Higher Education Work-Related Violence

1. Higher Education Work-Related Violence This material was produced under grant number SH-17035-08-60-F-11 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. These materials do not necessarily reflect views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of any trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

2. Goals • Raise awareness of extent and severity of problem • Learn basic elements of a prevention program

3. Scope of Problem Every Year: • 1.7 million Americans are assaulted at work • 6 million are threatened • 16 million workers are harassed Source: Bureau of Justice, Workplace Violence, 1993 - 1999 National Crime Victimization Survey

4. Annual Rates of Assaultby employer typeNational Crime Victims Survey, US DOJ 2001

5. Annual Rates of Assaultby selected occupational fieldsNational Crime Victims Survey, US DOJ 2001

6. The Silent Epidemic • 58% of harassed employees do not report incidents • Fewer than half of workers report assault to the police • Only 25% of rapes at work are reported Source: National Crime Victimization Survey

7. What are the Causes of Under-Reporting of Workplace Assaults? • “Part of the job” syndrome • “Consequence of living in a violent society” • Fear of blame or reprisal • Lack of management/ peer support • No serious injuries • “Not worth the effort”

8. Typology • Type I – Criminal intent (stranger) • Type II – Customer/client/patient • Type III – Co-worker • Type IV – Personal (friend/family)

9. Identify All Risk Factors • Potential perpetrators / intent • At-risk staff • Activities / Situations • Locations • Times of day / week / year

10. Risk Identification Activities (1) Records review • OSHA logs • Logs of other incidents • You / union have right to records • Check for completeness • Review multiple years – look for trends

11. Risk mapping Color coding of injuries/incidents : Blue: 1 Green: 2 - 4 Orange: 5 >

12. Risk Identification Activities (2) Review Policies and Programs • What policies exist? • Cover all types/sources of violence • Post-incident investigation and support • Are they applied consistently? • Periodically reviewed and revised

13. Zero Tolerance Policies • Worker-focused approach • May violate “just cause” standards • May be viewed as unfair if they are arbitrary and reflexive • Ignores systemic causes Proceed with caution!

14. Risk Identification Activities (3) Worksite inspection • Building and grounds • Dangerous areas • Potential weapons / “exacerbators” • Checklist • Conduct regularly

15. Risk Identification Activities (4) Talk to the Workers • Face-to-face • Questionnaire survey • Focus groups • Provide confidentiality, as needed • Report H&S cmte activities

16. Risk Identification Activities (5) Talk to Students/Families • Individually • Focus groups • Identify “stressors” and triggers • Form coalitions

17. Risk Factors(organizational/administrative) (1) Staffing • Adequate numbers • Distribution • Shift • Location • OT – excessive, mandated

18. Risk Factors(organizational/administrative) (2) Rules and Work Procedures • Intake, meds, etc. • Meals, phones, smoking, etc. • Goldilocks

19. Risk Factors(organizational/administrative) (3) Communication and Teamwork • Between shifts • Across disciplines

20. Risk Factors(organizational/administrative) (4) Training and Education • Tailored to worksite • Mandatory • Periodic refreshers • Interactive • Focus only on individual actions?

21. Risk Factors (Physical Environment) (1) • Access control • Working in isolation • Hidden areas • Surveillance cameras • Security hardware, alarm systems, etc.

22. Risk Factors (Physical Environment) (2) • Lighting, noise, air quality • Sharp edges • Hard surfaces • Work in dangerous neighborhoods • Other?

23. What are YOUR risks? • Who, what where, when, why, how? • What are the causes? • What can you/we do?

24. Post-incident Response • Comprehensive program • Debriefing • Medical and psychological counseling • Victims, witnesses, co-workers • Identify and adopt preventive measures • Interactions with the criminal justice system

25. OSHA GENERAL DUTY CLAUSE: SECTION 5(a)(1) Each employer shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm This includes the prevention and control of the hazard of workplace violence

26. OSHA Guidelines Preventing Workplace Violence for HealthCare and Social Service Workers (1996/2003) www.osha.gov

27. Violence Prevention Programs Core Elements OSHA 2003 • Management Commitment and Employee Involvement • Worksite Analysis • Hazard Prevention and Control • Safety and Health Training • Recordkeeping and Program Evaluation

28. Violence Prevention Programs • Assign responsibility and authority • Involve staff in all aspects of violence prevention • Allocate adequate resources • Encourage reporting – No reprisals • Equal commitment to worker safety and client outcomes

29. Hazard Evaluation & Control • Organize a team • Analyze injury data • Focus groups/ survey affected staff • Evaluate work environment • Organize to implement changes

30. Labor’s Strategies • joint L/M programs • contract language and grievances • OSHA complaints, PR, Coalitions • promulgation of state and federal laws • Washington State rule for hospitals • Lisa’s Law in Michigan • Marty’s Law in Washington

31. NYS PEF’s Stop Workplace Violence Campaign

32. PEF’s Stop Workplace Violence Campaign Goals • Education • Legislation • Mobilization

33. PEF SWV Campaign Activities • $250,000 • 10 day-long regional trainings • Buttons, stickers • DVD, “Human Faces” Booklet to legislators/Das • Postcards • Press conference, lobbying, coalition building • Worksite action plans

34. PEF’s Stop Workplace Violence Campaign Outcomes • $250,000 from PEF Membership Benefits • 10 regionally-based day-long mobilization/trainings • Development of booklet and DVD • Successful legislative campaign • Increased activity

35. Mobe/training Participants Number of Regional Trainings – 10 Total Participants – 318 Members – 294 Regional Coordinators – 12 Vice-Presidents - 3 EOL Used – 213 PEF Staff - 24 PEF Divisions – 116 Total Workplaces - 126

36. SWV Campaign Follow-upSource of Workplace Violence Patient/client/inmate – 70.4% Co-worker – 16.5% Member of the public – 13.9% Supervisor – 2.6% Spouse/family/partner – 0.8% Robber – 0.0% data from follow-up questionnaire survey – 115 respondents

37. SWV Campaign Follow-upPost-training Actions Spoke with co-workers – 91.3% Spoke with management – 75.7% Committee deal w/ issue – 68.7% Formed new committee – 16.5% Participate in legisl. camp. – 80.9% data from follow-up questionnaire survey – 115 respondents

38. SWV Campaign Follow-upPost-training Changes Any change – 36.5% Physical environment – 19.1% New/revised policy – 8.7% Staffing – 8.7% Other – 9.6% data from follow-up questionnaire survey – 115 respondents

39. Legislative Program • Annual Report on Workplace Injuries and Costs in State Agencies: S6840 Robach / A9692 John VETOED • Judi Scanlon Bill: S207 Maziarz / A2570 Hoyt VETOED • Workplace Violence Prevention Bill: S6441 Spano / A9691 John SIGNED

40. NEW NYS Violence Standard • All public employers must evaluate their workplaces to identify violence-related risk factors • Must implement written program (if >20 workers) • List of risk factors • Risk-reduction measures • Takes effect 2007 • Get Involved !!

41. Workplace Violence Resources • www.pef.org • www.osha.gov • www.cdc.gov/niosh • Violence in the workplace, CIB 57 (1996) • Violence: Occupational hazards in hospitals (2002) • Violence on the job (DVD) (2004)