Violence in the American Workplace

Violence in the American Workplace

The American workplace has become a battle ground. Each year thousands of worker’s fall victim to workplace violence, or are at least threatened with acts of violence. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA):

Workplace violence has emerged as an important safety and health issue in today's workplace. It's most extreme form, homicide, is the second leading cause of fatal occupational injury in the United States. Nearly 1,000 workers are murdered, and 1.5 million are assaulted in the workplace each year.

The threat of violence in the workplace is a growing phenomena that affects all levels of the work force from taxi drivers to stock traders. According to information provided by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH):

Crime, harassment, and internal violence has created a strikingly visible safety and health problem for the workplace. Recent figures from NIOSH and the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that people at work are increasingly exposed to lethal violence. Homicide accounts for 17% of all deaths in the workplace. It was the leading cause of death for women in the workplace in ..... These figures, now well publicized, create a perception that the workplace is not safe. The picture of the angry worker bent on revenge has become the symbol for the sense of betrayal and loss felt by the American worker in the face of the sweeping changes affecting all levels of the workforce. We must now add to this the frightening picture of gas station attendants, store clerks, and taxi drivers who are dying at work in unacceptably high numbers.

Although crime statistics are dropping nationally across the board, violence in the workplace...

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National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health Web Page;

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/violcont.htm; Current Intelligence Bulletin 57: Violence in the Workplace. Risk Factors and Prevention Strategies. July1996, n.p.

National Crime Center for Victims of Crime Infolink Web Page;

http://207.222.132.10/infolink/info54.htm. Infolink: Workplace Violence - Employer Information. March 8, 2000, n.p.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration Web Page; http://www.osha.gov/oshinfo/priorities/violence.html. n.d., n.p.

Robinson, Janet L. "10 Facts Every Employer Should Know About Workplace Violence", Smart Business Supersite. Internet Search Engine: Google.com, n.d., n.p.