Violence in the Workplace

Health care and social service workers face an increased risk of work-related assaults stemming from several factors. These include:

• The prevalence of handguns and other weapons among patients, their families or friends;
• The increasing use of hospitals by police and the criminal justice system for criminal holds and the care of acutely disturbed, violent individuals;
• The increasing number of acute and chronic mentally ill patients being released from hospitals without follow-up care (these patients have the right to refuse medicine and can no longer be hospitalized involuntarily unless they pose an immediate threat to themselves or others);
• The availability of drugs or money at hospitals, clinics and pharmacies, making them likely robbery targets;
• Factors such as the unrestricted movement of the public in clinics and hospitals and long waits in emergency or clinic areas that lead to client frustration over an inability to obtain needed services promptly;
• The increasing presence of gang members, drug or alcohol abusers, trauma patients or distraught family members;
• Low staffing levels during times of increased activity such as mealtimes, visiting times and when staff are transporting patients;
• Isolated work with clients during examinations or treatment;
• Solo work, often in remote locations with no backup or way to get assistance, such as communication devices or alarm systems (this is particularly true in high-crime settings);
• Lack of staff training in recognizing and managing escalating hostile and assaultive behavior; and
• Poorly lit parking areas.

Information provided by http://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3148/osha3148.html

Visit our website at http://dominionsecure.com or call Dominion Group at 516.554.9823 to learn more about protecting yourself and your employees at the workplace. We specialize in defeating these threats and educating your workforce to ensure everyone's safety.