FEATURE
Survey Shows Employers Are Stil Ignoring Workplace Violence

A recent follow up survey by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), the oldest and largest professional safety organization, has found that many companies and organizations in all types of industries have still not addressed the issue of workplace violence.

In 1998, in partnership with the Risk Insurance Management Society (RIMS), ASSE conducted a survey to assess the general awareness and prevention techniques used by risk managers to avoid workplace violence incidents.

The follow up survey conducted by ASSE this past spring titled "ASSE 2004 Workplace Violence Survey & White Paper" found that little has changed since 1998. In the six year period between the two surveys, there was no change in percentage of companies that provide training on how to identify the warning signs of violent behavior. The survey revealed that only 1% of the 755 of the respondents said their company had written policies addressing violent acts in the workplace. Also, 22% did not perform background checks on potential employees.

"Employers must realize that under federal and state OSHA regulations they have a general duty to furnish to each employee, employment and a place of employment that is free from recognized hazards that are causing, or likely to cause, death or serious harm to the employee," ASSE member and co-author of the survey JoAnn M. Sullivan, noted in the ASSE white paper. "Employers, under the theory of respondent superior, are vicariously liable for any actions committed by its employees within the scope of their employment. The employer is liable for actions of the employee when the employee is working, even if the employee is not acting within company policy."

Criminal background checks, reference checks, assessment testing, and drug testing are all recommended as preventative steps to prevent workplace violence. InfoMart offers a wide variety of background checks, including federal, county, civil, and statewide criminal searches; a multi-state criminal search; lab and onsite drug screening; personal reference checks; personality assessment screening; and previous employment verifications.

For more information on InfoMart's background screening services, please contact 770-984-2727 or sales@infomart-usa.com.

(Source: http://www.asse.org)