PREVENTION OF WORKPLACE VIOLENCE

WHEREAS, workers are increasingly faced with the threat of violence at their workplace; and

WHEREAS, more than 2 million Americans are victims of workplace assault and 6 million Americans are threatened with physical violence at work; and

WHEREAS, federal, state and local government employees represent only 10 percent of the American workforce but account for 30 percent of the victims of workplace violence; and

WHEREAS, health care workers have been found to be six times more likely to be assaulted than the average worker; and

WHEREAS, efforts to downsize by both public and private employers have resulted in a more stressful work environment; and

WHEREAS, highly stressed workers experience twice the rate of workplace violence and harassment; and

WHEREAS, advanced planning and ongoing commitment to the evaluation of potential hazards of workplace violence can effectively control, reduce or prevent future incidents of violence:

RESOLVED, that the AFT urge the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration to promulgate a general industry standard on workplace violence that would require employers to adopt comprehensive workplace violence prevention programs that would require: (1) employee involvement in the development of a program; (2) worksite analysis; (3) hazard prevention and control and (4) safety and health training; and

RESOLVED, that in the absence of a forthcoming standard that the AFT urge the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration to develop and disseminate general industry guidelines for the prevention of workplace violence; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT and its affiliates promote the development of effective guidelines and regulations on the state level for the prevention of workplace violence for all public employees and that the AFT provide support and assistance to its affiliates to develop such guidelines and regulations.