William W. Bowser, Editor; Scott A. Holt and Adria B. Martinelli, Associate Editor
Young, Conaway, Stargatt & Taylor

Vol. 12, No. 11
November 2007

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE

Lessons learned from recent tragedies

Margaret DiBianca

On September 21, two students were shot and one was seriously injured in an early morning assault on the Delaware State University campus. Officials acted swiftly, closing the campus, notifying students, and canceling classes, all before sunrise. The quick response was an important difference from the shooting five months ago at Virginia Tech. Another difference was the shooter's connection to the campus. Unlike the Virginia Tech gunman, Seung-Hui Cho, the youth arrested in relation to the Delaware State shooting wasn't a student at the university.

One important commonality between the two cases was the presence of devastating violence. And more than that, it was violence in a place most of us still believe should be a safe haven ― a school campus. Though the student body's safety is the first concern, the faculty and staff members' safety isn't far behind. Perhaps overlooked is a shattering reality ― violence in the workplace is a real and undeniable threat to the nation's workforce.

Staggering statistics

Workplace violence is a serious threat to American employees. Homicide is the fourth leading cause of workplace fatalities in the United States. Nearly 1,000 workers are murdered and 1.5 million are assaulted in the workplace each year. The statistics are even more staggering for female workers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that homicide is the second leading cause of death for women in the workplace.

Identifying, responding to potentially violent situations

The prospect of violence at work is undeniable, yet most employers are largely unprepared. Wise employers will implement policies and procedures for identifying potentially violent situations and have a plan for responding to them.

Supervisors and employees alike should be trained on how to spot potential violence. They also should know how to respond. Employees must appreciate the need to report any perceived risk to a supervisor, and in turn, supervisors must act on ― and never ignore ― a report.

There are several easy-to-implement strategies you can use before an incident occurs. One such strategy is known as "occupant emergency plans." These policies are designed to give employees clear direction in the event of a physical emergency, such as a bomb threat, fire, threat of violence, or natural disaster occurring either inside or outside the facility. The policy should include exit plans and directions for who should be contacted in different emergency situations.

Recovering from violence

As officials at Delaware State and Virginia Tech can surely attest, preparing for the aftermath of violent incidents can be just as important as preventive planning. Although you hope violence never occurs at work, you should be prepared to deal with the critical period immediately after an emergency. Following a violent incident, the organization should stand ready to aid employees in the healing process.

For example, there should be a strong management presence at the work site. That enables employees to quickly get their questions answered reliably and uniformly. It also ensures that emotional reactions are monitored so proper assistance can be provided.

Prevention debriefing

Preventing workplace violence begins with the application process when candidates are subject to a background check before their first day of work. But prevention also occurs every day in a workplace that sustains a positive environment. Managers who know their workers' personalities are more likely to spot a dangerous change in attitude. Plus, employees are more likely to report signs of trouble to supervisors they believe will take them seriously. Work often can be the best distraction from stress outside the workplace. Therefore, one of the best ways to prevent violence at work is to promote an atmosphere conducive to trust and support among coworkers and management.

For more insight on how to prevent workplace violence, see the article "When there's trouble at home, be aware of danger at work" on page 7.

Copyright 2007 M. Lee Smith Publishers LLC

DELAWARE EMPLOYMENT LAW LETTER does not attempt to offer solutions to individual problems but rather to provide information about current developments in Delaware employment law. Questions about individual problems should be addressed to the employment law attorney of your choice.