of Workplace
Violence
 Type I – Criminal Intent
 Perpetrator has no legitimate relationship
to the organization or its employees
 A crime is usually being committed in
conjunction with the violence
 Robbery, shoplifting, criminal trespassing
Classifications of Workplace
Violence (con’t)
 Type II – Customer/Client
 The perpetrator has a legitimate
relationship with the organization – The
recipient or object of services provided
by the affected workplace or victim
 This category includes customers,
clients, patients, students, inmates, etc.
Classifications of Workplace
Violence (con’t)
 Type III – Worker-on-Worker
 The perpetrator is an employee or past
employee of the organization who
attacks or threatens fellow past or
present employees
 May be seeking revenge for what is
perceived as unfair treatment
 Includes employees, supervisors and
managers
Classifications of Workplace
Violence (con’t)
 Type IV – Personal Relationship
 The perpetrator usually does not have a
legitimate relationship with the organization, but
has or has had a personal relationship with the
intended victim
 May involve a current or former spouse, lover,
relative, friend, or acquaintance
 Domestic violence carried out at the workplace
 The perpetrator is motivated by perceived
difficulties in the relationship or by psychosocial
factors that are specific to the perpetrator
What Are Possible Risk Factors?
Exchange of money with the public
Working alone or in small numbers
Working late night or early morning
Working in high crime areas
Guarding valuable property or
possessions
 Working in community settings
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 (e.g. taxicab drivers, retail clerks, police)
What Are Possible Risk Factors?
(con’t)
 Where alcohol/drugs sold or
dispensed
 Exposure to unstable or volatile
persons? (e.g. health care, social services, criminal
justice settings)
 Employees deciding on benefits, or in
some way controlling a person’s
future, well-being or freedom? (Such as a
government agency does)
(Source: NIOSH)
Conditions Allowing Workplace
Violence
 Individual Characteristics
 Precipitating Events or Conditions
 System Characteristics
Source: Workplace Solutions, 1997
Conditions Allowing Workplace
Violence (con’t)
 Individual Characteristics
 Paranoid personality and thinking
 Drug and/or alcohol problem
 Life stressor – divorce/separation,
illness, helplessness, loss or control,
isolation
Conditions Allowing Workplace
Violence (con’t)
 Precipitating events or conditions
 Termination
 Job changes
 Harassment by co-workers or
supervisors
Conditions Allowing Workplace
Violence (con’t)
 System Characteristics
 Not recognizing or ignoring early warning
signs
 Indifference to the needs of employees
 Poor management of downsizings,
terminations and accidents
 Punishing or terminating impaired or
deviant employees
 Poor or non-existent communication
between labor and management
Conditions Allowing Workplace
Violence (con’t)
 System Characteristics (con’t)
 Information that could signal problems is
not shared
 Lack of commitment and involvement by
top management
Indicators of Potential Workplace
Violence
 Intimidating, harassing, bullying,
belligerent or other inappropriate and
aggressive behavior
 Numerous conflicts with customers,
co-workers or supervisors
 Bringing a weapon to the workplace
(unless job related)
 Making inappropriate references to
guns
Indicators of Potential Workplace
Violence (con’t)
 Making threats or idle threats about
using a weapon to harm someone
 Making statements showing a
fascination with incidents of
workplace violence
 Making statements indicating
approval of the use of violence to
resolve a problem
Indicators of Potential Workplace
Violence (con’t)
 Making statements indicating the
identification with perpetrators of
workplace homicides
 Statements indicating desperation
over family, financial or other types of
personal problems
 Statements about contemplating
suicide
Indicators of Potential Workplace
Violence (con’t)
 Direct or veiled threats of harm
 Substance abuse
 Extreme changes in normal behavior
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1998
Profile of the Most Likely Type III
Perpetrator
A male, aged 25 to 40 years
Has a history of violence
Tends to be a loner
Owns several weapons
Has requested some form of
assistance in the past
 Exhibits frequent anger
 Has a history of conflict with others
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Profile of the Most Likely Type III
Perpetrator (con’t)
 Has a history of family or marital problems
 After periods of verbalizing anger, will
become withdrawn
 Is paranoid
 Exhibits self-destructive behavior such as
alcohol and/or drug use
Remember, don’t take profile too literally
Source: www.svn.net/mikekell/v3.html
Behavior Warning Signs of Potential
Violence and Their Probability of
Occurrence
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Male (80% or better)
White (75% or better)
Working age (90% or better)
Will display one or more of the
following behaviors (90% or better)
 A history of violence
 Evidence of psychosis
 Evidence of abnormally strong sexual
desire (erotomania)
Behavior Warning Signs of Potential
Violence and Their Probability of
Occurrence (con’t)
 Evidence of drug and/or alcohol
dependence
 Evidence of depression and withdrawal
 A pattern of pathological blaming
 Evidence of impaired neurological
functioning
 An elevated frustration level
 An interest/fascination in weapons
 Evidence of a personality disorder
Behavior Warning Signs of Potential
Violence and Their Probability of
Occurrence (con’t)
 Unexplained increase in absenteeism
 Noticeable decrease in attention to
appearance and personal hygiene
 Has a plan to “solve all problems”
 Resistance and over reaction to changes
in policies or procedures
 repeated violations of the organization’s
policies
Behavior Warning Signs of Potential
Violence and Their Probability of
Occurrence (con’t)
 The following behaviors are commonly exhibited, but
have an uncertain probability:
 Will vocalize or otherwise act out, violent
intentions prior to committing a violent act
 Over a sustained period of time, will exhibit
behaviors that are interpreted as insignificant,
strange, bizarre or threatening by coworkers
and supervisors
Remember: These are general guidelines.
