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]
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Epidemiology [edit]
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 [edit]
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 [edit]
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The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (September 2009) |
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.[clarification needed]
Occupational groups at higher risk [edit]
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 [edit]
- Industrial espionage
- Occupational health psychology
- Occupational safety and health
- Workplace aggression
- Workplace conflict
References [edit]
- ^ "Occupational Violence". WorkSafe. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2011". US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
- ^ a b c "CDC - Occupational Violence - NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
- ^ Buss, AH (1961). The Psychology of Aggression.
- ^ Baron, RA; Neuman, HA. "Workplace violence and workplace aggression: Evidence on their relative frequency and potential causes". Aggressive Behavior 22: 161–173.
- ^ Workplace Violence and Workplace Aggression: Evidence and Their Relative Frequency and Potential Causes., retrieved February 24, 2009
- ^ Violence in the Workplace, retrieved May 8, 2008
External links [edit]
- 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
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