Workplace violence

Workplace security hazards include the following.

Isolated location or job activities Uncontrolled access to the building No locks on doors or between work areas Lighting problems such as dark hallways and parking lots Lack of phones or means of communication between employees Early morning or nighttime hours of employment Unknown person(s) loitering outside the workplace Easy access to potential weapons such as knives or scissors9

Violence is the product of an interaction among three factors:

the individual who takes violent action; the stimulus or triggering conditions that lead the person to see violence as a "way out"; and Page 8 of 17 a setting that facilitates or permits the violence, a setting which there is a lack of intervention.

What are some myths about workplace violence?

-He Just Snapped -violent act will primarily occur during times of layoffs -a that suicides increase during the holidays, and that many people equate a suicidal person as one that may commit a violent act in the workplace -companies put their trust and dependency in their security department to handle violent acts in the workplace. -Society has accepted the false security that technology will keep them safe

What are some definitions of workplace violence according to the The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

1. 'Any work or work environment that negatively affects employee production and safety'. This definition includes onsite problems as well as offsite conditions and occurrences such as stalking, telephone harassment, and other similar confrontations. 2. violent acts directed toward persons at work or on duty. Workplace violence is any physical assault, threatening behavior, or verbal abuse occurring in the work setting. A work setting is defined as any location, either permanent or temporary, where an employee performs work-related duties. This comprises, but is not limited to, the buildings and surrounding perimeters, including the parking lots, field locations, clients' homes, and traveling to and from work assignments'. 9 O

Employee:

A person in the service of another under any contract for hire, express or implied, oral or written, where the employer has the power or right to control and direct the employee in the material details of how the work is to be performed6

Panacea:

A remedy for all ills or difficulties6

What are some warning signs attributed to violence?

Actor behaviors: The employee acts out his/her anger with such actions as yelling, shouting, slamming doors, and so on. Fragmentor behaviors: The employee takes no responsibility for his/her actions, and sees no connection between what s/he does and the consequences or results of the actions. As an example, s/he blames others for his/her mistakes. Me-First behaviors: The employee does what s/he wants, regardless of the negative effects on others. As an example, the employee takes a break during a last minute rush to get products to customers, while all other employees are working hard to meet the deadline. Mixed-Messenger behaviors: The employee talks positively but behaves negatively. For example, the employee acts in a passive-aggressive manner saying s/he is a team player, but then refuses to share information. Wooden-Stick behaviors: The employee is rigid, inflexible, and controlling. S/he won't try new technology, wants to be in charge, or purposefully withholds information. Escape-Artist behaviors: The employee deals with stress by lying and/or taking part in addictive behaviors such as drugs or gambling. Shocker behaviors: The employee suddenly acts in ways that are out of character and/or inherently extreme. For instance, a usually reliable individual fails to show up or call in sick for work. Stranger behaviors: The employee is remote, has poor social skills, and/or becomes fixated on an idea and/or individual.

What is one of the ways to set up workplace training?

Hold a seminar

T/F: A security team can maintain a watchful eye over a work environment and look for signs of danger or dangerous situations, but they cannot prevent it.

T

T/F: Having a plan without action will not prevent, detect, or stop workplace violence.

T

T/F: The truth is that violent acts are more likely to come from a current employee than one who has been terminated

T

T/F: There is no definitive prediction or prevention strategy appropriate for all workplaces.

T

T/F: There is no one standard definition of workplace violence

T

T/F: females do commit acts of violence in the workplace).

T

T/F: knowing the warning signs will not prevent all acts of workplace violence.

T

T/F: there is no way to predict where or when violence may occur in the workplace.

T

Myth:

a) a popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someone; esp. one embodying the ideals and institutions of society or a society or segment of society; b) an unfound false notion

Violence:

a) exertion of physical force so as to injure or abuse...; b) an instance of violent treatment or procedure; c) injury by or as if by distortion, infringement, or profanation: outrage; c) intense turbulent, or furious and often destructive action or force

Truth:

a) sincerity in action, character, and utterance; b) the state of being the case: fact 6

Verity:

a) the quality or state of being true; accordance with fact or reality; to question the verity of a statement; b) something that is true, as a principle, belief, idea, or statement: the eternal verities

Perpetrators of violent acts usually have which motives?

achieve notoriety or fame; bring attention to a personal problem; avenge a perceived wrong; or end personal pain, to be killed."

Prior to being hired, an employee should be aware that...

background investigation will be conducted, and the applicant should be asked to complete the appropriate authorization form.

One of the recommended components to minimize workplace violence is _____

development of a violence prevention plan

What is one of the biggest fcontributors of workplace violence?

failure to detect or identify potentially dangerous person(s) or situations.

What is one proactive approach to learning that behavioral patterns exist?

take a proactive approach in learning some of the behavioral patterns that may assist in detecting and/or identifying a person who may commit an act of violence.

Workplace violence includes which of the following?

verbal threats, including vague or suggestive threats; abusive or offensive language and gestures; disorderly conduct, such as shouting, throwing or pushing objects; punching walls, slamming doors; and spreading of malicious rumors and/or defamatory statements.9