Workplace Violence Prevention Continuum - De-escalation to Lockdown

About the Program

Category: Risk and Emergency Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2014

Workplace violence events are consistently in the national and local news. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration estimates that over 2 million workers are victims of workplace violence each year. However it manifests itself, workplace violence is a growing concern to employees and managers. Dakota County Risk Management completed a review of Violent Incident Reports from 2010-2013 and identified that the County’s Community Services Division had the highest frequency of reports. The reports also indicated an increase in the number of potentially violent events and behaviors. To address this safety concern, the County developed a violence prevention program that addresses the continuum of issues that range from verbal to physical threats. The project started by evaluating the existing workplace violence program and identifying better ways to investigate and respond to issues promptly. Risk Management and Community Services staff worked with the Information Technology Department to insert a safety alert flag on our client index system. The flag indicates if special safety precautions need to be taken when visiting with a client. A personal safety training series was created for all staff. Specialized training was created for staff who have a higher risk of being exposed to workplace violence. Lastly, Building Emergency Response Procedures and an e-learning interactive training were developed to respond to lockdown situations where individuals with weapons threatened our worksite or were present in the surrounding area.