Nonfatal Violent Workplace Crime Characteristics and Rates by Occupation - United States, 2007-2015.

Workplace violence can lead to adverse physical and psychological outcomes and affect work function (1). According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, intentional injury by another person is a leading cause of nonfatal injury requiring missed workdays (2). Most estimates of workplace violence include only crimes reported to employers or police, which are known underestimates (3,4). Using 2007-2015 data from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), characteristics of self-reported nonfatal violent workplace crimes, whether reported to authorities or not, and rates by occupation were examined. Estimates of crime prevalence were stratified by crime characteristics and 22 occupational groups. Overall, approximately eight violent workplace crimes were reported per 1,000 workers. During 2007-2010, workers in Protective services reported the highest rates of violent workplace crimes (101 per 1,000 workers), followed by Community and social services (19 per 1,000). Rates were higher among men (nine per 1,000) than among women (six per 1,000). Fifty-eight percent of crimes were not reported to police. More crimes against women than against men involved offenders known from the workplace (34% versus 19%). High-risk occupations appear to be those involving interpersonal contact with persons who might be violent, upset, or vulnerable. Training and controls should emphasize how employers and employees can recognize and manage specific risk factors in prevention programs. In addition, workplace violence-reduction interventions might benefit from curricula developed for men and women in specific occupational groups.

New Jersey Home Health Care Aides Survey Results.

The objective of the study was to report on what violence-based training home health care aides received, their participation in health promotion classes, and home health care aides' experience with workplace violence. In 2013, a mail survey was completed by 513 home health care aides in the state of New Jersey. Ninety-four percent of the respondents were female. Respondents whose agency was part of a hospital were more likely to receive violence-based safety training than respondents whose agency was not part of a hospital (p = .0313). When the perpetrator of violence was a patient or family member, the respondents experienced verbal abuse the most (26%), then physical assault (16%) and exposure to bodily fluids (13%). Home health care aides whose agency was part of a hospital were more likely to receive violence-based safety training. Training is an important component of a workplace violence prevention program.

Workplace violence and hospital security programs: regulatory compliance, program benchmarks, innovative strategies.

The authors describe the issue of workplace violence in hospitals, a New Jersey state law and regula- tions regarding workplace vio- lence in healthcare, and some innovative strategies that are being utilized to help reduce the occurrence and risk of violence. The authors also discuss compli- ance with the New Jersey regula- tions.

Barriers to Effective Implementation of Programs for the Prevention of Workplace Violence in Hospitals.

Effective workplace violence (WPV) prevention programs are essential, yet challenging to implement in healthcare. The aim of this study was to identify major barriers to implementation of effective violence prevention programs. After reviewing the related literature, the authors describe their research methods and analysis and report the following seven themes as major barriers to effective implementation of workplace violence programs: a lack of action despite reporting; varying perceptions of violence; bullying; profit-driven management models; lack of management accountability; a focus on customer service; and weak social service and law enforcement approaches to mentally ill patients. The authors discuss their findings in light of previous studies and experiences and offer suggestions for decreasing WPV in healthcare settings. They conclude that although many of these challenges to effective implementation of workplace violence programs are both within the program itself and relate to broader industry and societal issues, creative innovations can address these issues and improve WPV prevention programs.

Barriers to Effective Implementation of Programs for the Prevention of Workplace Violence in Hospitals.

Effective workplace violence (WPV) prevention programs are essential, yet challenging to implement in healthcare. The aim of this study was to identify major barriers to implementation of effective violence prevention programs. After reviewing the related literature, the authors describe their research methods and analysis and report the following seven themes as major barriers to effective implementation of workplace violence programs: a lack of action despite reporting; varying perceptions of violence; bullying; profit-driven management models; lack of management accountability; a focus on customer service; and weak social service and law enforcement approaches to mentally ill patients. The authors discuss their findings in light of previous studies and experiences and offer suggestions for decreasing WPV in healthcare settings. They conclude that although many of these challenges to effective implementation of workplace violence programs are both within the program itself and relate to broader industry and societal issues, creative innovations can address these issues and improve WPV prevention programs.

Quantum-enhanced screened dark energy detection.

We propose an experiment based on a Bose-Einstein condensate interferometer for strongly constraining fifth-force models. Additional scalar fields from modified gravity or higher dimensional theories may account for dark energy and the accelerating expansion of the Universe. These theories have led to proposed screening mechanisms to fit within the tight experimental bounds on fifth-force searches. We show that our proposed experiment would greatly improve the existing constraints on these screening models by many orders of magnitude.

Workplace violence prevention for healthcare workers-an online course.

PURPOSE: Workplace assaults against healthcare workers originate from many sources, but are predominantly committed by patients. Therefore, training in strategies for preventing patient-on-nurse violence is very important throughout a nurse's career. METHODS: The online course described in this article presents prevention strategies from the institutional and individual levels. These are reinforced by video case studies of five real-life incidents with key learning points discussed. RESULTS: The physical and psychological consequences of workplace assaults can result in higher absenteeism, increased turnover, decreased job satisfaction, lower productivity, and a host of other negative outcomes. DISCUSSION: Preventing these negative outcomes is beneficial to the nurse, the patients, and the organization. This course provides a convenient interactive tool that uses units approximately 20 minutes in duration with stop and pick up where you left off capabilities. CONCLUSION: The free online course will be available starting in the summer or fall of 2012.

