WORKPLACE VIOLENCE

Newspaper managers read about the dangers of workplace violence in their products, but too rarely prepare for it at their own facilities.

During a Monday Health & Safety segment session, Judy Kruiswyk, employee development and safety manager at The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Wash., recalled a 1996 bombing at the newspaper. Detected by an employee moments before explosion, the bomb ignited and ripped a metal door to shreds.

Stringent security measures and some new technology may have helped the company prevent the attack. But not necessarily.

"Security is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to protecting our employees and our workplaces," Kruiswyk said. "Early identification of the potential for violence is the primary factor."

Effective interviewing, background checks, drug testing, criminal background investigations and even personality testing can keep a newspaper from hiring a potential threat in the first place, she said. Employees also should be aware of dangers in the workplace and how to report them.

Advances in technology have improved access controls and alarm equipment. Surveillance equipment is now so small it can even be placed in computer speakers, she said.

Optical turnstiles--card and code readers--are the most common form of security measures. These are effective to the degree they are maintained and supported, Kruiswyk said. If even the most sophisticated systems--ones now available that read characteristics of the retina, fingerprints or voice--are not maintained, they are not effective, she said. If an employee leaves and is not removed from the authorization system, it doesn’t work. Technology also needs to be convenient if employees are going to support it. Trusted employees must have the maximum "entry or exit control," Kruiswyk said.

Another common form of security, intrusion-detection systems, includes interactive voice systems and duress alarms located throughout a facility. These systems allow a worker to notify authorities for help or report threats.

Companies considering security measures should check state laws regarding what level of security measure is allowable. "There are ethical and legal issues regarding personal privacy," Kruiswyk said.

Companies must also consider what sort of culture they want to portray to workers and customers. For instance, biodetectors monitoring whether employees wash their hands are now available. "Is that too much?" she wondered.

"What’s your corporate culture? Are we going to be a fortress? What are we going to look like?" are all questions managers must ask, according to Kruiswyk.

-Bob Sims

Information on workplace violence and prevention can be found at:

www.osha-slc.gov/sltc/workplaceviolence/index.html

www.cdc.gov/niosh/violcont.html

www.noworkviolence.com

www.safeatwork.com

For information suppliers:

www.securitymanagement.com

www.w2com/docs2/z/spyshop.html

Discussion of ethical issues:

www.dartmouth.edu/~jam

www.depaul.edu/ethics/monitor.html

www.townonline.com/privacyjournal/

www.eff.org/pub/privacy/

Sites for employees:

www.workingwounded.com

www.mybosssucks.com