How Safe Are America’s Colleges and Universities? New Standard Helps Set the Course for National Campus Security Plan


Nearly five years after the deadly shootings at Virginia Tech in April 2007, colleges and universities across the nation face the continued challenge of assessing and mitigating threats posed by unexpected emergencies and natural disasters. In response, The American National Standard (ANS), ASME-ITI Risk Analysis 2010, has established A Risk Analysis Standard for Natural and Man-Made Hazards to Higher Education Institutions, lays out a risk management process to identify, analyze, and communicate risks on college and university campuses. The standard addresses threats to human life and well-being, as well as risks to facilities and infrastructure, and also encompasses potential operational hazards. The standard was developed by ASME Innovative Technologies Institute (ASME-ITI), an ANSI member and accredited standards developer dedicated to advancing the quality and range of risk and resilience management.


According to the VTV Family OUTREACH Foundation, a group formed in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech tragedy to advocate for legislation and programs that help ensure safety on U.S. campuses, letter, the standard has served as "an incredibly helpful and educational tool" in helping the VTV Family OUTREACH Foundation draft a national plan for campus safety. "Hopefully, institutions of higher education throughout the United States and overseas will study your recommendations and implement them," wrote Lu Ann Maciulla McNabb, former director of programs and legislation at the VTF Family Outreach Foundation. "Specifically, we hope that they will create threat assessment teams or a version thereof in order to assess and monitor risks and prevent a tragedy.


To read more click here INSIDE WORKPLACE VIOLENCE


I am delighted to present this column representing the Alliance Against Workplace Violence (AAWPV), an association providing education for the prevention of violence in the workplace. The purpose of the Alliance is to generate discussion and ideas about preventing violence in the workplace among those who are already working diligently in this area and to include persons in the community who may not be as aware of the problem. We are joining together in a collaborative effort to bring information to schools, places of worship, community associations, chambers of commerce, and violence prevention


organizations. It is our hope that people will begin to recognize this problem and work together to prevent it in the same manner that they are working against domestic violence, youth and gang violence, and bullying in schools.


Employers, employees, victims’ advocates, union activists, and the U.S. Government have worked collaboratively for almost two decades to lower the homicide rate. Although homicides in the workplace have shown a significant decline-from a high of 1,080 in 1994 to 506 in 2010-any killing in the workplace is too high a price to pay to make a living. Violence is still the fourth leading cause of death in the workplace and workplace homicides involving women were up 13 percent in 2010.


*The above image is from NIOSH publication: Violence on the Job, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/violence/ Click here to read more OSHA Publishes Injury and Illness Prevention Programs White Paper


OSHA has published a new Injury and Illness Prevention Programs White Paper on the agency's Web site. An injury and illness prevention program is a proactive process to help employers find and fix workplace hazards before workers are hurt. These programs are effective at reducing injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. Many workplaces have already adopted such approaches, for example as part of OSHA's cooperative programs. Not only do these employers experience dramatic decreases in workplace injuries, but they often report a transformed workplace culture that can lead to higher productivity and quality, reduced turnover, reduced costs, and greater employee satisfaction.


To view the full white paper click here


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