Some workplace injuries are not the result of an accident but the result of violence from one worker to another. In the 2015 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, almost 15 percent of fatalities were caused by violence from another person or animal making homicide the fourth most cause of fatal incidents at work. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports there are almost two million incidents of workplace violence each year, and estimate that many more go unreported.

OSHA defines workplace violence as “any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site,” and it can come from co-workers, clients, customers or outside visitors.

Pete Van Beek recently gave a presentation at the Intermodal Tank Container Association’s 2016 Intermodal Bulk Liquid Symposium titled “Security Assessments and Enforcement That Impact Transportation”. The trade, transportation and utility industries reported 17 percent of their fatal occupational injuries were a result of violence in 2015. Violence against taxi and limousine workers was particularly high, accounting for 73 percent of violent fatal workplace incidents in 2015. He says that increased incidents of violence may be leading regulators to take notice and lead to creation of new government standards.

Van Beek said that there are a lot of negative results from workplace violence beyond just injuries. Workers can feel uneasy at work after an incident. Employer property may be damaged in the incident or the day’s normal work flow may be interrupted. Violence can range from low level hostile or disruptive behavior to intimidating language or threats, and even to physical violence all the way up to lethal violence. He recommends that employers take time to monitor and evaluate their programs to see if they are working and if any changes need to be made.

Though there are regulations against workplace violence it is important for employers to be on the lookout for hostile behaviors so that they may stop a problem from escalating into a worst case scenario.  OSHA encourages companies to have a “zero-tolerance” policy against any kind of workplace violence. OSHA also recommends that employers have a written workplace violence prevention program that their employees are trained for. OSHA also identified several “high risk” industries that may want to take further precautions- those that work in late-night retail stores, healthcare and social service workers, and taxi or other for-hire drivers.