Workplace Violence – Five Warning Signs of Escalating Behaviors

Homicide is the fourth-leading cause of fatal occupational injury in the United States. According to OSHA, "Violence in the workplace is a serious safety and health issue. Its most extreme form, homicide, is the fourth-leading cause of fatal occupational injury in the United States."

Would your business know how to respond to such a crisis?

Workplace violence, that includes physical assaults and threatening or violent behavior, is a growing problem in the workplace. A random shooting at a plant in Kentucky ended up with a co-worker killing five employees. Two others were seriously injured and taken to the hospital. According to Associated Press reports, the 25-year old gunman had argued with his supervisor over wearing safety goggles and talking on his cell phone while working on the assembly line.

Violence can erupt on the plant floor or in a professional baseball team dining room. The day after the Kentucky incident, a Houston Astros’ pitcher was suspended indefinitely for insubordination, after he reportedly grabbed the general manager by the neck and threw him to the ground. While these two workplace environments are different, both incidences reflect escalating behaviors ending up in violence.

Another growing workplace health and safety issue is an increasing concern over workplace bullying. Some organizational psychologists are even using the phrase "psychological violence" in characterizing workplace bullying.

What are the warning signs of escalating behaviors? Most people cannot imagine violent acts like random shootings or a throat-tackling taking place right before their eyes at work. In fact, violent acts can happen in the nicest of environments. For employers, supervisors and employees, it is important to recognize the warning signs that lead up to violent behavior.

According to "A Comprehensive Guide for Employers and Employees," published by MNOSHA (with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry), there are five warning signs of escalating behaviors:

1. Confusion: individual appears bewildered, distracted or unsure what to do next.
2. Frustration: individual appears impatient or defeated.
3. Blame: individual holds others responsible for problems and is accusatory.
4. Anger: individual becomes visibly physical (pounding fists, pointing fingers, screaming, etc.).
5. Hostility: individual becomes threatening and/or out of control.

What can we do when we see these escalating behaviors? Here are MNOSHA’s suggested responses to those five warning signs identified above:

1. Confusion: listen, ask questions and give factual information.
2. Frustration: same as number one---and relocate to private area and offer reassurance.
3. Blame: same as number one---then disengage and bring in a second party to the conversation. Restate the facts and ask probing questions.
4. Anger: use venting techniques; do not argue or offer solutions. Prepare to isolate or evacuate and contact supervisor or security.
5. Hostility: disengage and evacuate. Attempt to safely isolate individual and contact security immediately.

Employee and Management Actions

No one wants to see human behaviors escalate to the degree that someone becomes out of control and hurts or kills other people. Remind employees if anyone (co-worker or customer) behaves in ways that make them uncomfortable, they should disengage from that individual and discuss the situation with their supervisor.

Management should not tolerate threats of violence or violent acts. Management should have a Safe Workplace Policy. Periodically, employees should be reminded of the policy, and they should take workplace-violence awareness and prevention training.

Additional Resource:   OSHA Workplace Violence Prevention Training Materials

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Homicide is the fourth-leading cause of fatal occupational injury in the United States.