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.

1/30 Santa Barbara, CA Former Postal Worker Kills 6 then Self

Jennifer Sanmarco, 44, killed 5 people at a mail-processing center and then killed herself, using a 9 mm handgun. According to investigators, she was put on disability for behavior problems in 2003. She had at one point been removed by deputies from the facility. She had since moved to New Mexico where she had several incidents with law enforcement due to her erratic behavior such as taking her clothes off in a store.
On the night of the murders, she arrived at the plant and entered the fenced grounds by following closely behind another car to get past the gate. She then entered the facility by taking an employee's electronic identification badge at gunpoint but did not hurt that employee. She killed two employees outside, another just outside the door and critically wounded another just inside. 3 other victims were killed inside before she killed herself. It is thought that she killed a former neighbor before she went on her rampage at the processing center.

1/23 Chandler, AZ Nephew Shoots Co-Worker Uncle at Sign Company

Oscar Valenzuela was charged with the murder of his uncle, Benjamin Marquez-Valenzuela, 29. Both were working on painting signs at the Young Electric Sign Co., when the nephew shot the victim. While there is no declared motive for the shooting, authories believe that it may be personal matter as Oscar had moved out from living with the victim about 3 weeks ago. According to reports, the shooter told other workers that it was his last day and that we was returning to Mexico.

1/23 Clayton, NC Hostage Situation at Catepillar Plant DV Related

Michael Wilson Akins Jr., 22, was a temporary employee at a Caterpillar plant where his girlfriend also worked. After a heated arguement where he alledgedly threatened her, he was brought into a seperate conference room by security and a supervisor. It was then that he pulled a handgun out. The men pushed him out of the room and locked the door but he then took a male nurse hostage. After looking for his girlfriend but not finding her, he took the hostage's car and phone, fleeing the scene. He later crashed during police pursuit. Akins had numerous arrests for firearm related crimes.

1/16 Calgary, Canada Mortgage Executive Murdered in his Office

Jack Beauchamp, 49-year-old father of three and head of a mortgage lending firm that he founded in 1998, was found dead outside his office early in the morning by an employee, just minutes after the shooting. While there were no immediate suspects, Robert Deer, 52, was taken in and charged with criminal harassment. Beauchamp had received threatening e-mails for months leading up to the shooting. Deer has been released on bail. Police also wouldn't say how Mr. Deer knew Mr. Beauchamp. However, local media reported that the firm turned down Mr. Deer's application for a mortgage.

1/9 Winston-Salem, NC Woman Shot by Husband at ReHab Center

Lee Terry Sr. shot Shefon McIntyre while she was working at the Winston-Salem Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center. Shortly before 6 a.m., he arrived to speak with her. The two went into the stairwell where he then shot the 61 year old woman. Although he fled the scene, he later turned himself in to the police. The victim is recovering at the hospital.

1/9 Vereeniging, South Africa Employer Murders Workers for Organizing Labor

Employer Charl Colyn, his daughter Isabel, son-in-law Jacques Smit and family friend Ruan Swanepoel are accused of murdering 3 of Colyn’s employees at a Laundromat. Caroline Lesito (28), Constance Moeletsi and Victoria Ndweni (30) were found dead in laundry bins at their workplace, Protea Dry Cleaners. Another three suspects are still being sought by police. The Colyns' gardeners, Samuel Mzizi and Jacob Dlamini are also charged as accessories to the crime as they were paid to clean up the crime scene.
According to charges, 9 people entered the workplace and began to assault the employees. At one point they opened a washing machine, threw chemicals in the machine and put victims in. When taken out, they were tied up and strangled, left for dead in the dust bins. As for a possible motive, one of the victims influenced workers to join the union and had already reported the owners to the CCMA (Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration).

6/29/1994 San Fernando, Trinidad Hitman, Hired by Husband and 3rd wife, Murders former wife and Dr.

Professor Vijay Naraynsingh, his wife, Seeromani Maraj-Naraynsingh and Elton Ramasir are being tried for the murder of Dr Chandra Naraynsingh. Naraynsingh was gunned down outside her workplace by hitman Shawn Parris on June 29, 1994 as she left her workplace at the now defunct Langmore Health Foundation.

1/15 Tecumseh, MI Man Assault Girlfriend at Hospital over Cell Phone

Royce Wayne Ohlinger, 29, alledgely assaulted his 24 year old girlfriend at her workplace, Herrick Memorial Hospital. The two had spoken earlier in the evening when the man accused her of seeing someone else. He went to the hospital at 3:48 a.m. and confronted her in the X-ray room. Ohlinger wanted to see her cell phone to see who she had been speaking with and in the ensuing struggle, the woman claimed that he struck her and pushed her to the ground resulting in her heading a cart. He fled as she went to the emergency room. Police called the man on her phone and requested that he return to the hospital which he refused. He was later apprehended by deputies and charged with domestic violence and larceny of property worth less than $200, according to jail records.

1/10 Kansas City, KS Man Fires Shotgun at Plant then Commits Suicide at Home

Lester King, 52, fired shots inside a lighting plant, Midwest Lighting Solutions but did not strike anyone. He later returned to his home and committed suicide in his car, using a shotgun. After leaving the plant, he called a friend stating that he was going to kill himself. When asked if he shot anyone, King responded, “"No, I was just mad and wanted to make a statement." According to a company spokesman, King was disciplined just before the event, went home and returned with a firearm at around 2:20 pm. King was a well-known blues guitarist in the community.