by Joy Dike, PhD

​A zero-tolerance policy towards workplace violence starts with having employees report violent or threatening behavior. Without this first step, no policy will be truly effective against workplace violence. 

How can you create an environment where employees will feel comfortable reporting threats?

1. Encourage employees to report violent or threatening behavior

This means creating an environment where employees feel comfortable reporting issues to their supervisors or up the management chain and don't feel alienated from management.

2. Make sure employees know where and how to report violent or threatening behavior

This means having a clear and specific method for employees to report issues. It may mean reporting through:

• normal management channels (if they are comfortable with their supervisors and/or the issue doesn't involve someone up the management chain)
• a designated office (if they're not comfortable going to a direct supervisor)
• a designated person 
• a suggestion box (in case the reporter wants to remain anonymous)
• a hotline number 

Within any or all of these channels, there needs to be a  clear and defined method of reporting. That may mean something as simple as a conversation or a form filled out. Whatever the method, document it.

3. Publicize the policy

A solid policy and method of reporting issues isn't effective if employees don't know about it. Publicizing your workplace violence policy could be as simple as: 

• posting it on a bulletin board
• including it in an employee newsletter
• including a notice distributed with paychecks

4. Make sure your employees know that you will take their report seriously

Your employees need to know that their concerns will be heard and that someone will follow up on the issue. A procedure whereby employees will be notified about how their report was addressed will go a long way towards building confidence in the system.


The first step in creating a zero-tolerance policy towards workplace violence is creating an atmosphere in which your employees feel comfortable reporting issues and feel like their voices will be heard. Click here to download our white paper about workplace violence.

All workers have the right to a safe workplace. The law actually requires that employers provide their workers with safe and healthful workplaces. One issue of a safe workplace is access to First Aid.
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OSHA regulation 1910.151(b) states that, "In the absence of an infirmary, clinic, or hospital in near proximity to the workplace which is used for the treatment of all injured employees, a person or persons shall be adequately trained to render first aid. Adequate first aid supplies shall be readily available." OSHA tends to define "near proximity" as a 3-4 minute response time from time of injury to time of administering first aid, which means that a hospital or clinic would need to be a 1 minute drive away from your workplace (factoring in time to get to you car and drive to the hospital). As this proximity is unlikely for the majority of workplaces, it is necessary to have at least one person in the workplace (for each shift) that is trained in First Aid.

Do you know how easy and affordable it is to get First Aid, CPR, and AED certified? You can even do it online. In fact, you can even get First Aid and CRP certified for free. It's so easy to find a location or train online that there's no excuse for being non-compliant with this regulation. 

Today’s Friday Factoid is the top ten OSHA violations for 2014. Do you know how compliant you are on any OSHA related requirements regarding your work environment? (Taken directly from the United States Department of Labor website for violations in 2014. https://www.osha.gov/oshstats/commonstats.html )



1.    Fall protection, construction (29 CFR 1926.501)

2.    Hazard communication standard, general industry (29 CFR 1910.1200)

3.    Scaffolding, general requirements, construction (29 CFR 1926.451)

4.    Respiratory protection, general industry (29 CFR 1910.134)

5.    Powered industrial trucks, general industry (29 CFR 1910.178)

6.    Control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), general industry (29 CFR 1910.147)

7.    Ladders, construction (29 CFR 1926.1053)

8.    Electrical, wiring methods, components and equipment, general industry (29 CFR 1910.305)

9.    Machinery and Machine Guarding, general requirements (29 CFR 1910.212)

10.  Electrical systems design, general requirements, general industry (29 CFR 1910.303)

We at Invictus Consulting LLC perform OSHA audits for companies frequently. Are you unsure of what your industry’s regulations are? Do you want to know your exposure? Contact us, we will be glad to help. Don’t wait to find out when it is too late.