Total Articles: 19
OSHA's New Initiative Against Workplace Violence
According to the latest statistics, an astounding two million workers in America are the victims of workplace violence
each year, and workplace violence now ranks among the top four causes of workplace deaths. In 2010, 18 percent of U.S.
workplace fatalities were the result of workplace violence. Compare that to 14 percent of U.S. workplace fatalities caused
by falls.
Allegations of workplace violence or threats of violence may lead to an OSHA visit.
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has written an enforcement directive for purposes of investigating and dealing with incidents of workplace violence. The directive, issued on September 8, 2011, will be used by OSHA’s district supervisors and area directors in determining whether or not to conduct an investigation into allegations of workplace violence, and includes inspection procedures that will be followed by the agency’s compliance officers while conducting such inspections. It also suggests various methods of abatement available to employers in workplace violence situations.
Workplace Violence Gains Formal OSHA Investigation Procedures
On September 8, OSHA issued Directive CPL 02-01-052, which for the first time establishes procedures for investigating workplace violence complaints.
Keeping Violence Out of the Work Environment
After the tragic shooting in Tucson, details have emerged about the alleged gunman's history of disturbing behavior. Although there are no easy answers, people continue to ask whether there were any warning signs that could have been addressed in a way that might have prevented such a tragedy. Because of the complexity of the issue, employers may be unsure how to deal with employees who exhibit unsettling behavior that could foreshadow violence in the workplace. In considering their alternatives, employers should keep in mind both state and federal laws as well as workplace safety.
Workplace Violence and Bullying -- How to Manage Employers' Risks.
While workplace violence and bullying are not necessarily new problems, they've garnered recent attention as the recession continues to take its psychological toll on workers.
WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION: THAT COULDN’T HAPPEN HERE?
Workplace violence incidents remain in the news. The headlines contain shocking accounts of attacks at workplaces of all sizes, in the public and private sectors. The industries involved range from academia to office environments, from government offices, to manufacturing settings. The locations vary from Connecticut to Texas; from Albuquerque to Baltimore. Perpetrators and victims alike come from all backgrounds, crossing gender, race, socio-economic, educational, professional and virtually all other lines.
When "Sabotgage" Becomes Illegal.
I continue to see a number of articles about the need for anti-bullying legislation, much to my dismay. When there is an article about it in the weekly Sunday supplement that's in my local newspaper, you know the movement is gaining traction. See Workplace Bullying: Do We Need a Law?
Bullying As a Cause of Action - One Large Step Closer.
As long time readers may remember, I have for a long time been concerned about a proposed cause of action for bullying. My first post about bullying goes all the way back to January 12, 2003, Newest Workplace Problem? Bullying?
Workplace Violence - The Necessity Of A Proactive Approach.
As more information about the perpetrators becomes available, we are hearing about several, all too familiar, warning signs of the men believed to be responsible for the recent shootings in Orlando, Florida and Killeen, Texas. This is a very appropriate time to refresh our memories about the types of behavior that should be cause for concern in the workplace.
Enforceability of Employer’s Prohibition on Firearms Rests Primarily on State Law.
Last month, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals determined that Oklahoma laws supporting the right of individuals to possess firearms in locked vehicles on company property are not preempted by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act, and therefore are enforceable. That decision rested on the facts that the Oklahoma state statutes were instituted to regulate employees as members of the general public and not as “workers” and, therefore, that the statutes did not conflict with OSHA standards.
Workplace Bullying: A New Spin on an Old Theme.
In May 2008, the Indiana Supreme Court recognized a new legal phenomenon, workplace bullying, when it upheld a lower court's ruling that a surgeon was liable for intentional infliction of emotional distress and assault for screaming, swearing at and advancing upon a coworker in the operating room.
Disney Defends Against Lawsuit Under New Gun Law.
If the National Rifle Association didn't know who Edwin Sotomayer was before, it probably does now. The former security guard for Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park could soon be a part of one of the biggest cases to address a citizen's right to keep and bear arms that the nation has ever seen.
Workplace Bullying - A New Dilemma For Employers.
When faced with an abusive, intimidating boss or co-worker, many people's thoughts take them back to the school ground when they first encountered a bully.
“Guns at Work” Laws Resurface in Several States.
The “bring your guns to work” bill, HB 503/SB 1130, has resurfaced this session in the Florida legislature, and appears headed toward passage. This legislation would make it illegal for businesses and other private property owners to have policies prohibiting firearms on their private property. The House Environmental & Natural Resources Council has approved HB 503 and the Senate Criminal Justice Committee passed SB 1130 on March 18, 2008 by a vote of 7-1. Essentially, the bill makes it unlawful for an employer to “discriminate against” an employee for exercising the constitutional right to bear arms or exercising the right of self-defense if a gun is never exhibited on company property other than for lawful defensive purpose.
Harassment Restraining Orders: A Tool for Employers To Prevent Workplace Violence.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, 516 workplace homicides occurred in 2006. That number has remained fairly constant in recent years, with 567 homicides in 2005, 551 in 2004, and so on. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately 18 percent of all violent crime takes place in the workplace. These statistics are no surprise, since workplace violence has become a regular feature of our daily news. Given these disturbing trends, the unthinkable has become reality, and workplace managers are increasingly looking for tools to address threatening behavior by or against employees before it can escalate to violence.
"Gun Fight" at the OK Courthouse.
With the rising concern about workplace violence over the last decade, many employers have adopted policies prohibiting guns in the workplace. Such policies generally prohibit employees, as well as third parties, from bringing firearms or other weapons onto company property, including company parking lots.
Odd Man Out?
You know the employee the caller is talking about. Quiet. Awkward. Intense. Coworkers avoid him. He makes you uncomfortable. He's "weird," the "odd duck" that everyone has ignored to date. The caller relays a rumor: he has a mental impairment and doesn't always take his medication. No one has complained about him before, but after the events at Virginia Tech, you've received calls from coworkers painting him as a ticking time bomb. Your employees are talking about him, escalating their concerns and infecting the work environment with a low-scale panic. They expect you to "do something."
The Tragedy of Virginia Tech - Lessons For The Workplace.
As more information becomes available, we are finding an all-too-familiar profile of the young man believed to be responsible for the recent shootings on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. This is a very appropriate time to refresh our memories about the kinds of behaviors which should be cause for concern on school campuses and around the office.
Workplace Bullying: What Should an Employer Do?
When employees complain that a colleague frequently glares at them and gives them the "silent treatment," thus interfering with work production and decreasing department morale, what is an employer to do? What if one employee complains that others in her department repeatedly exclude her from lunch and other social outings? Or, what if employees complain that their supervisor speaks to them in a loud, gruff, and intimidating tone of voice because, as he says, "That's just how I talk"?
