Workplace Homicides Still a Threat

Ed Foulke, co-chair of the firm's Workplace Safety and Catastrophe Management Practice Group and former head of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) under President George W. Bush, was quoted in the February 21 Human Resource Executive Online article "Workplace Homicides Still a Threat." The article noted that, according to new reports, work-related homicides and injuries due to workplace assaults are down dramatically from their levels in the mid-1990s. But HR leaders should not relax when it comes to preventing violence in the workplace. Ed said that having a crisis plan in place is always a necessity. "You still find, at many organizations, this mind-set of 'It will never happen to us.' Unfortunately, the definition of 'us' changes every day. Having a crisis plan -- so you have someone who knows to contact OSHA within eight hours if there's a fatality [as required by law], a plan for notifying families and dealing with the media -- is crucial." He added, "Having managers trained in conflict resolution and in spotting employees who may need help, referring them to public agencies that can provide counseling -- this is so important, given the stress people are under in today's economy."