Zhanna Hapanovich
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Preventing Workplace Violence Starts with a Plan

July 31, 2024
Workplace violence, like other industrial hazards, can be prevented with the proper culture and planning.

When I think about a safe workplace, I think first about systems to protect people from accidents. I think about PPE, lock-out tag-out systems, fall-protection harnesses, railings, guards, and all the various innovations attached to formidable machines that keep manufacturing workers safe and their fingers attached every day. But there’s another, more sinister threat to safety that doesn’t spring to mind immediately: workplace violence.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, violence at the workplace is actually the second leading cause of fatal workplace injuries in the United States. As of the beginning of July, the California State OSHA has begun requiring companies under its remit to establishing and implementing a written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan — comparable to the Injury and Illness Prevention Programs already required elsewhere.

For California, the regulation is inspired by local tragedy: In 2021, a mass shooter at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority opened fire, killing 9. The shooting pushed State Senator Cortese to spearhead the passage of State Bill 553, which was signed in 2023 and came into effect July 1, 2024.

While Cal/OSHA’s requirements only apply to companies operating in California, workplace violence happens all over the country. According to the latest available data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 849 fatalities in the 2022 workforce caused intentionally by another person, up substantially from 718 in 2021.

According to Scott Bullock, an HR, recruiting, safety, and risk management consultant with Optima Office, Cal/OSHA’s latest requirement is unique in the country, but welcomes the spotlight it puts on a preventable problem for businesses. “As far as I know, no one [else] has created an enforceable standard strictly for workplace violence,” he said in an interview with IndustryWeek.

About the Author

Ryan Secard | Associate Editor

 

Focus: Workforce and labor issues; machining and foundry management
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-secard/

Associate Editor Ryan Secard covers topics relevant to the manufacturing workforce, including recruitment, safety, labor organizations, and the skills gap. Ryan has written IndustryWeek's Salary Survey annually since 2021 and has coordinated its Talent Advisory Board since September 2023.

Ryan got started at IndustryWeek in August 2019 as an editorial intern and was hired as a news editor in 2020 before his 2023 promotion to associate editor, talent. He has a Bachelor of Arts in English from the College of Wooster.

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