Definition and Categories of Workplace Violence
- Workplace violence refers to physical abuse or threats that pose a risk to employee health and safety.
- The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health categorizes workplace violence into worker on worker, personal relationship, customer/client, and criminal intent.
- These categories are further divided into three levels based on the severity of violence.
- Employers are required to provide a safe environment for employees under the Occupational Health Act of 1970.
- Many workplaces have implemented programs and protocols to protect their workers.
Epidemiology and Statistics of Workplace Violence
- In 2011, violence contributed to 17% of all US occupational fatalities, with homicides accounting for 10%.
- From 1992 to 2010, there were an average of over 700 workplace homicide victims per year in the United States.
- Workplace violence disproportionately affects females, with homicides contributing to 21% of female occupational fatalities compared to 9% for males.
- Female homicides are often committed by relatives or domestic partners, while male homicides are more likely to be perpetrated by robbers.
- Approximately 2 million US workers report workplace violence incidents each year.
Types and Levels of Workplace Violence
- Worker on worker violence occurs between individuals of the same occupation and can be physical, verbal, or emotional.
- Personal relationship violence involves bringing personal relationship issues into the workplace, causing disruption for the employee and co-workers.
- Customer/client violence occurs between customers/clients and employees, with violence occurring in either direction.
- Criminal intent violence in the workplace has no relationship to the workplace or its employees.
- These categories of workplace violence are further classified into three levels based on the severity of the situation.
Motivations and Preventative Strategies for Workplace Violence
- Perline and Goldschmidt highlight two types of workplace violence: object-focused and non-object-focused.
- Object-focused violence aims to obtain something valuable, while non-object-focused violence is emotionally driven and often associated with anger.
- Understanding the motivation behind workplace violence is crucial for developing prevention strategies.
- Frustration and perceived injustice contribute to anger, and mitigating these factors can help prevent violent episodes.
- The anger-focus model identifies eight different types of focus that can lead to workplace violence, providing insights for preventive measures.
Prevention Measures and Responses to Workplace Violence
- The United States Department of Labor aims to promote a safe work environment free from violence, harassment, and intimidation.
- Key factors to prevent workplace violence include maintaining a positive work environment and implementing security measures.
- Educating employees on policies and procedures and recognizing performance/conduct indicators are important prevention strategies.
- Employee support services should be available for expressing concerns, and early intervention is crucial.
- In the event of workplace violence, the Department of Homeland Security suggests running, hiding, or fighting as options.
The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (May 2023) |
Workplace violence (WPV), violence in the workplace (VIW), or occupational violence refers to violence, usually in the form of physical abuse or threat, that creates a risk to the health and safety of an employee or multiple employees. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health defines worker on worker, personal relationship, customer/client, and criminal intent all as categories of violence in the workplace. These four categories are further broken down into three levels: Level one displays early warning signs of violence, Level two is slightly more violent, and level three is significantly violent. Many workplaces have initiated programs and protocols to protect their workers as the Occupational Health Act of 1970 states that employers must provide an environment in which employees are free of harm or harmful conditions.
