Higher Education Work-Related Violence

This material was produced under grant number SH-17035-08-60-F-11 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. These materials do not necessarily reflect views or policies of the U.S.

Department of Labor, nor does mention of any trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Goals

• Raise awareness of extent and severity of problem

• Learn basic elements of a prevention program

Scope of ProblemScope of Problem

Every Year:• 1.7 million Americans are assaulted at

work • 6 million are threatened • 16 million workers are harassed

Source: Bureau of Justice, Workplace Violence, 1993 - 1999

National Crime Victimization Survey

Annual Rates of AssaultAnnual Rates of Assaultby employer typeby employer typeNational Crime Victims Survey, US DOJ 2001

Employer type Rate/1000

Overall 12.5

Private company 9.9

Federal govt. 12.1

State/local govt. 33.0

Self-employed 7.4

Other 11.0

Annual Rates of Assaultby selected occupational fieldsNational Crime Victims Survey, US DOJ 2001

Occupational Field Rate/1000

Retail Sales 18.3

Transportation 13.7

Teaching 16.6

Law Enforcement 125.0

Mental Health 50.9

Medical 12.8

Other fields 11.8

The Silent EpidemicThe Silent Epidemic

• 58% of harassed employees do not report incidents

• Fewer than half of workers report assault to the police

• Only 25% of rapes at work are reported

Source: National Crime Victimization Survey

What are the Causes of What are the Causes of Under-Reporting of Under-Reporting of Workplace Assaults?Workplace Assaults?

• “Part of the job” syndrome• “Consequence of living in a violent

society”• Fear of blame or reprisal• Lack of management/ peer support• No serious injuries• “Not worth the effort”

Typology

• Type I – Criminal intent (stranger)

• Type II – Customer/client/patient

• Type III – Co-worker• Type IV – Personal

(friend/family)

Identify All Risk Identify All Risk FactorsFactors• Potential perpetrators / intent

• At-risk staff

• Activities / Situations

• Locations

• Times of day / week / year

Risk Identification Risk Identification Activities (1)Activities (1)

Records review

– OSHA logs

– Logs of other incidents

– You / union have right to records

• Check for completeness

• Review multiple years – look for trends

Color coding of injuries/incidents :

Blue: 1

Green: 2 - 4

Orange: 5 >

Risk mapping

Risk Identification Risk Identification Activities (2)Activities (2)Review Policies and Programs

• What policies exist?

• Cover all types/sources of violence

• Post-incident investigation and support

• Are they applied consistently?

• Periodically reviewed and revised

Zero Tolerance Zero Tolerance PoliciesPolicies

• Worker-focused approach• May violate “just cause” standards• May be viewed as unfair if they are

arbitrary and reflexive• Ignores systemic causes

Proceed with caution!Proceed with caution!

Risk Identification Risk Identification Activities (3)Activities (3)

Worksite inspection

• Building and grounds

• Dangerous areas

• Potential weapons / “exacerbators”

• Checklist

• Conduct regularly

Risk Identification Risk Identification Activities (4)Activities (4)

Talk to the Workers

– Face-to-face

– Questionnaire survey

– Focus groups

– Provide confidentiality, as needed

– Report H&S cmte activities

Risk Identification Risk Identification Activities (5)Activities (5)

Talk to Students/Families

– Individually

– Focus groups

– Identify “stressors” and triggers

– Form coalitions

Risk Factors(organizational/administrative) (1)

Staffing

• Adequate numbers• Distribution

– Shift– Location

• OT – excessive, mandated

Risk Factors(organizational/administrative) (2)

Rules and Work Procedures

• Intake, meds, etc.• Meals, phones, smoking, etc.• Goldilocks

Risk Factors(organizational/administrative) (3)

Communication and Teamwork

•Between shifts•Across disciplines

Risk Factors(organizational/administrative) (4)

Training and Education

• Tailored to worksite• Mandatory• Periodic refreshers• Interactive• Focus only on individual actions?

Risk Factors (Physical Environment) (1)

• Access control • Working in isolation • Hidden areas• Surveillance cameras• Security hardware, alarm systems, etc.

Risk Factors (Physical Environment) (2)

• Lighting, noise, air quality• Sharp edges• Hard surfaces• Work in dangerous neighborhoods• Other?

