Workplace VioleneThreat/Interaction/Response

Leadership ReviewUCLA Health System Security

What is Workplace Violence?

An action that may threaten the safety of an employee, impact the employee’s physical and/or psychological well-being or cause damage to company property

Defining Workplace Violence

A spectrum of behaviors, including overt acts of violence, threats, and other conduct that generates a reasonable concern for safety from violence, where a nexus exists between behavior and the physical safety of employees and others (such as customers, clients and business associates), on site or off site when related to the organization. **ASIS/SHRM, Workplace violence Intervention and Prevention Standard, 2011

Types of Workplace Violence

• Homicide• Attempted

Homicide• Physical Assault

• Sexual Assault

• Threat• Vandalism

• Sabotage• Product

Contamination• Arson/bombing• Stalking• Domestic

violence• Terrorism

Workplace Violence Stats

2 million The number of victims in the US each year

87 The number of injured victims each day in the US

2 The number of victims killed each day in the US

70% The number of reported workplaces with no formal program or policy to address workplace violence

*ASIS/SHRM Workplace Violence Intervention and Prevention Standard, 2011

Myths About Workplace Violence

COMMITTED BY PEOPLE WHO SUDDENLY SNAP UNDER

PRESSURE

COMMITTED BY DISGRUNTLED EMPLOYEES

Reasons for Workplace Violence

• Work-related Conflict• Personal Conflict• Domestic Violence• Robbery• Revenge• Displaced Anger• A Stalker’s Obsession• Terrorism • Customer/Client Supplier/Patient

Disgruntled

The Evolution of Workplace Violence

MILDER BEHAVIOR

MID RANGE BEHAVIOR

VIOLENT BEHAVIOR

Unusual Behavior Acting Out

Harassment

Physical Assault

Verbal Assault

*ASIS/SHRM Workplace Violence Intervention and Prevention Standard, 2011

Deadly Encounter

Demographics• From 11 years of data researchers

found that 23% of shootings in the ED occurred from the perpetrator’s taking of a gun from Security Personnel or Police.

• 73% of these shootings occurred in non-rural areas.

• The ED and the area around it was the most frequent location of hospital shootings

*IOFM, Security Director’s Report- December 2012

Shootings in Hospitals

Shootings in Hospitals

Most frequent victims are:1. Perpetrators (45%)2. Hospital Staff (20%)3. Patients (13%)4. Visitors (8%)5. Security Officers/Police (5%)

The most common motives are:1. A grudge (27%)2. Suicide (21%)3. Ending the life of an ill relative

(14%)4. Escape attempts by patients in

police custody (11%)

Shootings in HospitalsMotivations

*IOFM, Security Director’s Report- December 2012

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)

Risk factors associated with workplace related intimate partner homicides include occupation, time of day and location.Women in healthcare, production, and

office/administration suffered the highest proportion of homicide related to IPV.

Over half of homicides by IPV occurred in parking lots and publicly accessible buildings.

End or beginning of shifts are the most dangerous times.

Leading Cause of Workplace Homicide for U.S. woman

IOFM, Security Director’s Report – November 2012

• Homicides perpetrated by a personal relation (33%) is the 2nd leading cause of workplace Homicide for woman. Of which the vast majority were intimate partners (nearly 80%).

• More woman died on the job as a result of domestic violence than at the hands of a client- such as student, patient, or prisoner, or current or former coworker.

Employer's Role in IPV

• The White House noted that “domestic violence affects both the safety of the workplace and the productivity of employees”.

• According to a study, the employee assistance program (EAP) frequently fails to identify individuals who abuse or have the potential to abuse their intimate partner.

• Employers lose when they hire abusers. Perpetrators’ work performance and productivity are affected because of missing work, showing up late or leaving early, difficulty concentrating, and errors on the job. – 31 % of abusers took time off work to be abusive

to an intimate partner or deal with the aftermath of an abusive incident

– 51 % Thought their job performance was negatively affected during the time of their abuse. IOFM, Security Director’s Report – November 2012

IPV Most Recent EventsThe following examples occurred during a month’s time span in late 2012:On September 4, in Jackson, Tenn., police arrested a man they said shot this fiancée while at work at Best BuyOn September 10, a woman arriving at work at a Pier One Imports store in Raleigh, N.C., was shot and killed inside her car by her ex-husband.On September 11, a manager of a Sioux Falls, S.D., salon was killed in a confrontation with the ex-boyfriend of an employee. On September 24, at a Statesville, N.C., manufacturing plant, a man shot his wife while she was taking a work break in the parking lot.On September 28, a woman stabbed her husband in the back with a knife at the Pennsburg, Pa., meatpacking plant where he worked.

Violence Is More Likely To Happen In Workplaces That…

• Have no company policy• Managers that ignore threats and signs of

violence• Fail to screen new employees• Fail to provide training• Terminate employees without due process• Ignore complaints about an employee’s

behavior• Create a toxic work environment• Subject employees to frequent change and

uncertainty about future• Have inadequate security measures and

procedures

Components Of A Workplace Violence Prevention Program

• Pre-employment screening– Our HR Process to include interviews,

reference and background checks• Zero-tolerance policy

– HS Policy 7313• Appropriate disciplinary procedures

– Utilization of HR training for managers and supervisors and seeking assistance from HR on consistency of practice

• Grievance procedures– In place

• Violence prevention training– System wide

HS Policy 7313 – Disruptive Behavior

“The purpose of this policy is to set forth UCLA Hospital System’s need to create and maintain

an environment free from intimidating, disruptive, threatening, bullying and violent

behavior.”

