Employers Taking Steps to Combat Workplace Violence

Dec. 29, 1999
RIMS survey shows that 58 percent of employers surveyed refer potentially violent employees to assistance programs.

Employers are using prevention measures to curb workplace violence by improving hiring techniques, implementing security measures or by developing a "no weapons" policy, according to a survey and white paper published by the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS).

More than half (58 percent) of the employers surveyed said they refer potentially violent employees to their employee assistance programs, the report said.

The paper, "Workplace Violence Study and White Paper," complies the results of a joint study that focused on current programs and policies that prevent and mitigate workplace violence.

RIMS and Risk Management/Insurance Division of the American Society of Safety Engineers surveyed 1,000 selected safety professionals from their member pool and 500 random safety professionals.

Although 70 percent of the respondents have not undergone a formal risk assessment of the potential for violence in the workplace, nearly 62 percent of the respondents indicated that their organizations have a written workplace violence policy in place.

"Risk managers cannot ignore the human and financial costs of workplace violence," said Ruth Unks, co-author of the paper and risk manager for Maricopa County Community College District Legal Services Department.

"This survey and the white paper can be a useful tool and provide a context for risk managers to raise these issues within their organization."

The White Paper makes 16 specific recommendations for officers and directors, human resource managers, risk managers and securities professionals to consider when evaluating their vulnerability to workplace violence.

It also gives suggestions on how to develop policies to minimize the risk of such violence, appropriate to their particular situation and needs.

Recommendations include:

  • conducting a risk assessment,
  • increasing security,
  • providing training for employers and employees; and
  • identifying methods for dealing with troubled employees.

For a copy of the study, visit the RIMS Web Site at www.rims.org

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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