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This is the second of a
two-part series of articles on Understanding Workplace Violence.
Understanding
Types of Workplace Violence
 Auburn,
Feb. 11---Workplace violence is the leading cause of death among
female workers and the second leading cause of death among males in
the workplace. On any given day, more than 16,000 threats are made
in the workplace, approximately 700 more employees are actually
attacked, and almost 44,000 are harassed in some way.
According to the
Workplace Violence Research Institute, workplace violence is any act
against an employee that creates a hostile work environment and
negatively affects the employee, either physically or
psychologically.
Verbal assaults,
intimidation and threats, acts of coercion, and all types of
harassment may be considered acts of violence. Understanding the
types of behavior that can, although not usually, lead to more
violent acts is the first step in providing a safe work environment.
Most acts of violence
committed in the workplace fall into one of four basic types.
Criminal intent accounts
for approximately 85 percent of workplace homicides. A person
exhibiting this type of violent behavior rarely has a legitimate
relationship to the business or its employees. The person is usually
committing a crime in conjunction with the violence, such as
robbery. Risk factors for encountering this type of violence include
working alone, handling money, working night shift, too little
lighting inside and/or outside of workplace, limited view of
workplace from outside or workplace is in a high crime area.
Customer or client
violence is another type. Usually the person exhibiting violent
behavior has a legitimate relationship with the business and becomes
violent while being served. Potential violent persons could include
customers, clients, patients, students or any other group for which
business provides service. Risk factors for encountering this type
includes: working alone, working when few are present, easy
accessibility of the workplace, working with customers who have
violent pasts, lack of a fast communication device and no escape
route.
Worker-to-worker
violence accounts for 7 percent of workplace homicides. The person
exhibiting violent behavior is either a present or former employee
and either threatens or attacks another employee or former employee.
Risk factors include escalating stress in the workplace, no
management protocol for disciplinary termination, promotion action,
lack of adequate screening prior to hiring, and inadequately trained
supervisors.
Personal relations is
the last type. The person exhibiting violent behavior usually has or
previously has had a personal relationship with another worker. This
type includes incidents of domestic violence that overflow into the
work setting. Risk factors are easy accessibility of the work site,
person with violent past, working alone or where few are present,
lack of administrative policy regarding workers with personal
relationship problems, unavailability of fast communication device,
and no escape route.
Source: Dr. Jacquelyn
Robinson, Workforce Development Specialist, Alabama Cooperative
Extension System, (334) 844-5353
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