OSHA RecommendationsOSHA Recommendations for Workplace Violence Prevention for Workplace Violence Prevention

ProgramsPrograms

Presented by:Presented by:Bernard L Fontaine, Jr., CIH, CSPBernard L Fontaine, Jr., CIH, CSPThe Windsor Consulting Group, Inc.The Windsor Consulting Group, Inc.14 Sheinfine Ave., South River, NJ 0888214 Sheinfine Ave., South River, NJ 08882Email: windsgroup@aol.comEmail: windsgroup@aol.com

What Is Workplace Violence?

Workplace violence is any physical assault, threatening behavior, or verbal abuse occurring in the work setting

Workplace Violence

Violence is a leading cause of workplace fatality, Violence is a leading cause of workplace fatality, resulting in 856 deaths in 1997 (BLS)resulting in 856 deaths in 1997 (BLS)

Most common type of Most common type of workplace fatality is a workplace fatality is a shooting during the robbery shooting during the robbery of a retail, service or of a retail, service or transportation workertransportation worker

Extent of Problem

Job-related homicides in retail trades Job-related homicides in retail trades accounted for almost half of all workplace accounted for almost half of all workplace homicides in 1997homicides in 1997

Homicides in convenience and other Homicides in convenience and other grocery stores, eating and drinking places, grocery stores, eating and drinking places, and gasoline service stations and gasoline service stations constituted the largest constituted the largest share of homicides in retail establishments share of homicides in retail establishments

Assaults and Homicides

0

200000

400000

600000

800000

1000000

1200000

1400000

1600000

simple assaultsaggravated assaultsrapes, sexual assaultsrobberieshomicides

Risk Factors

Contact with the publicContact with the public Exchange of moneyExchange of money Delivery of passengers, goods, or Delivery of passengers, goods, or

servicesservices Having a mobile workplace such as a Having a mobile workplace such as a

taxicab or police cruisertaxicab or police cruiser

Risk Factors (Cont’d)

Working alone or in small numbersWorking alone or in small numbers Working in high crime areasWorking in high crime areas Working late, at night, or during early Working late, at night, or during early

morning hoursmorning hours Guarding valuable property or Guarding valuable property or

possessionspossessions

OSHA’s Commitment

OSHA has developed recommendations OSHA has developed recommendations to assist employers to develop workplace to assist employers to develop workplace violence prevention programsviolence prevention programs

OSHA’s Commitment (cont’d)

Recommendations are based on:Recommendations are based on: OSHA’s Safety and Health Management OSHA’s Safety and Health Management

GuidelinesGuidelines State regulations or recommendations State regulations or recommendations

from CA, FL, and WAfrom CA, FL, and WA

Occupational Safety and Health

The OSH Act of 1970 mandates that, in addition to compliance with hazard-specific standards, all employers have a general duty to provide their employees with a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm. This includes the prevention and control of the hazard of workplace violence

OSHA will rely on Section 5 (a)(1) of the OSH Act (the “General Duty Clause”) for enforcement authority

Recommendations

Educational tool to help employers Educational tool to help employers - design, select, and implement workplace - design, select, and implement workplace violence prevention programs violence prevention programs - tailored to meet the specific needs and - tailored to meet the specific needs and risk factors in their workplacerisk factors in their workplace

Recommendations

Not a standardNot a standard Does not create any new OSHA dutiesDoes not create any new OSHA duties Not a model programNot a model program Not a “one size fits all” answerNot a “one size fits all” answer

Violence Prevention Program Elements

Management Management Commitment Commitment and Employee and Employee InvolvementInvolvement

Worksite Worksite AnalysisAnalysis

Hazard Hazard Prevention and Prevention and ControlControl

TrainingTraining EvaluationEvaluation

Management Commitment

Create and share a policy of violence Create and share a policy of violence preventionprevention

Take incidents seriouslyTake incidents seriously Outline a security planOutline a security plan Assign responsibility, authority Assign responsibility, authority

and resources and resources

Management Commitment

Hold employees accountableHold employees accountable Encourage prompt reporting and trackingEncourage prompt reporting and tracking Encourage employees to get involved and Encourage employees to get involved and

make recommendationsmake recommendations

Management Commitment

Make sure employees who report problems or Make sure employees who report problems or experience an incident are not punished or experience an incident are not punished or discriminated (11c) againstdiscriminated (11c) against

