Preventing and Mitigating Workplace Violence and Crimes

Posted on Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Because you never know where and how workplace violence will strike, the best defense is to make yourselves and the workplace itself less vulnerable. Here are some points to discuss with your employees to help ward off problems before they occur.

Don't leave valuables at your desk - even if you're just away for a second, and even if you are in a private office. That's long enough for an office thief to strike.
Be aware of fellow employees and how they respond to stress. If they exhibit behavior that is beyond the norm, notify a supervisor or HR.
Become familiar with company emergency plans.
Don't leave employees to work alone in exposed places.
Have a process to log all visitors. Ask for and log IDs.
Identify high-risk areas, such as where cash changes hands, valuable items are stored, or where employees are most vulnerable to assault.
Use name tags. Discipline employees who routinely forget name tags or access badges - they tend to create vulnerabilities in the system around them by leaving doors unlocked and other security lapses.
Are you being stalked? Consider asking to change your schedule or workstation, at least temporarily.
Volunteer to help develop a company emergency plan. Be sure to rehearse it periodically.
Report malfunctioning locks and lights to managers immediately.
Never prop open self-locking doors.
Change access key codes when an employee leaves the company or is fired.
Identify persons delivering parcels prior to opening the door.
Redirect unusual phone calls to security.
Are you being harassed? Notify a manager and/or HR.
Mark all home office equipment with a name and keep a serial number inventory.
If you must walk to your car after dark, avoid doing so alone. Ask to have a coworker accompany you.
Managers - make use of background screening services when hiring.
Do not put up 'gun-free zone' signs - even if you have a company policy banning guns on the premises. There is no need to advertise that fact to outsiders.
Make sure first aid kits are fully stocked and periodically inventoried.
Have a procedure in place to log and document workplace injuries, attacks, threats and suspicious actions.
Management should ensure all the company's insurance policies are current and in force.
Periodically review security procedures and access protocols. Advances in low-voltage technology is making sophisticated security systems increasingly affordable, even for smaller employers.
Consider sponsoring some employees for advanced first aid training, designed to stabilize an injured party until paramedics arrive.
If an armed or dangerous individual invades a workplace, employees not directly pinned down should evacuate immediately.
Remaining employees should remain calm and try to stall for time, if possible.
Try to maintain conversation with the criminal.
Create a detailed workplace emergency response plan, to include brevity codes for quick and orderly evacuation.
Keep work areas and passageways clear of debris. This facilitates evacuation and entry for emergency workers. It also makes suspicious packages easier to identify and report.

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Disclaimer: The information contained in Dulin, Ward & DeWald’s blog is provided for general educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or legal advice on any subject matter. Before taking any action based on this information, we strongly encourage you to consult competent legal, accounting or other professional advice about your specific situation. Questions on blog posts may be submitted to your DWD representative.