Workplace violence is a problem of growing concern across America. According to the AFL-CIO’s, “Death on the Job,” report, violence in the workplace was the second leading cause of job fatalities, with violent assaults and homicide accounting for 17% of workplace deaths.
Incidents of workplace violence expose employers to potential liability. Employers may also suffer significant costs resulting from lost productivity. Thus, it is prudent for employers to take preventative steps to minimize the risk of violence in their place of work. This section outlines the various risks of liability presented by workplace violence and various strategies to minimize incidents of workplace violence.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), an agency of the federal government charged with ensuring workplace safety and health, has not issued any regulations specifically addressing workplace violence. Nevertheless, the agency considers workplace violence a recognized hazard and has issued guidelines aimed at reducing workplace violence. OSHA may rely on these guidelines to issue citations for incidents of workplace violence under its General Duty Clause, which is a catch-all provision under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) that...
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