According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s blogs, many workers in the social services and health care industry are at risk of physical assault on the job. As a matter of fact, the 2013 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that over 23,000 workers sustained serious injuries from assault, with over 70% of these incidents occurring in either one of those industries. Many of these assaults could have been prevented.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has a section on its website dedicated to workplace violence that discusses such hazards and offers violence prevention plans. Workplace violence is defined as any threat or act of physical violence, intimidation, sexual assault, rape, harassment, or other threatening disruptive behavior, and may include verbal abuse and threats too. Homicide is reportedly the number four leading cause of worker deaths in the U.S. and the number one cause of death of female workers. Many incidents of worker violence go unreported.
Scenarios that can up the risk of workplace violence:
• Working with unstable individuals
• Dealing with patients or others who are mentally ill
• Exchanging money with the public
• Working in isolated areas
• Working where alcohol is served
• Working late at night
• Working in high crime rate areas
• Delivery jobs
• Working in the health care industry
• Working in law enforcement
If you were injured or someone you love was killed on the job because of violence that occurred while you were on the job, you may be entitled to Boston workers’ compensation benefits from your employer. Contact Altman & Altman LLP today.
If work came with a high risk for assault, would you go?, U.S. Department of Labor, April 2, 2015
Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence, OSHA (PDF)
More Blog Posts:
OSHA Confirms That Workers Have Not Been Helped by Workers Comp. Reforms, Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Blog, March 19, 2015
GM Settles Family’s Second Faulty Ignition Switch Lawsuit Over Daughter’s Wrongful Death, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, March 31, 2015
Semi-Truck Crash Lawsuit Cites Cell Phone Driving in Pedestrian Accident that Killed a Woman and Her Two Children, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, April 6, 2015