OCCUPATIONAL VIOLENCE

Overview and Facts

Occupational violence is any form of danger aimed at someone at work, from verbal harassment to violent attacks. This may cause psychological problems, physical damage, or even death. Violence may happen in any workplace and among any employee. However, transportation, protective services, and marketing employees are at a higher risk of deadly violence. In contrast, healthcare and social support professionals are at a higher risk of non-fatal abuse that causes them to miss work.

Any abuse, including screaming or cursing at another employee, and psychological traumas such as intimidating conduct, obscene phone calls, threats, near suicides, rapes, shootings, suicides, stabbings, and beatings, are all examples.

Types and Symptoms

TYPES

Occupational violence has four types: 

  • Type I: criminal intent 
  • Type II: inmate, client, and customer
  • Type III: worker-on-worker 
  • Type IV: domestic violence, personal relationship

Risks

The risk factors for occupational violence are as follows:

  • Incivility
  • Tasks need to be perceived.
  • Low staff empowerment
  • Lack of involvement in decision-making due to authoritarian leadership.
  • Inadequate supervision and peer assistance
  • Unfairness and injustice in the workplace
  • Violence prevention and staff training are lacking.
  • Inmate transportation and guarding
  • Working alone whenever understaffed
  • Insufficient security
  • Overcrowding and unpleasant surroundings
  • Parking lots, rooms, corridors, and other locations are not brightly lit.
  • Blind spots and poor surrounding structure

Management And Prevention

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration publishes management and prevention recommendations for occupational violence. Assessment, review, documentation, health and safety training, worksite analysis, quality management, and employee engagement are vital parts of the OSHA standards for preventing and controlling occupational violence. Furthermore, owners and management have made it a goal to give their workers an environment free of retaliation, sexual harassment, and other forms of wrongdoing.

Safety Tips

Here are a few basic safety precautions to assist you in avoiding occupational violence incidents:

  • Seek help if necessary.
  • Be courteous.
  • Avoid conflict.
  • Listen intently.
  • Assess the effectiveness of your protective equipment regularly.
  • Make sure to have a working knowledge of safety regulations and procedures. 
  • Focus on the importance of reporting and documenting any occurrences of workplace violence.
  • Keep good limits and connections.
  • Maintain continual awareness of your environment.

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