Bad Apple' Myth continued from page 3
action. Unfortunately, no guide exists to help employers pinpoint the workers who might turn to violence. As a result, companies fail to address the larger issue surrounding work- place violence. Companies must fix the issues that create these toxic environments. If not, they may lead to possibilities even deadlier than mass workplace shootings: insider sabotage.
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according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. While there are some things that can be done to anticipate and prevent these risks, the warning signs are not always so easy to spot.
To read more, click here Special Focus on Workplace Violence, Mass Shootings DECISIONPOINT
This column is designed to help sharpen your judgment in providing valuable advice regarding how to handle incidents of aggression.
Was the challenge to the Department of Defense’s decision to terminate an employee with 25 years of service who engaged in fighting and injured a coworker upheld or overturned as being to harsh for the offense?
The petitioner who was employed as a Transportation Loss and Damage Claims Examiner at the Defense Distribution Depot at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma was involved in an alterca- tion with a coworker in which she engaged in a physical fight and used offensive language. When another employee attempted to break up the fight, Petitioner shoved and hit the other employee causing the other employee to fall. As a result, the other employee sustained an injury and was placed on workers' compensation.
Continued on page 15 Security Experts Prepare Steps to Deal with 'Active Shooters'
A growing number of schools, hospitals, and businesses across the U.S. are preparing for "active shooters" who indiscrimi- nately kill people. The possibility of random violence is what Peter Pochowski of the Wisconsin School Safety Coordinators Association calls the "new normal." He says, "It's a terrible, terrible situation, but it's a fact of life. We can't just ignore it. We have to be prepared for it." Experts say that having a plan in place to deal with an active shooter can help buy time and ultimately lessen the loss of life in such situations. Businesses that haven't already done some sort of planning to deal with such a situation can no longer wait to do so. People in key positions need to do a threat assessment of their business, especially since homicide is the fourth-leading cause of fatal at-work injuries in the nation,
EHS Today and their sister publication, Fire Chief, have put a special focus on workplace violence and mass shooting coverage, complete with safety and preparation tips for employees, the public and emergency responders alike. Fire Chief recognizes that more than the general public should be able to react appropriately and safely if a mass shooting occurs: first responders must be prepare to help minimize injuries and fatalities, help victims and get the situation under control. It is important to know the people who work at your local emergency management office, as they are already running exercises and planning for these types of events, such as vulnerability assessments. Develop relation- ships with these people, tap into that data, develop a plan and then exercise it regularly. Three recommended ways to respond to a workplace violence shooting are: If possible, run from the situation; if this is not possible, then hide and barricade yourself from the shooter; and finally, as a last resort, improvise weapons and fight back against the shooter.
To read more, click here The Law - and Reality - of Gun Access
Federal law bars gun sales to the mentally ill only if they've ever been deemed by a judge to be mentally incompetent or involuntarily committed. States reporting of such things to the federal database is spotty, and very often, it doesn't show up when a gun seller does a background check. Police are oftentimes very limited in what they can do because everyone has rights, which includes the right to bear arms. "It's just shameful to allow people who the law has already said to be too dangerous to have guns to still be able to easily access those guns at licensed dealers," says Dennis Henigan, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. But even if the reporting of those disqualified to have access to guns was perfect, experts question how much gun violence would be prevented. Federal law doesn't require background checks when guns are sold privately, and even at licensed dealers, the law may not be disqualifying the most dangerous of the mentally ill. Because our ability to predict human behavior is not that great, it becomes harder to justify revoking someone's rights in the name of public safety.
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