Workplace violence

Workplace violence is one of most dangerous issues that high risky to people (workers or customers) who present within workplace. Also statistics shows that most common was simple assaults 1.5 million a year &this type of violence has a negative effect on economics as cost 500,000 employees 1,175,100 lost work days each year, Lost wages: $55 million annually, Lost productivity, legal expenses, Property damage diminished public image, increased security.

Definition:-
Most people think of violence as a physical assault. However, workplace violence is a much broader problem. It is any act in which a person is abused, threatened, intimidated or assaulted in his or heremployment. Workplace violence includes:“justification for Problem Definition”
 Threatening behavior - such as shaking fists, destroying property or throwing objects.
 Verbal or written threats - any expression of an intent to inflict harm.
 Harassment- any behavior that demeans, embarrasses, humiliates, annoys, alarms or verbally abuses a person and that is known or would be expected to be unwelcome. This includes words, gestures, intimidation, bullying, or other inappropriate activities.
 Verbal abuse - swearing, insults or condescending language.
 Physical attacks - hitting, shoving, pushing or kicking
“Canadian center for occupational and safety” In hospitals work place violence had different forms as prevalence of handguns and other weapons among patients, their families or friends increasing use of hospitals by the criminal justice system for criminal holds and the care of acutely disturbed, violent Increasing number of acute and chronically mentally ill patients beingreleased from hospitals without follow-upcare, who now have the right to refusemedicine and who can no longer behospitalized involuntarily unless they pose a the availability of drugs and money athospitals, clinics and pharmacies, making them likely robbery targets Unrestricted movement of the public inclinics and hospitalsat to themselves or othersindividuals.

Also solo work, often in remote locations high crime settings with no back-up ormeans of obtaining assistance ascommunication devices or alarmsystems

Workplace violence prevention program elements include for example:-
“Alternatives”
 Management Commitment and Employee Involvement
 Worksite Analysis
 Hazard Prevention and Control

“Alternatives evaluation”
Management commitment and employee involvement are complementary and essential managementcommitment provides themotivating force to deal effectively with workplace violence also employee involvement and feedback enable workers to develop and expresstheir commitment to safety and health. Also management is responsible for hazard prevention and control, training and education employee, recordkeeping and evaluation of program. Create system of accountability for involve managers and employees. Encourage employees to promptlyreport incidents and suggest ways toreduce or eliminate risks. Outline a comprehensive plan for maintaining security in the workplace. Assignresponsibility and authority for program to individuals with appropriate training and skills.

Worksite analysis through a “Threat assessment team”,” patient assault team”, or similar task force may assess the Vulnerability to workplace violence and determine appropriate actions which are responsible for analyzing and tracking records monitoring trends and analyzing incidents screening surveys and analyzing workplace security.

Hazard prevention and controlthrough engineering controls “like alarm systems and other security devices, Metal detectors, Closed-circuit video for recording for high risk areas, Safe rooms for use during emergencies” and workplace adaptation administrative and work practice controls post incident response like” Employee assistance programs to assist victims”

“Conclusion &recommendations” Finally how to manage and control violence within workplace is one of important issues within any institution first to save people ”employee and customers” and also to save institution assets, money, reputation and its future. So every institution is must to implant a safety measures and establish a department for dealing these high risk violence and continuous recording for these violence as well as continuoustanning for employee how to deal with violenceand also use of high technological device to ensuresoftyof work place. And from another point of view increasing resistance or immunity against violence within any institution which making all employee working within safe and welfare environment which increase production and reflect upon institutional reputation.