Workplace violence encompasses everything from acts of verbal harassment and intimidation to physical violence, including an active shooter scenario. All of these threats should be taken seriously and yet only 45% of employees across industries say they are familiar with their company’s safety plan in the event of a workplace violence incident. In many cases, this is due to a lack of well-formulated workplace violence policy, as well as a lack of employee training.
With an 11% rise in workplace homicides between 2014-2019 and a 50% rise in nationwide active shooter scenarios between 2020-2021, workplace violence policy and employee training for active shooter events is particularly crucial. From taking proper steps in risk management to developing a management team and providing employee training, utilizing an active shooter response strategy is essential to protect your employees and business.
In this article, we’ll outline how your organization can formulate an active shooter prevention program and address workplace violence more broadly. We’ll also explore why employee training is such an essential part of the preparation process.
Legal Responsibility to Protect Employees
Beyond the understood ethical duty of employers to protect their employees from workplace violence, OSHA legally requires employers to provide an employment environment that is free of obvious hazards, which includes workplace violence threats. Accordingly, if an employer fails to take reasonable measures to prevent workplace violence, they can be subject to enforcement from OSHA and/or the state where the business is based. In fact, 26 states – plus Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands – already have state plans in place that meet or exceed OSHA standards for keeping the workplace and employees free from “recognized hazards.” In some states, workplace violence prevention training and programs are explicitly mandated, especially for high-risk industries like health care.
Designing a Workplace Violence Prevention Program
The first step in preparing your organization for potential workplace violence incidents, especially an active shooter scenario, is risk assessment. Your company must dedicate the time to determine where (physical locations and/or departments) a workplace violence or active shooter incident is more likely to occur. This can be based on daily operations, the degree to which a facility or office is public-facing, and/or the extent to which an area is handling sensitive situations related to billing, legal disputes, or employee disputes. It’s also important to conduct security reviews of physical facilities and begin the process of developing emergency action protocols.
The Department of Homeland Security offers numerous recommendations for formulating emergency action protocols, and encourages organizations to establish clear methods for all of the following:
- How to report an emergency to local law enforcement
- How to provide internal emergency notification (company- or building-wide)
- Evacuation or emergency escape protocols; plans should include specific routes that consider floor plans, low-risk areas, and other physical factors.
Most plans should also designate an internal management team composed of employees from different departments who possess the temperament and/or training necessary to lead response measures in the event of a potential threat. These individuals should be designated to intervene if a call to law enforcement is necessary or if an internal situation requires de-escalation.
Of course, even after conducting a risk assessment and considering a potential management team, employee training remains the best way to ensure that policies are fully understood and readily applicable in the event of a workplace incident.
The Benefits of Active Shooter and Workplace Violence Training
Risk Mitigation
Workplace violence and active shooter training provides concrete benefits to employers and employees, helping both reduce or de-escalate on-site job threats. Education is a key component of the training process, particularly in helping employees practice situational awareness and recognize a host of potential warning signs of an active shooter incident. These can range from observing dramatic shifts in an employee’s work performance or changes in hygiene and mood. In other cases, evident domestic issues or open comments about acts of violence could indicate forthcoming acts of workplace violence or an active shooter incident. Qualified HR consultants can provide a range of tools to assist employees identify potential workplace hazards and suspicious behavior, while formulating a sensible and effective company strategy to respond to any threats should they occur.
Reduced Liability and Costs
Providing effective training can also help employers reduce or completely eliminate legal liability resulting from an incident of workplace violence. Although these legal and financial considerations apply to workers’ compensation claims, they can also apply to negligence lawsuits. If an employer is found to be in clear violation of an OSHA or OSHA-approved state regulation, they will be vulnerable to increased liability in the event of a workplace violence incident.
Nationally, workplace violence has led to annual losses of $151 billion for employers across industries due to diminished productivity, medical expenses, lawsuits, and other consequences. Workplace violence and active shooter training, alongside a robust HR strategy, can significantly reduce the risk of incidents, as well as sizable financial and legal repercussions.
Optimize Employee Training and Compliance with The Orsus Group
Keeping your employees and business protected while adapting to changing regulations and legislation can be a demanding task. The Orsus Group can create and execute a comprehensive HR plan to help your business mitigate the risk of workplace violence, train your employees, and create a response strategy that reduces liability, costs, and ensures company-wide safety and security.
Contact us today to let us know how we can support your business’ employee training efforts.