What are YOUR risks?What are YOUR risks?

• Who, what where, when, why,

how?

• What are the causes?

• What can you/we do?

• Comprehensive program• Debriefing• Medical and psychological counseling• Victims, witnesses, co-workers• Identify and adopt preventive

measures• Interactions with the criminal justice

system

Post-incident ResponsePost-incident Response

OSHA GENERAL DUTY OSHA GENERAL DUTY CLAUSE: CLAUSE:

SECTION 5(a)(1)SECTION 5(a)(1)

Each employer shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm

This includes the prevention and control of the hazard of workplace violence

OSHA GuidelinesOSHA Guidelines

Preventing Workplace Violence for

HealthCare and Social Service Workers

(1996/2003)

www.osha.gov

Violence Prevention Violence Prevention ProgramsPrograms Core Elements

OSHA 2003

• Management Commitment and Employee

Involvement

• Worksite Analysis

• Hazard Prevention and Control

• Safety and Health Training

• Recordkeeping and Program Evaluation

Violence Prevention Violence Prevention ProgramsPrograms

• Assign responsibility and authority

• Involve staff in all aspects of violence

prevention

• Allocate adequate resources

• Encourage reporting – No reprisals

• Equal commitment to worker safety and client

outcomes

Hazard Evaluation & ControlHazard Evaluation & Control

• Organize a team

• Analyze injury data

• Focus groups/ survey affected staff

• Evaluate work environment

• Organize to implement changes

Labor’s Strategies

• joint L/M programs• contract language and grievances• OSHA complaints, PR, Coalitions• promulgation of state and federal laws

– Washington State rule for hospitals– Lisa’s Law in Michigan– Marty’s Law in Washington

NYS PEF’s Stop Workplace Violence Campaign

PEF’s Stop Workplace Violence Campaign Goals

• Education

• Legislation

• Mobilization

PEF SWV Campaign PEF SWV Campaign ActivitiesActivities $250,000

10 day-long regional

trainings

Buttons, stickers

DVD, “Human Faces” Booklet

to legislators/Das

Postcards

Press conference, lobbying,

coalition building

Worksite action plans

PEF’s Stop Workplace Violence Campaign Outcomes

• $250,000 from PEF Membership Benefits• 10 regionally-based day-long

mobilization/trainings• Development of booklet and DVD• Successful legislative campaign• Increased activity

Mobe/training ParticipantsNumber of Regional Trainings – 10Total Participants – 318

Members – 294Regional Coordinators – 12Vice-Presidents - 3EOL Used – 213

PEF Staff - 24PEF Divisions – 116Total Workplaces - 126

SWV Campaign Follow-up

Source of Workplace Violence

Patient/client/inmate – 70.4%Co-worker – 16.5%Member of the public – 13.9%Supervisor – 2.6%Spouse/family/partner – 0.8%Robber – 0.0%

data from follow-up questionnaire survey – 115

respondents

SWV Campaign Follow-up

Post-training Actions

Spoke with co-workers – 91.3%Spoke with management – 75.7%Committee deal w/ issue – 68.7%Formed new committee – 16.5%Participate in legisl. camp. – 80.9%

data from follow-up questionnaire survey – 115

respondents

SWV Campaign Follow-up

Post-training Changes

Any change – 36.5%Physical environment – 19.1%New/revised policy – 8.7%Staffing – 8.7%Other – 9.6%

data from follow-up questionnaire survey – 115

respondents

Legislative Program

• Annual Report on Workplace Injuries and Costs in State Agencies:S6840 Robach / A9692 John VETOED

• Judi Scanlon Bill: S207 Maziarz / A2570 Hoyt VETOED

• Workplace Violence Prevention Bill: S6441 Spano / A9691 John SIGNED

NEW NYS Violence Standard• All public employers must evaluate their

workplaces to identify violence-related risk factors

• Must implement written program (if >20 workers)

– List of risk factors

– Risk-reduction measures

• Takes effect 2007

• Get Involved !!

Workplace Violence Workplace Violence ResourcesResources

www.pef.org

www.osha.gov

www.cdc.gov/niosh

– Violence in the workplace, CIB 57 (1996)

– Violence: Occupational hazards in hospitals (2002)

– Violence on the job (DVD) (2004)