Are You at Risk for Workplace Violence?

Any violence that occurs in the workplace or as a result of an employee's job must be taken seriously by the employer. Some jobs are more prone to workplace violence than others, but it can occur anywhere, any employers who don't adequately protect their staff can be civilly or criminally liable for anything that happens while working. Following are a few indications that might precipitate workplace violence. If you're at risk, talk to your employer about safety measures immediately.

Do you work with the public?

A job that exposes you to the public will often put you at risk for workplace violence. As you've probably guessed, the public is unpredictable, especially around the holidays or when customers expect no one is watching. Open cash registers, high-end merchandise, and situations where you might anger the public (such as repossessing cars) can elevate the risk factor.

If you do work with the public, make sure two employees are together at all times, and keep money locked up where employees can't reach it during a burglary.

Do you work with money or valuables?

Although this category applies to a large number of employees, it is a huge risk factor for workplace violence. If you handle money on a daily basis, such as with a cashier at a retail outlet, or if you have access to valuables, you could be a target of crime. This even extends to employees who handle things like prescription drugs, which are valuable to addicts who don't have the money or prescription to acquire them.

Working with money or valuables requires a strict policy on the part of the employer to control the potential for violence. For example, keeping valuables behind locked cabinets makes them seem less accessible, and therefore less of a target for thieves.

Do you enforce the law or rules?

As mentioned in the first point, your at a higher risk for workplace violence if your job requires you to enforce laws or rules. Some people respond violently to being told 'no' or to having something taken away from them. I used repo men as an example, but police officers, health inspectors, fire marshals, meter readers and even security guards are just as vulnerable.