While workplace violence is rare, any incidents that do occur garner extensive media attention and send a chill down the spine of most business owners. Their fear: could my business be next? The answer is yes, but businesses can prevent it and Blue-U Defense in Hancock can help. Blue-U Defense evolved from owner Terry Choate’s day job as a lieutenant in the Jaffrey Police Department. As a police officer, he is often asked to teach safety practices to kids in school. Passionate about safety, he started to ask whether a lot of what was being taught was also practical. Having done a lot of research on the criminal mind, he concluded that it wasn’t. So he started building training programs based on whom criminals look to target.
He first launched the program for gun owners focusing on Stand Your Ground laws, but then decided it made more sense to target businesses. Choate says his business focuses on “presenting practical solutions to specific threats.” The company kicked off in 2013 and business increased 500 percent in 2014. He expects that same level of growth by mid-2015. Just over half of his business is in the state of Maine, with the occasional presentation at national conferences. His seminars range from daylong to multi-day events with a range of pricing, depending on what the employer wants.
Choate says business owners shouldn’t turn away because it’s an uncomfortable subject. Rather they should focus on educating and preparing employees. OSHA’s description of workplace violence covers everything from the disgruntled former employee coming back to shoot his boss and co-workers to any physical assault, threatening behavior or verbal abuse occurring in the workplace.
Think like a Criminal
Choate says people need to understand the criminal mind to combat it. “One thing most criminals share is that they look for people that are vulnerable or not paying attention. Criminals want a compliant victim,” says Choate.
The “number one universal thing” he teaches is to be aware of your surroundings. Then he discusses simple tips that could be life saving. Choate peppers his seminars with demonstrations with his partner, Joseph Hileman, who is also a Jaffrey police officer, and videos showing how often victims are completely unaware of what’s going on around them.
Kimberly Walker, who manages loss control at the Scott Lawson Group in Concord, attended one of Choate’s seminars at her workplace with about 30 percent of the company joining her. “I feel prepared if there were some kind of incident, at work or in my personal life,” Walker says, noting that among the thing she learned is using a fire extinguisher as a weapon and turning off a cell phone if you are hiding.
Be Alert
Choate says many workplace violence issues could be avoided if someone is alert to what goes on and addresses behavioral issues immediately. Signs include when a good employee starts having issues with tardiness, becomes withdrawn or argumentative, or starts saying inappropriate things. In fact, he says that in 90 percent of violent occurrences, the act is preceded by a fight or verbal threat. Choate says resolving minor issues with a face-to-face discussion and demonstrating compassion may keep them from becoming bigger problems.
A poor performance may be indicative of a worker who doesn’t feel connected to co-workers or the job. He also notes behavioral changes may be the result of drug abuse, an issue, he says, that must be managed “as drugs often bring with them criminal behavior."
Keep Your Handbook Updated
Choate says once a negative behavioral change has been identified, the company needs to examine its handbook. If there’s no policy on how to handle poor performance, Choate recommends seeking professional help to update the employee manual according to the law. He says having a sound policy in place “corrects a lot of potential privacy issues.”
Then, when an incident comes up, employers should conduct a threat assessment with an HR person, security person, lawyer and psychologist. Depending on the severity of the employee issue, the manager or HR person may also seek help from the local police department.
Choate recommends that all businesses train their employees, especially receptionists. Receptionists are sitting in the company’s most vulnerable position. “Receptionists may make a decision that could avoid an incident or escalate an incident simply because they may see something suspicious in the parking lot or in the lobby,” says Choate.
“Your employees are your most valuable asset, why wouldn’t you want to make them feel safe both at work and at home?” he asks.
*** 4,405 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2013, of which 397 were homicides. That was 16 percent less than the 475 homicides in 2012.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries
*** Violence accounted for 1 out of every 6 fatal work injuries in 2013.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Current Issue - May 2024