Transcript By: Dr. David Goetsch

Occupational Safety and Health
6th Edition
Lecture Notes
By: Dr. David Goetsch
Chapter Thirteen
Violence in the Workplace
Dealing with Workplace Violence
Preventing workplace violence is a natural extension of the
responsibilities of safety and health professionals. Like the
traditional responsibilities of such professionals, dealing with
workplace violence involves such activities as:
Hazard analysis
Records analysis
Tracking
Trend monitoring
Incident analysis

Occupational Safety and Health for Technologists, Engineers, and Managers, 6/th ed.
Goetsch
© 2008 Pearson Higher Education,
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. • All Rights Reserved.
Key Concepts
Relating to Workplace Violence
Key concepts relating to workplace violence include the
following:
Occupational violent crime (OVC)
Employee
Outsider
Employee-related outsider
Customer

These terms have definitions relating specifically to
workplace violence.
Occupational Safety and Health for Technologists, Engineers, and Managers, 6/th ed.
Goetsch
© 2008 Pearson Higher Education,
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. • All Rights Reserved.
Statistics of Workplace Violence
Approximately one million people are victims of
workplace violence every year. These incidents result in
more than 1.75 million lost day of work annually.
Almost 40 percent of all violent acts in the workplace
are committed by males.
The majority of violent incidents reported each year
(75%) are fistfights.
Occupational Safety and Health for Technologists, Engineers, and Managers, 6/th ed.
Goetsch
© 2008 Pearson Higher Education,
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. • All Rights Reserved.
Employee Rights
When dealing with violent incidents on the job, it is important
to remember that even the perpetrator has rights. Employee
rights are protected by:

Employment contracts

Collective bargaining agreements

Various local, state, and federal civil rights statutes
To the extent possible, when dealing with a violent employee,
follow the procedures stipulated in contracts, agreements, and
statutes.
Occupational Safety and Health for Technologists, Engineers, and Managers, 6/th ed.
Goetsch
© 2008 Pearson Higher Education,
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. • All Rights Reserved.
Perpetrator’s Rights
Although it is important that employers consider
perpetrators’ rights when dealing with workplace violence, it
is equally important that they act prudently to prevent harm
to other employees and customers.
Occupational Safety and Health for Technologists, Engineers, and Managers, 6/th ed.
Goetsch
© 2008 Pearson Higher Education,
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. • All Rights Reserved.
Liability in Workplace Violence
The exclusivity provision of workers’ compensation
laws provide employers with some protection from
liability in cases of workplace violence, provided that
the incident is work-related. When this is the case,
workers’ compensation is the injured employee’s
exclusive remedy.
Occupational Safety and Health for Technologists, Engineers, and Managers, 6/th ed.
Goetsch
© 2008 Pearson Higher Education,
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. • All Rights Reserved.
NIOSH Guidelines for Workplace Violence
A violent act can be considered an on-the-job incident,
even if it is committed away from the workplace.
Specific guidelines have been established by NIOSH for
determining whether a violent act can be classified as an
on-the-job incident.
Occupational Safety and Health for Technologists, Engineers, and Managers, 6/th ed.
Goetsch
© 2008 Pearson Higher Education,
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. • All Rights Reserved.
Crime Reduction
through Environmental Design (CRTED)
The concept of crime reduction through environmental design
(CRTED) has the following elements:

Natural surveillance

Control of access

Establishment of territoriality

Activity support

Administrative controls
Occupational Safety and Health for Technologists, Engineers, and Managers, 6/th ed.
Goetsch
© 2008 Pearson Higher Education,
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. • All Rights Reserved.
OSHA Voluntary Advisory Guidelines
OSHA has produced voluntary advisory guidelines relating
to workplace violence. Although the guidelines are aimed
specifically at the night retail industry, they provide an
excellent framework that can be used in other industries
including:

Manufacturing

Transportation

Processing
Occupational Safety and Health for Technologists, Engineers, and Managers, 6/th ed.
Goetsch
© 2008 Pearson Higher Education,
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. • All Rights Reserved.
Elements of
OSHA Guideline Framework
The framework for voluntary advisory guidelines relating to
workplace violence produced by OSHA include the
following elements:
•
Management commitment and employee involvement
•
Workplace analysis and hazard prevention control
•
Safety and health training
•
Record-keeping and evaluation
Occupational Safety and Health for Technologists, Engineers, and Managers, 6/th ed.
Goetsch
© 2008 Pearson Higher Education,
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. • All Rights Reserved.