• Focus on employee behaviors but can be expanded to behavioral impact of patients and visitors

• Defines examples of inappropriate behavior

• Outlines specific reporting procedure

• Outlines supervisory responsibilities• Discusses available resources

HS Policy 7313

Setting Limits• Managers have to set Limits with all employees

they supervise.• Managers and their supervisors who report to

them must be on the same page.• The limits and message must be consistent from

shift to shift, supervisor to supervisor.• Discipline has to be even handed and consistent.• Discipline is to be corrective and not punitive.

Team Approach

Involve key departments when dealing with a difficult or potentially violent employee.

• Human Resources• Security• UCLA Police• Staff & Faculty Counseling• Risk Management

What Can You Do If You Determine That An Employee Is Potentially Dangerous?

• Provide training/coaching• Provide counseling• Transfer employee• Restructure position• Take disciplinary action• Suspend employee with/without

pay• Terminate employee

Employer’s RoleWork to create an environment of unity

EMPLOYEES NEED TO FEEL SAFE AND SECURE

Leadership’s Role in Workplace Violence Prevention

• The importance of defining employee roles as they relate to workplace violence prevention.

• Building and communicating a violence-free culture to your employees.

• Engaging employees to develop a sense of teamwork and unity, decreasing the likelihood of workplace violence incidents.

*ASIS/SHRM Workplace Violence Intervention and Prevention Standard, 2011

Impacts on Employees and Your Business

Increased:• Absenteeism• Turnover• Stress• Costs for employee

assistance programs, recruitment, etc.

• Risk for accidents/ incidents

Decreased:• Productivity and

motivation• Morale• Corporate image

and customer confidence

• Customer service

What Workplace Violence Costs

*ASIS/SHRM Workplace Violence Intervention and Prevention Standard, 2011

51% % of workplace violence costs attributed to lost productivity.

1.7 Billion Dollars Amount employers lose annually due to stress.

60 Thousand Dollars Estimated cost to hire and training a new

person. 24 Million Dollars The dollar loss associated

with a workplace bully

Leadership Stats

45% of Employers implement workplace violence training programs90% of those who did implement violence training only did so for supervisorsONLY 22% of Companies have updated workplace violence policiesONLY 44% of Senior managers are concerned with workplace violenceONLY 17% Senior management are "very concerned"

17%

45%

90%22%

44%

Reporting A Problem

• Staff/Supervisors must recognize when a staff members behavior is becoming abusive and report it.

• Supervisors should notify Manager or Director of staff members who are becoming aggressive/abusive toward co-workers.

• Security and HR should be notified that there is a problem.

• When a situation is out of control security should be called immediately.

4 Things To Keep In Mind When Responding To Hostile & Aggressive Situations

• Don’t ignore your “gut” feeling• Don’t tolerate or excuse

inappropriate behavior even it is infrequent

• Don’t dismiss your own safety• Don’t ignore warning signals that a

person is about to explode (e.g., clenched fist, increasing facial & body tension, elevated screaming, statements like, “I’m warning you!”)

CODE GRAYType of Situation Abusive or combative personHow to Report #36 at SM

#36 at WWReport: location, your name and contact

information, description What to do if you are involved in the situation Attempt to de-escalate the situation to the best

of your ability, engage fellow staff to assist in communication with individuals, remove patients and visitors from the area as available

What to do if you are not involved in the situation

Communicate with patients, visitors, and staff, Isolate patients and visitors from the situation. Provide staff to respond to the location with assistance in providing a show of “numbers” to attempt to de-escalate situation.

What response to expect CODE GRAY overhead page, Medical Center Security will immediately respond to the affected area and provide a show of force and physical assistance if needed. UCLA Police will standby if needed.

HS Policy 8110 – Abusive or Combative Person “Code Gray”

CODE SILVERType of Situation Person with a Weapon or Hostage SituationHow to Report #36 and 911 at SM

911 and #36 at WWReport: location, description of individual, type

of weapon, number of people in areaWhat to do if you are involved in the situation See strategies for survival below

What to do if you are not involved in the situation

Communicate with patients, visitors, and staff. Evacuate all ambulatory individuals, shelter in place with all non- ambulatory individuals. Wait for all clear.

What response to expect CODE SILVER overhead page, UCLA Police and that of external law enforcement agencies, Medical Center Security will create a perimeter to limit access to affected area

HS Policy 8109 – Person with a Weapon or Hostage Situation “Code Silver”

Reporting a Problem• Call UCLA Police at #36 (or for suspicious

activity or non-weapon events) at WW and SM

• Provide the location of the incident (as specific as possible, room number, building, etc)

• Provide a brief description of what is happening

• Provide your name and contact phone number

• Provide information on the suspect’s physical description

• Provide a description of the weapon (handgun, rifle, knife, etc.)

• Report any injuries

□Sex □Hat □Height □Glasses □Weight □Hair

□Age □Facial Hair □Race □Coat

□Shirt□Pants□Shoes

A Suspect’s Physical Description

• Get Out! – ESCAPE• Take cover – get behind something

that will stop a bullet (Look for chances to ESCAPE)

• Hide and don’t bunch up– (Look for chances to ESCAPE)

• Play Dead – (Look for chances to ESCAPE)

• Attack the Attacker (LAST RESORT) – Element of Surprise, Watch and listen for the subject to stop shooting and reload

(adapted from UC Davis Police Department Training information)

Strategies for Survival in an Active Shooter Event

Additional Resources

• UCPD Dispatch: (310) 825-1491• Staff and Faculty Counseling

Center (310) 794-0245

• UCPD website: www.ucpd.ucla.edu

• Security Escorts at SMH : (424) 259-9100

• Security Escorts at WWH: (310) 267-7100

Questions?

Presented by: Vernon Goodwin Security Director for UCLA Health System vgoodwin@mednet.ucla.edu