Work with others to improve securityWork with others to improve security- Police- Police- Landlords- Landlords- Employer Associations- Employer Associations

Employee Involvement

Participate in surveys and offer suggestionsParticipate in surveys and offer suggestions Assist in security analysis and inspectionAssist in security analysis and inspection Help evaluate prevention and control measuresHelp evaluate prevention and control measures Train other employeesTrain other employees Share on-the-job experiences with other Share on-the-job experiences with other

employeesemployees

Worksite Hazard Analysis

Step-by-step, common sense look at the Step-by-step, common sense look at the workplace to find existing and potential workplace to find existing and potential hazards. hazards. - Review records and past incidents- Review records and past incidents- Workplace security analysis- Workplace security analysis- Periodic safety audits- Periodic safety audits

Prevention Strategies

Reduce the risk of robbery by:Reduce the risk of robbery by:Increasing effort that the perpetrator Increasing effort that the perpetrator

must expendmust expendIncreasing risks to Increasing risks to

the perpetrator the perpetratorReducing rewards Reducing rewards

to the perpetrator to the perpetrator

Hazard Prevention and Control

Engineering controls and workplace adaptationEngineering controls and workplace adaptation Administrative and work practice controlsAdministrative and work practice controls Post incident responsePost incident response

Engineering Controls

Visibility and lighting Drop safes Video surveillance Height markers

Door detectors, buzzers

Alarms Bullet resistant

barriers

OSHAX.org – The Unofficial Guide to the OSHA

Administrative and Work Practice Controls

Integrate violence prevention into daily Integrate violence prevention into daily proceduresprocedures

Minimal cash in registerMinimal cash in register Emergency reporting proceduresEmergency reporting procedures System of communicationSystem of communication Procedures to use barriers & enclosuresProcedures to use barriers & enclosures Increase staffing at high risk Increase staffing at high risk

locations/timeslocations/times

Lock delivery doorsLock delivery doors Establish rules for workers leaving facilityEstablish rules for workers leaving facility Lock doors when not open, procedures Lock doors when not open, procedures

for opening and closingfor opening and closing Limit accessLimit access Adopt safety procedures for off-site workAdopt safety procedures for off-site work

Administrative and Work Practice Controls

Post Incident Response Get medical care for injured victims Report to police and other authorities Inform management Secure the premises - safeguard evidence Prepare incident report immediately Arrange appropriate psychological treatment for victims

OSHAX.org – The Unofficial Guide to the OSHA

Management and Personnel Training

Ensure that all staff are aware of security Ensure that all staff are aware of security hazards and protective procedureshazards and protective procedures

WorkersWorkersPotential risksPotential risksOperational proceduresOperational proceduresUse of security measuresUse of security measuresBehavioral strategiesBehavioral strategiesIncident responseIncident responseEmergency actionEmergency action

Supervisors, managers and security Supervisors, managers and security personnelpersonnel

- Same training as other workers- Same training as other workers- Additional training to help them - Additional training to help them recognize, analyze and establish recognize, analyze and establish controlscontrols

Management and Personnel Training

Evaluation

RecordkeepingRecordkeepingInjuriesInjuriesIncidentsIncidentsHazard analysesHazard analysesRecommendations from police, Recommendations from police,

consultants, employeesconsultants, employeesHazard correctionHazard correctionTraining and safety meetingsTraining and safety meetings

Evaluation

• Review the results of safety auditsReview the results of safety audits• Review post incident reportsReview post incident reports• Review minutes from safety meetingsReview minutes from safety meetings• Analyze trends in incidents, injuries, etc.Analyze trends in incidents, injuries, etc.• Consult with employees before & after Consult with employees before & after

worksite changesworksite changes• Update information on violence Update information on violence

prevention strategiesprevention strategies

Sources of Assistance

OSHA Internet Site OSHA Internet Site www.osha.govwww.osha.gov The Unofficial Guide to the OSHA – The Unofficial Guide to the OSHA –

www.oshax.org www.oshax.org OSHA State Programs (California, Florida, OSHA State Programs (California, Florida,

Virginia, Washington have developed specific Virginia, Washington have developed specific guidelines and recommendations)guidelines and recommendations)

OSHA Consultation ProgramOSHA Consultation Program NIOSHNIOSH Trade Associations, Unions, Insurers, etc..Trade Associations, Unions, Insurers, etc..