Norfolk, UK Study- Public Workers Assaulted 7 Times a Day

An investigation in Norfolk has revealed some startling findings about the safety of frontline public sector staff. Surprisingly, there are 7 assaults a day on workers in this field.
Across the UK, health care staff eight times more likely to be assaulted than police officers. By far the greatest number of attacks were carried out on health workers such as doctors, nurses, mental health specialists, and ambulance drivers, who were assaulted 1,676 times last year.
In response, Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health Partnership appointed a local security management specialist in October 2004, whose role includes investigating all complaints - not only about attacks on staff but also about damage to Trust property as a result of a violent incident. They also teach staff on how to de-escalate a situation and breakaway safely from physical attacks.

Canadian Murders may Lead to New Labor Regulations

After the murder of a 19-year-old victim was working by himself the government in Manitoba is looking at worker safety legislation. The potential changes would be part of a broader overhaul of the Employment Standards Act. There are already regulation requiring employers to have a plan in place to identify possible risks -- and ways to minimize the risks -- for workers left alone. This law came about after the 1981 murder of 16-year-old doughnut shop waitress Barbara Stoppel. The proposed changes to the new law may include a ban prohibiting under-age employees from working overnight shifts.

4/9/04 Bradenton, FL Trial Starts for Man who Killed Ex-Girlfriend at Work

Emerson Ware, 39, will begin his trial for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Jeannette D. Conwell, 45. is accused of breaking into Conwell's house, threatening her daughter and boyfriend, going to Conwell's workplace and stabbing her to death with a knife he stole from the home.

Florida Guns at Work Bill Fails

A controversial Florida bill, HB 129, that would make it a felony for Florida businesses to bar guns from the workplace was defeated in the state legislature. It was only a couple of weeks ago when a hearing for the proposed legislation was cancelled due to the strong opposition from the business community. Testimony of members of the Florida Retail Federation and Florida Chamber of Commerce presented a solid stance against any compromise. This initiative is a landmark in the NRA’s 50-state campaign to pass guns-at-work legislation. Currently, there are ten guns-at-work bills pending in legislatures across the United States: California, Utah, Missouri, Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, and New Hampshire.

Free On-line Courses on Bullying at Work

SkillSoft, a UK based provider of comprehensive e-learning content and technology products for business and IT professionals, is offering 3 web-based training to help workers combat bullying. These three on-line courses are available anytime by visiting http://www.skillsoft.com/bullying, until the end of July 2006. The three courses available are Harassment at Work – addressing the issue of bullying and harassment in the workplace; Working with Aggressive People - details the characteristics of the six most common types of aggressive people and provides effective ways you can cope with their behaviors and Difficult People in the Workplace - shows step-by-step methods and processes to help you identify difficult people and learn how to deal and communicate with them.

1/31 Richland, VA Man Kidnapps Ex-wife with Knife

Thomas Walker Jr., 23, walked into the Rawlinson Road workplace of his estranged girlfriend. She was hiding in a locked bathroom but he forced his way in and took her from the business at knifepoint. He crashed his car a short distance away and she escaped but not before he took $40 from her. He was later apprehended.

LA Sees Violence Against City Employees Soar

Los Angeles City Attorney's Office claim that workplace violence and threats to municipal workers increased 2,000% in the past 5 years. There were four reports of workplace violence in 2001, 26 in 2002, 58 in 2003, 45 in 2004 and 93 in 2005, according to records. There was also an upsurge in the number of restraining orders filed. While there were 41 restraining orders last year, there were just 32 in 2003 and only 12 in 2004. There was some discussion if this was due to more threats and incidents or just better reporting. The office asked for $400,000 to create a full-time Workplace Violence Unit however it is unlikely as there was a projected a $270 million budget shortfall.

2/13 Landover Hills, VA Firefighters Fight over Who Fight Fire

In one of the oddest cases of workplace violence, an all volunteer firefighter department endangered emergency workers from another station by sabotaging equipment while a house burned. Two career firefighters from the Landover Hills station claimed that volunteer firefighters from the Kentland Station deliberately shut off their air tanks and ripped off some of their protective gear, resulting in first and second degree burns. The dispute was over which station should fight the fire. One of the alleged assailants is on operational suspension and an internal investigation is underway.

Federal Court Upholds Oklahoma Company's Right to Ban Firearms at Work

A Denver federal appeals court ruled it was legal for an Oklahoma paper mill to fire 8 employees who violated company policy by having guns in their vehicle on the company parking lot. The workers sued the company for illegal search of their property and wrongful discharge as the policy was in violation of their 2nd amendment right. However, the judge claimed that the company, “did not unlawfully infringe upon any right of plaintiffs in enforcing its no-firearms policy.” The firing occurred in 2002 and prompted state legislators in 2004 to enact a law that makes it much harder for property owners and employers to ban guns from their property.

2/14 Oxford, AL Man Murders Boss, Claiming to be a US Marshall

Fred Allen Walker, 48, killed his boss of over a dozen years in the back office of MotorCycle Sports. Walker came to work for a few minutes Tuesday morning, then went outside and returned with two handguns and went back to Jerry Wayne Harrell's office about 9:30 a.m. Afterwards, Walker walked back into the showroom and made a phone call to the US Marshall’s office in DC. He made claims to the responding medical technicians that he worked for the Marshall’s service and was carrying out an execution. Walker had no relation to the US Marshall’s service nor any other federal agency.

1/26 Beaumont, TX Man Hid in Locker Room before Assaulting Ex-Wife

Anthony Wayne Leblanc, 35, shot his estranged wife, Emma Leblanc and attempted to shoot her coworker where they worked in the janitorial department. He snuck in to the workplace and hid in the worker’s locker room. At around 7 pm, when she started work, he came out and shot at her 4 times, striking her once in the elbow. He is did not strike the co-worker when he shot at him. He fled only to wreck his car during a police chance.