Exceptions will always occur
Source: Workplace Violence Research Institute
Preventing Workplace Violence
 Three general approaches to
prevention
 Environmental
 Administrative/Organizational
 Behavioral/Interpersonal
Source: University of Iowa, Injury Prevention Research Center, February 2001
Preventing Workplace Violence
(con’t)
 Environmental
 Adequate inside and outside lighting
 Secure entrances and exits
 Security hardware
 Turnstiles
 Key cards
 Smart cards
 Biometric systems
 Physical barriers
Preventing Workplace Violence
(con’t)
 Environmental (con’t)
 Metal and Explosives Detectors
 Security Forces
 Uniformed vs. Business Attire
 Armed vs. unarmed
 Specialized customer/client meeting
rooms
 Other engineering controls
Preventing Workplace Violence
(con’t)
 Administrative/Organizational
 Programs
 Workplace Violence Plan
 Threat Assessment Team
 EAP
 Policies
 Harassment
 Workplace violence
 SOPs
Preventing Workplace Violence
(con’t)
 Administrative/Organizational (con’t)
 Hiring and Termination Practices
 Hiring
 Corroborate information on applications/resumes
(42% contain intentional misstatements of material
facts)
 Interview – Use of open-ended questions
 Looking for a pattern of aggressive behavior
 Conduct background investigation
 Firing
 Consider the possibility of violent response
 Plan out – script out the procedure
Preventing Workplace Violence
(con’t)
 Administrative/Organizational (con’t)
 Work Practice Controls - Work practices
aimed at maintaining a safe working
environment – Written procedures and
guidelines
Preventing Workplace Violence
(con’t)
 Behavioral/Interpersonal
 Changing employee attitudes toward security –
It won’t happen to me
 Staff training – Train staff to anticipate,
recognize and respond to conflict and potential
violence in the workplace
 Personal security techniques
 Non-violent crisis intervention techniques
 De-escalation techniques
 Communication techniques
 How to report violent, inappropriate, disruptive
or threatening behavior
Preventing Workplace Violence
(con’t)
 Supervisor/manager training – in
addition to the staff level training,
supervisors and managers should receive
training in:
 Creating a positive work culture/climate
that supports employees
 Developing skills for displaying compassion,
concern and support for employees –
employee trust is critical
 How to best utilize the EAP
Preventing Workplace Violence
(con’t)
 Supervisor/manager training (con’t)
 Performance management
 Administering progressive discipline
 Contract management/grievance
handling
 Employee counseling/coaching
Special Considerations For
Managers/Supervisors
 What are the workplace violence risks at
the worksites you run?
 Indicators that employees need immediate
intervention
 Excessive tardiness or absences
 An increased need for supervisory attention or
supervision
 Reduced productivity
 Inconsistent work habits
 Strained workplace relationships
Special Considerations For
Managers/Supervisors (con’t)
 Inability to concentrate
 Violation of safety procedures
 New, sudden involvement in accidents or
violations
 Changes in health or hygiene
 Unusual or sudden behavioral change
 Fascination with weapons
 Alcohol and/or drug abuse
 Anonymous, confidential screening
1-877-788-4173
Special Considerations For
Managers/Supervisors (con’t)
 Stress
 Excuses and Blaming
 Depression

Anonymous and confidential screening
1-877-788-4173
Responding to Workplace Violence
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Facility Emergency Action Plan
Threat Assessment Team
Emergency Response Team
CISD
EAP and Behavioral Health Services
Media Contact
 Organizational Recovery/Continued
Operation Plan
Special Issues for Field Forces
 Need to develop specific safety
guidelines to employee’s specific
situation and the problems they are
likely to encounter
 Preparation of daily work
plans/itinerary (e.g. flight plan)
 Maintaining periodic contact
throughout their tour of duty
Special Issues for Field Forces
(con’t)
 Use of a buddy system
 Need to recognize potentially
dangerous situations ahead of time,
so back-up can be secured/started or
a strategy implemented so the
employee does not go in alone
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1998
For Further Information:
 William McPeck
Director, Employee Health and Safety
Maine State Government
114 Sate House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
207-287-6783 (voice)
207-287-6796 (fax)
[email protected]