Violence in the Workplace

1. Violence in the Workplace

2. Goals • To be able to recognize violence in the workplace • How to react and what to do in a violent situation in the workplace • How to decrease your chances of being a victim of workplace violence.

3. Objectives • What is workplace violence. • What are the types of workplace violence that you may encounter. • Brief understanding of suspicious packages, bomb threats, and active shooters • Understand a suggested response to each • Brief overview of the police response and the suggested role that you play

4. Disclaimer • The following information are general guidelines and suggested responses to various situations. These guidelines are not intended to override any policies and procedures currently in place. Before implementing any of the suggested procedures, please check with your Legal Staff, Management, Human Resources Staff, and local OEM.

5. What is workplace violence • Harmful acts against employees, which include but are not limited to assaults, threats, verbal abuse, harassment, stalking and obscene communication • Who commits workplace violence • Strangers • Co-workers • Customers/clients • Personal Relationships

6. Categories of workplace Violence

7. OSHA Workplace Violence Statistics • Verbal threats – 41% • Pushing Shoving – 19% • Shooting/Stabbing – 2% • 2 million American workers are victims of workplace violence each year • 20 people are murdered at work each week (approximately 3 deaths a day) • 18,000 people are assaulted each week

9. What should you do following an incident of workplace violence? • Encourage employees to report and log all incidents and threats of workplace violence. • Provide prompt medical evaluation and treatment after the incident. • Report violent incidents to the local police promptly. • Inform victims of their legal right to prosecute perpetrators. • Discuss the circumstances of the incident with staff members. • Encourage employees to share information about ways to avoid similar situations in the future. • Offer stress debriefing sessions and posttraumatic counseling services to help workers recover from a violent incident.

10. Safety Concerns • Piggy backing • Propping open doors • Fail to recognize strangers • Fail to report • Common trouble spots would include stairwells, garages, restrooms • Keep purse, wallet, valuables with you or secured in a safe area

11. Prevention • Posted security • cctv/monitors equipped inside and out and are MAINTAINED accordingly • Maintain good lighting • Identification badges/electronic key card system • Report suspicious activity(911/Non emergency number) • Establish a zero tolerance policy • Develop or adopt and implement written security policies and employee procedures • IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING! • Don’t be reactive, be proactive

12. SuspiciousPackages

13. What is a Suspicious Package? • Any item that appears out of place or different from similar objects. An item that is suspicious to one person might not be suspicious to another. If in doubt, call police. “If You See Something, Say Something” • In the past year, the Arlington County Fire Department responded to 10 incidents involving suspicious packages. • This does not include the number of calls that ACPD were able to resolve without additional resources. (Forgotten personal belongings, etc.)

14. Suspicious Mail Indicators • No return address • Restrictive marking (e.g. Personal, Confidential) • Misspelled words • Badly typed or written • Excessive postage • Lopsided • Rigid or Bulky

15. Indicators (continued) • Oily stains or discolorations • Protruding wires • Excessive tape/string • Unusual sounds, odors, or substance

16. Suggested Response • Suspicious Substance: • Distance yourself from item • Call 9-1-1 and follow their instructions • Flush exposed area if applicable • Follow established guidelines

17. Suggested Response (continued) • Suspected Bomb: • DO NOT handle the object. • Leave the environment as is (e.g. Lights, A/C) • Do not use electronic devices within 500 feet of the object (Cell Phones, iPods, Portable Radios) • Call 9-1-1 and follow their instructions • Follow established guidelines

18. Police Response • ACPD will dispatch units to a reported suspicious package. Responding units will assess the need for additional resources such as K-9 and EOD (Bomb Techs). • If EOD is needed, the surrounding area will be evacuated to all pedestrian and vehicle traffic. • The Fire Department will take command of the scene.

19. BombThreats

20. Threat Received • The majority of bomb threats are received over the phone • Any employee who regularly answers phones should have immediate assess to a bomb threat call checklist to ensure detailed information is recorded for first responders. • ACPD has responded to 11 bomb threat related incidents in the past year.

