June 11, 2008
These NewsBriefs are produced and delivered weekly by
Attainium to keep our friends and clients
current on topics relating to Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery and Crisis Management.
The full extent and cost of violence in the workplace is difficult to determine, but it does affect
an estimated 1.7 million employees directly and millions more indirectly every year. The benefit
derived from prevention measures also is hard to calculate. It is known that workplace violence
is the second most expensive source of workers' compensation claims behind car accidents. We all
share an obligation to keep the workplace free of violence. This week's articles are designed
to help us do that.
While you can't always predict and prevent workplace violence, you can plan to limit its impact.
(Item #1)
Experts say most perpetrators of workplace violence signal that they have a problem.
(Item #2)
The key to an effective anti-violence strategy is an integrated approach, drawing on skills
and capabilities from all parts of an organization's structure.
(Item #3)
Most incidents of workplace violence can be mitigated or even completely prevented
with proper planning and recognition of the warning signs.
(Item #4)
While creating a healthy, safe workplace is crucial in keeping out violence, so is hiring the right employees.
(Item #5)
It doesn't seem to matter what the business is or where it is located, there can be a threat
of violence associated with it.
(Item #6)
As always, we look forward to hearing about your concerns
with regards to business continuity. If you have a topic
you'd like to see covered, please email me at
[email protected]
Best Regards,
Bob Mellinger
President
Attainium Corp
Quote of the Week
"It's too often people in hindsight say,
`I heard he was making threats. We just didn't believe him.'"
- Beth Lindamood, Ohio Casualty Group -
Articles
1. How to Prepare for Workplace Violence
Workplace violence is awful, and to deal with that awfulness, we tend to describe it
as a random act by an unstable person. Yet, that's not true, according to an expert
and consultant on workplace violence who has investigated many of the worst cases in recent history.
"In virtually every case there were signs beforehand which were ignored," he says.
http://www.csoonline.com/article/220716
2. How to Prevent Workplace Violence
Workplace violence prevention means staying alert to those signals, encouraging employees
to report potential problems and practicing response plans. Share these pointers
with your HR and management teams.
http://www.csoonline.com/article/221142/How_to_Prevent_Workplace_Violence
3. Workplace Violence Prevention and Response Guidelines
The Workplace Violence Prevention and Response Guideline applies to both private
and public sector organizations. The guideline provides an overview of general policies,
structures, and practices that organizations can adopt to: (i) help prevent threatening misconduct
and violence affecting the workplace; and (ii) better respond to and resolve incidents
of threats and violence that occur.
http://www.asisonline.org/guidelines/guidelineswpvfinal.pdf
4. A Comprehensive Approach to Preventing and Managing Violence in the Workplace
Workplace violence is one of the most significant threats many companies will ever face.
In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, homicide is the third leading cause of death
in the workplace with 639 homicides occurring in 2001 (excluding the 9/11 attacks). Furthermore,
the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimates an additional
one million workers each year are victims of non-fatal workplace assaults.
http://www.thecmateam.com/_mgxroot/page_10757.html
5. Employers can use job interviews to detect workplace violence signs
The type of interview where an interviewer asks a prospective hire about their work credentials
without attempting to learn their personality types is like tossing a coin. Such a process gives
no sense of how an employee will relate with or treat others.
http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/1999/10/18/focus3.html
6. Blog Post: Workplace Violence - What you really need to know
First, it is important that companies have an education and awareness program,
and a policy that deals with workplace violence. That policy should put part of the responsibility
for office safety with the workers themselves. They must be educated on what to be looking for
and employees should then be aware, vigilant and have a means to communicate potential problems.
http://tampabay.jobing.com/blog_post.asp?post=8433
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