The Effects Of Workplace Safety On Organizations And Society

Workplace violence includes any incident in which an employee is threatened, intimated, verbally or physically attacked, harassed, injured or killed. Workplace, or occupational violence, as it is sometimes referred to, has and can occur in almost all types of settings, from large to small, private to public and rural to urban. Therefore, there is a demonstrated need for firms of all types, sizes and in all locations to become aware of the seriousness of

Hatred in the work environment breeds various issues for workers. For example, representatives working in a negative situation will probably discover issues with confidence and low profitability. Also, a negative work environment can prompt high representative turnover rates. To build energy in the work environment, workers must to make a positive workplace and do what it takes to maintain and cultivate this culture. According to Yoder-wise (2011), “the definition of violence includes overt and covert behavior ranging from offensive threatening language to homicide” (Yoder Wise, 2011, p.498). Violence can be noted as the general term that represents lateral aggression,

Workplace violence occurs due to an interpersonal conflict between two or more people that results from differences in their needs, ideas, goals, interests, or values (Marquis and Huston, 2015). Workplace violence is not limited to physical violence; it also includes negative activities such as bulling, verbal abuse, pranking, negative insinuations, gossiping, insubordination, and withholding information (Latham, Ringl, & Hogan, 2013). Research suggests that more than 80 % nurses experience workplace violence at some point in their working careers (Frederick, 2014). New graduate nurses are especially susceptible to workplace violence because they are usually unprepared to deal with it, and they are more likely to leave the profession due to workplace violence (Frederick, 2014). Townsend (2012) reported that 70 % of nurses, who experienced bullying at the workplace, leave their jobs, and 60 % of new graduate nurses quit their jobs within first six months of being bullied (as cited in Marquis & Huston, 2015). Workplace violence is an important leadership issue to address because it affects turnover rates, productivity, patient safety, and overall quality of care (Marquis & Huston, 2015).

Sustained exposure to violence in the workplace including aggression, abuse, and bullying can have serious physical and psychological consequences, causing some nurses to consider leaving the profession. Workplace violence, including disruptive physician behaviour, also results in decreased patient safety. Clearly, violence against nurses is an important issue among nurses, their patients and the nursing profession at large ( RNAO, iaBPGR, 2009 p.30). Likewise, the ICN report revealed that 75 per cent of nurses do not feel safe from assault in their workplace and up to 95 per cent reported having been bullied at work ( ICN,2001.p. 3).

Violence in all its forms has increased dramatically worldwide in recent decades (Balamurugan, Jose & Nandakumar, 2012). According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) report, nearly two million American workers report having been victims of workplace violence each year (2011). Among those at highest risks for violence in the healthcare setting are nurses, social workers and psychiatric evaluators (OSHA, 2011). In the healthcare setting, physical assault is almost exclusively committed by patients (Balamurugan et al., 2012). Moreover, nurses have the highest rate of violent attacks out of all healthcare workers (Howerton Child & Mentes, 2010); the main reason being that nurses are alongside the patients 24-hours a day, are usually the most available caretakers and are the frontline staff members dealing with patients and their relatives whereas psychiatrists, social workers and other healthcare providers only visit from time to time (Yarovitsky & Tabak, 2009; Rowe, 2012; ALBashtaway, 2013).

Nearly 2 million records of American workers have been victims of workplace violation each year. However, many more cases go unreported. The truth is, workplace violence can strike anytime, anywhere, and no one is immune. Workplace violence categories are violence by strangers, co-workers, personal relations, and by customers or clients. Some workers, notwithstanding, are at increased risk at certain worksites. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries that there are a total of 4,405 fatal work injuries in 2013, 4,628 fatal work injuries in 2012.

Workplace violence most often involves aggressive behavior towards peers, subordinates, supervisors, and other members of the workforce. This can range from verbal abuse to physical violence. Aggression may occur as a response to many situations. Common examples are when individuals face the loss of a job, are passed over for promotion, or perceive favoritism toward others in the work environment.

Unfortunately, workplace violence is all too familiar for most these days. Most think of violence as some sort of physical altercation. However, it’s not only physical, but includes threatening and endangering behavior towards one, or a group of employees. In fact, you may be surprised by some of the actions that are included in workplace violence. Some that you may not think of, but they include and are not limited to: harassment, intimidation, extortion and threats. Obviously, things like assault, kidnapping, homicide, etc… Nearly two million people are involved or victims of workplace violence every year. In the United States, violence is measured with fatal and non-fatal statistics. Violence has surpassed accidental death as the leading

If you are like me, you wonder where are these people working?! According to OSHA (Occupational Health and Safety Administration) certain work factors, processes and interactions put us at increased risk for violence. Examples include:

Safety is a default task that is always operational. Safety is a primary consideration throughout crisis intervention for reasons that are both physically and psychologically based (James & Gilliland, 2013). Institutions play a large part in treatment and may be viewed as an equal and contributing partner in resolving problems with clients disposed to becoming physically and verbally assaultive (James & Gilliland, 2013). The five main components of any effective safety and health program also apply to the prevention of workplace violence. These components are management commitment and employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, safety and health training, and record keeping and program evaluation (Occupational Safety

The complex and advanced healthcare system further creates stressful environments for healthcare staffs, especially nurses. What is the definition of workplace violence? Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) (2002, para. 1) defined workplace violence as “violence or the threat of violence against workers”. Waschgler, Ruiz-Hernàndez, Llor-Esteben, & Jiménez-Barberoo (2013) proved the existence of nursing workplace violence in the findings of the development of the hospital Aggressive Behavior Scale. Workplace violence was divided into vertical violence and horizontal/lateral violence (Waschgler et al., 2013). Each category of violence was also divided into physical violence and nonphysical violence.

Workplace violence is a serious and growing issue in society. Employers need to develop intervention strategies to decrease reduce violence in the workplace. Also, employers and employees need to be aware of the signs when people exhibit behaviors that can lead to workplace violence. As a society, the issue needs to be acknowledged of the reality and work together for creating a solution. Lastly, employers and employees must not live in fear of addressing concerns if they see the potential for workplace violence or report when they witness or experience workplace violence.

The ugly face of workplace violence had not been prominently displayed in the public’s eye until the mid 1980s. What we commonly had, in

This has become a serious concern and companies now have to take a stand to protect their employees as well as the organization. Workplace violence can have a damaging effect on a company. A company can suffer serious implications if they don’t introduce policies in the workplace that protect employees from becoming a target. Families

Workplace violence refers to violence whether it is physical abuse or threat, endangering the health and safety of an employee or multiple employees. Workplace violence can be any violent act that occurs in the workplace by creating a hostile work environment that affects employees ' physical or psychological well-being. Violence in the workplace takes on many forms including: harassment, intimidation, threats, theft, stalking, assault, arson, sabotage, bombing, hostage taking, kidnapping, extortion, suicide, and homicide. All of these forms of violence have a common theme whereas the perpetrator is in control and his/her goal is retaliation. According to the CDC, “From 2003 to 2010 over half of the workplace homicides occurred within three occupation classifications: sales and related occupations (28%), protective service occupations (17%), and transportation and material moving