Workplace Violence

Workplace Violence Safety: Violence in the workplace is a substantial contributor to occupational injury and death, and homicide has become the second leading cause of occupational injury death.

Each week, an average of 20 workers are murdered and 18,000 are assaulted while at work or on duty. Nonfatal assaults result in millions of lost workdays and cost workers millions of dollars in lost wages.

Violence in the workplace is clustered in certain occupational settings: For example, the retail trade and service industries account for more than half of workplace homicides and 85% of nonfatal workplace assaults.

Taxicab drivers have the highest risk of workplace homicides of any occupational group. Workers in health care, community services, and retail settings are at increased risk of nonfatal assaults.

The majority of these 20 murders in the United States are robbery-related crimes. In addition, an estimated 1 million workers are assaulted annually in U.S. workplaces. Most of these assaults occur in service settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, and social service agencies.

Factors that place workers at risk for violence in the workplace include interacting with the public, exchanging money, delivering services or goods, working late at night or during early morning hours, working alone, guarding valuables or property, and dealing with violent people or volatile situations.

What can be done to protect your health at work: A number of environmental, administrative, and behavioral strategies have the potential for reducing the risk of violence in the workplace. No single strategy is appropriate for all workplaces, but all workers and employers should assess the risk of violence in their workplaces and take appropriate action to reduce those risks. Collecting information about all incidents of workplace violence helps determine whether prevention strategies are necessary, appropriate, and effective.

Where can I get more information? The references and related reading list found on the below NIOSH Graphic will provide a useful inventory of published reports and literature.

A number of unions, employer groups, and professionals in occupational safety and health, human resources, and employee assistance have also developed materials regarding violence in the workplace.

Any resource should be evaluated in light of the violence experienced in specific workplaces. Click on the graphic for additional information from NIOSH:

Risk factors for workplace violence include dealing with the public, the exchange of money, and the delivery of services or goods. Prevention strategies for minimizing the risk of workplace violence include (but are not limited to) cash-handling policies, physical separation of workers from customers, good lighting, security devices, escort services, and employee training.

A violence in the workplace safety and prevention program should include a system for documenting incidents, procedures to be taken in the event of incidents, and open communication between employers and workers. Although no definitive prevention strategy is appropriate for all workplaces, all workers and employers should assess the risks for violence in their workplaces and take appropriate action to reduce those risks.

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