Safety in the workplace is essential. The University of California Police Department reports that there are no guarantees that workplace violence will not happen to you. The Federal Bureau of Investigation reports that most work place violence does not involve multiple homicides but instead involve: stalking, threats, harassment, assault, sexual assault, and domestic violence. Therefore it is important to be prepared at all times.
Employee Parking
Your parking area may be one of the most dangerous areas about where you work, especially when you have to work at night. There are some very simple, effective tricks you can use to keep your safety in parking areas. As you walk to your car you should have your keys out and ready to get into your car. In addition, you should look around you and know if there are any dangers close by. When you park in large parking facilities or places that are not well lit, this can be a safety risk for you. According to Braun Consulting, you should get another employee to walk you to your car if you have any concerns about your safety. However, Braun Consulting recommends if you are unable to have an escort to your car, try going to your car with a group of employees that might be going to the same general area.
Warning Signs
One of the most important safety tips is recognizing the early warning signs of potential threats to your safety. According to the University of California Police Department, you should take note of direct or veiled threats to your safety. You should report any threats or intimidation that other employees or persons have made toward you. The department reports that you should be very wary of anyone who seems to hold a grudge, especially when it is against a supervisor. The department also recommends reporting any incident where someone has verbalized a hope for something bad happening to a supervisor or employee. You also want to know if your employees have a history of violence so it is essential to do background checks on all employees. You may even want to do new background checks on employees every year.
Angry Employees
Dozens of reports of angry employees taking out revenge on management and other workers is seen on news reports every year. It is important to understand how to deal with an angry employee so that you can possibly diffuse the situation instead of making it worse. The University of California Police Department recommends staying calm in these situations and never using communication styles that generate hostility, such as brushing an employee off, using cold behavior, apathy or making the statement that "those are the rules." In addition, the department recommends taking what the employee says very seriously. If they are threatening to do something to you then they probably will and at this point you may need to involve law enforcement. You should also train other employees about how to use these tips, so that they themselves can try to prevent things from escalating to the point that someone gets injured.
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