21. Police Response and Your Role • The first responding police units will need to make contact with the individual who received the threat. • Access to the building will be restricted to reduce the number of people exposed to harm • The determination to evacuate the building is the responsibility of he or she who has control of the premises.

22. Response (continued) • If the decision is made by the incident commander, the building will be searched with K-9 and other personnel. • Building engineers with knowledge and access throughout the building will be asked to assist the search teams.

23. Resources • Charlotte Franklin (Office of Emergency Management) Office: 703-228-0593 E-mail: Cfrank@arlingtonva.us • Debbie Powers (Office of Emergency Management) Office: 703-228-3314 E-Mail: Dpowers@arlingtonva.us

24. ActiveShooter

25. Active Shooter Defined Active Shooter: One or more subjects who participate in a random or systematic shooting spree, demonstrating their intent to continuously harm others. The overriding objective of an active shooter appears to be mass murder. The situation is not contained and very dynamic in nature.

26. Notable Incidents • 4/20/1999- Columbine High School • 10/2/2006- Amish School, Bart Township, Pennsylvania • 4/16/2007- Virginia Tech • 11/26-29/2008- Mumbai, India • 6/10/2009- Holocaust Museum, Washington D.C. • 11/5/2009- Ft. Hood, Texas • 9/1/2010- Discovery Channel, Montgomery County, Maryland • 4/2/2012–Oikos University, Oakland, California

27. An Active Shooter Profile • 96% of active shooters are male • 98% of the incidents are carried out by a single attacker • The median number of deaths and wounded with active shooter attacks is two for each • 36% involve more than one weapon • 46% of attacks end with force applied by police, private security, or bystanders

28. Profile (continued) • 40% of attacks end with the shooter committing or attempting to commit suicide. • 41%of shooters had a professional relationship with the closest victim, however, less then 1/3 of the incidents were committed by individuals who were no longer employed by the organization.

29. How to Prepare • Training: (Dept of Homeland Security Recommendations) • Evacuate: Building occupants should evacuate the facility if safe to do so; evacuees should leave behind their belongings, visualize their entire escape route before beginning to move, and avoid using elevators and escalators. • Hide: If evacuating the facility is not possible, building occupants should hide in a secure area (preferably a designated shelter location), lock the door, blockade the door with heavy furniture, cover all windows, turn off all lights, silence any electronic devices, lie on the floor, and remain silent.

30. Preparation (continued) • Take Actions: if neither evacuating the facility nor seeking shelter is possible, building occupants should attempt to disrupt and/or incapacitate the active shooter by throwing objects, using aggressive force, and yelling • Call 9-1-1 when safe to do so • Train occupants how to respond when police arrive, follow instructions, remain calm, keep hands empty and visible to officers at all times, and avoid making sudden or alarming movements.

31. Pre-Planning • Conduct a security assessment of your building to determine potential vulnerability to an active shoot attack • Identify evacuation routes and practice evacuations under varying conditions taking into account special needs. • Designate shelter locations with thick walls solid doors with locks, first aid kits, communications, and food for an extended standoff • Incorporate active shooter drills in normal emergency preparedness procedures • Vary security guards patrol routes and times • Limit the access to floor plans and blueprints, but ensure they are available for first responders. • Establish a central command for building security

32. Police Response • The goal of ACPD first responders is to eliminate the threat by any means necessary • ACPD will begin an Immediate Action Rapid Deployment • Contact Teams will enter the building, bypassing wounded, and engage the active shooter to isolate and eliminate the threat • Once the shooter is isolate or eliminated, rescue teams consisting of officers and paramedics enter and begin to treat and evacuate wounded.

33. Response (continued) • Once the shooter is isolated or eliminated, officers will being to search the building in a systematic manner to identify and address any additional threats. This will most likely involve SWAT and K-9 Units and may take several hours.

34. Resources • Department of Homeland Security • Active Shooter: How to Respond http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/active_shooter_booklet.pdf • Pocket Guide http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/active_shooter_pocket_card.pdf

35. Questions?