Workplace violence

Workplace violence or occupational violence refers to violence, usually in the form of physical abuse or threat, that creates a risk to the health and safety of an employee or multiple employees.^[1]

Epidemiology

According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2011, violence and other injuries caused by persons or animals contributed to 17% of all occupational fatalities, with homicides contributing to 10% of the total.^[2] From 1992 to 2010, there were 13,827 reported workplace homicide victims, averaging over 700 victims per year, in the United States.^[3] Examination of the 2011 data shows that while a majority of workplace fatalities occurred to males, workplace violence disproportionately affects females. Homicides contributed to 21% of all occupational fatalities for women, compared to 9% for men.^[2] Of these homicides, relatives or domestic partners contributed to 39% of female homicide cases; male homicide cases were most likely to be perpetrated by robbers, contributing to 36% of male homicide cases.^[2]

Most cases if workplace violence turn out to be non-fatal incidents. From 1993 to 1999, there was an average of about 1.7 million people victimized each year in a case of occupational violence.^[3] About 75% of these cases are considered simple assault, while 19% of cases are considered aggravated assault.^[3]

Aggression

Buss (1961)^[4] identified eight types of aggression:

• Verbal-passive-indirect (failure to deny false rumors about target, failure to provide information needed by target)
• Verbal-passive-direct ("silent treatment", failure to return communication, i.e. phone calls, e-mails)
• Verbal-active-indirect (spreading false rumors, belittling ideas or work)
• Verbal-active-direct (insulting, acting condescendingly, yelling)
• Physical-passive-indirect (causing others to create a delay for the target)
• Physical-passive-direct (reducing target's ability to contribute, i.e. scheduling them to present at the end of the day where fewer people will be attending)
• Physical-active-indirect (theft, destruction of property, unnecessary consumption of resources needed by the target)
• Physical-active-direct (physical attack, nonverbal, vulgar gestures directed at the target)

In a study performed by Baron and Neuman,^[5] researchers found pay cuts and pay freezes, use of part-time employees, change in management, increased diversity, computer monitoring of employee performance, reengineering, and budget cuts were all significantly linked to increased workplace aggression. The study also showed a substantial amount of evidence linking unpleasant physical conditions (high temperature, poor lighting) and high negative affect, which facilitates workplace aggression.^[6]

Risk assessments

In the United Kingdom there is a legal obligation to complete risk assessments. Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 states that, “every employer shall make a suitable and sufficient assessment of:

• The risks to the health and safety of his (or her) employees to which they are exposed whilst they are at work; and
• The risks to the health and safety of persons not in his employment arising out of or in connection with the conduct of him or his undertaking".

Regulation 4 then obliges the employer to apply a hierarchy of risk controls.

Occupational groups at higher risk

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety lists the following higher risk occupations.^[7]

• health care employees
• correctional officers
• social services employees
• teachers
• municipal housing inspectors
• public works employees
• retail employees

See also

• Industrial espionage
• Industrial and Organizational Psychology
• Occupational health psychology
• Occupational safety and health
• Workplace aggression
• Workplace conflict

References

External links

• Workplace Violence News & Resources
• Before the Storm: Workplace Safety Webinar
• Federal Bureau of Investigation PDF (6.08 MiB)
• Safety and Health Topics from www.osha.gov
• Violence on the Job, video from NIOSH
• Half of Large Employers Had Workplace Violence Incident in Last Year
• Workplace Violence Q&A - CCOHS
• Work and Family Researchers Network
• Workplace Violence, 1993-2009 Bureau of Justice Statistics
• Workplace Violence Against Government Employees, 1994-2011 Bureau of Justice Statistics

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