May - 2019

12 dead in Virginia Beach Active Shooter Episode

The carnage in America's collective workplace continues. At least 11 people were shot dead this afternoon after a long term employee described as "disgruntled" opened fire at a municipal building in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Police report that the gunman is also dead. Six other people were wounded in the attack. According to early reports, the gunman who is described as a member of the public works department fired his gun indiscriminately at victims and across "several" flo

How to file a Safety Complaint with OSHA

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a federal agency of the United States Department of Labor. OSHA. OSHA administers and enforces the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. This statute affords workers and their representatives the right to file a complaint and request an inspection by OSHA if it is believed there is a serious hazard within the workplace. Further information is available on OSHA's website here: https://www.osha.gov/workers/file_

The Many Costs of Workplace Violence

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that homicide is the third leading cause of occupational death in the United States. Per OSHA, workplace violence is a growing concern. OSHA is the federal agency created by the United States Congress to administer and enforce the OSH Act of 1970 and to assure safe and healthful working conditions for workers by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance. OSHA

Kathleen's Interview on the Mental Health News Network

Go here to listen to the WVPI's founder Kathleen M. Bonczyk's interview on workplace violence prevention on teh Mental Health News Radio Network: https://www.mentalhealthnewsradionetwork.com/advocate-attorney-kathleen-bonczyk-talks-about-workplace-violence-prevention-2/

It Is More Likely An American Will Be Killed at Work Than in Combat

On our last blog we reported the results of a survey finding one in seven employees do not feel safe at work. WVPI's founder and executive director Kathleen M. Bonczyk has been quoted as saying it is more likely that an American will be killed in the workplace on U.S. soil than in combat with the U.S. armed forces. Read the rest of the Intelex article entitled: "Taking aim at workplace violence and active shooters" here: https://community.intelex.com/explore/posts/taking-aim

One in Seven Americans Feel Unsafe at Work

According to a survey conducted the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), approximately 1 out of 7 American workers reported they did not feel safe at work. Moreover, approximately 25% of employees and nearly 50% of human resources professionals who participated in the SHRM survey stated they experienced an episode of workplace violence. Every employer of human resources needs an effective workplace violence policy and procedure. Please watch the following brief video

F.B.I. Sample Workplace Violence Policy

Workplace violence is a growing concern. OSHA estimates that 2,000,000 workers fall victim to workplace violence each year with "many" cases going unreported. Thus the actual number is likely much higher than 2,000,000 Americans. An important component to any workplace violence prevention program is a written policy communicating expectations in advance. While there is no "one size fits all" approach to developing such a protocol, the following sample workplace violence poli

Possible Pre-Event Leakage of Violent Intent at STEM School

As we have reported, the F.B.I. advises active shooters engage in pre-event leakage of violent intent. This is precisely why we advocate for such things as safety education and reporting systems (traditional and anonymous) for victims and witnesses to direct their concerns as a critical violence prevention mechanism. Other recommendations for prevention include strong anti-bullying standards, policies and procedures and the 3-3 Pledge. Now: Multiple media sources report the a

44% of Teachers Experience Physical Violence in the Workplace

In addition to being called upon to act as SWAT, as many teachers have been required to done when faced with active school shooters, a staggering 44% of educators report they were the victims of workplace-based physical violence. Additionally, according to a study conducted by the American Psychological Association, some 80% of the approximately 3,000 K-12 teachers who responded stated they experienced one or more "victimization experiences" in the prior twelve months at wo

Another possible Columbine Copycat at an American School

Yesterday, an 18 year old student was murdered and eight classmates were reported as wounded at the STEM K-12 School Highlands Ranch in Colorado. Early reports reveal a number of similarities to the notorious hit at Columbine High School (CHS) which resulted in the deaths of 12 students and one teacher on April 20, 1999, including: --CHS and STEM are located within 7.0 miles of each other. --Both schools had an enrollment of approximately 1,800 students. --Both attacks involv

Workplace Violence Prevention Institute - WVPI

a not-for-profit organization

Providing Workplace Violence Prevention Research, Education and Training