Occurrences of Workplace Violence Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic, United States, March 2020 to August 2021.

As businesses dealt with an increasingly anxious public during the COVID-19 pandemic and were frequently tasked with enforcing various COVID-19 prevention policies such as mask mandates, workplace violence and harassment (WPV) emerged as an increasing important issue affecting worker safety and health. Publicly available media reports were searched for WPV events related to the COVID-19 pandemic that occurred during 1 March 2020, and 31 August 2021, using Google News aggregator services scans with data abstraction and verification. The search found 408 unique WPV events related to COVID-19. Almost two-thirds involved mask disputes. Over half (57%) of the 408 events occurred in retail (38%) and food service (19%). We also conducted a comparison of events identified in this search to a similar study of media reports between March 2020 to October 2020 that used multiple search engines to identify WPV events. Despite similar conclusions, a one-to-one comparison of relevant data from these studies found only modest overlap in the incidents identified, suggesting the need to make improvements to future efforts to extract data from media reports. Prevention resources such as training and education for workers may help industries de-escalate or prevent similar WPV events in the future.

Workplace Violence Prevention for Nurses.

An online NIOSH course raises awareness of workplace violence and offers preventive strategies.

Workplace Violence and Training Required by New Legislation Among NJ Nurses.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine nurses' knowledge of the state of New Jersey (NJ) Violence Prevention in Health Care Facilities Act, workplace violence training, and experience with workplace violence. METHODS: In 2013, 309 (22.5% response rate) nurses returned a mailed survey. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Ninety percent of respondents were female. When the perpetrator was a patient or a family member, the respondents experienced verbal abuse the most (57.8%), followed by threats (52.3%), and physical assault (38.3%). Respondents who had heard of the regulation (89.6%) received a higher proportion of training than those who had not heard of the regulation (57.9%) (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Nurses who received at least 80% of the required training components were more likely to feel more secure at work, suggesting that training is an important tool to address workplace violence.

Workplace violence prevention for nurses on-line course: Program development.

BACKGROUND: Many entry-level and experienced healthcare professionals have not received training in workplace violence prevention strategies. OBJECTIVE: This paper describes the development, content, and initial qualitative evaluation of an on-line course designed to give healthcare workers an opportunity to acquire free workplace violence prevention training while earning free continuing education units. METHODS: A group of healthcare violence prevention researchers worked via email and face-to-face meetings to decide appropriate content for the course. Educational strategies used in the course include: text; video re-enactments of real-life workplace violence incidents; and videos of nurses discussing incidents of violence. Initial evaluation involved a focus group of nurses to discuss the course content and navigation. RESULTS: The on-line course has thirteen units that take approximately 15 minutes each to complete. The focus group participants liked the ``resume-where-you-left-off'' technology that enables the user to complete any portion of the course, leave to do something, and return to the course where they left off. Participants viewed the ``Nurses' Voices'' videos as relevant illustrations of violence that nurses face in their workplaces. CONCLUSIONS: The focus group participants considered the course to be an effective learning tool for people new to the profession and for those with seniority.

Societal cost of workplace homicides in the United States, 1992-2001.

BACKGROUND: The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) reported 8,672 workplace homicide victims between 1992 and 2001. Although rarely calculated, cost estimates are important for prevention and research efforts. METHODS: Societal costs were estimated using the cost-of-illness approach applied to CFOI data. The cost calculation model incorporated medical expenses, future earnings summed from the year of death until the year the decedent would have been 67, and household production losses (includes activities such as child care and housework). RESULTS: Workplace homicide had a total cost of nearly 6.5 billion dollars and a mean cost of 800,000 dollars between 1992 and 2001. The retail trade industry division had the highest number of homicides and total cost, 2.1 billion dollars, for males and 556,000 dollars for females. CONCLUSIONS: Estimates of the cost of work-related homicides can be used to improve occupational injury prevention and control program planning, policy analysis, evaluation of safety and health interventions, and advocacy for a safer work environment.

Fire and flame related events with multiple occupational injury fatalities in the United States, 1980-1995.

The National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities surveillance system recorded 1587 fire and flame related occupational fatalities among the civilian workforce in the United States between 1980 and 1995. Of these fatalities, 433 resulted from 127 incidents that involved two or more victims. For purposes of this study, these victims were categorized into one of three cause-of-death classifications: burns, inhalation or other traumatic injury. The classification 'Burns' accounted for 232 or just over one-half of the fatalities and an additional 172 cases were coded as inhalation. Other traumatic injury was named as the cause of death for another 23 fatalities or five percent of the multiple victims. The cause of death for the remaining six fatalities could not be determined from the death certificates. This study revealed the similarities and disparities of the demographic and employment characteristics associated with these three cause-of-death classifications.