{"id":30150,"date":"2016-03-31T19:33:49","date_gmt":"2016-03-31T19:33:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-legal\/legal\/practice\/violence-and-the-workplace.html"},"modified":"2016-06-20T18:51:55","modified_gmt":"2016-06-20T18:51:55","slug":"violence-and-the-workplace","status":"publish","type":"practice","link":"https:\/\/lp.findlaw.com\/legal\/practice\/human-resources\/violence-and-the-workplace.html","title":{"rendered":"Violence and the Workplace"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Sadly, violence in the workplace is all too common. Workplace violence can range <\/a>from threats and verbal abuse to physical assault and homicide. A report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released in 2013 shows that in the years studied, an average of 551 workers were killed<\/a> each year as a result of work-related homicides. In 2013, violence in the workplace accounted for 17% of the reported workplace fatalities<\/a>.<\/p>\n

According to the study, robbers were the most common type of workplace assailant for men and the second most common for women in 2013. In cases where the assailant was a relative or domestic partner, the victims were overwhelmingly female. A coworker or associate was the third most common assailant, according to the report. Read on to learn more about employer obligations regarding workplace safety and the steps companies can take to prevent violence form occurring.<\/p>\n

Employer’s Obligation to Protect Employees<\/b><\/p>\n

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) requires all employers to provide their employees with a workplace that is free from recognized hazards<\/a> likely to cause death or serious physical harm. Employers who fail to take reasonable steps to prevent workplace violence can be cited. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has identified multiple issues<\/a> that prevent companies from implementing workplace violence prevention plans, including:<\/p>\n