Course 720 - Preventing Workplace Violence
Welcome!
Hi, and welcome to the course. If you are a safety manager, supervisor, committee member, or someone who is entering into the occupational safety and health field, this course will help you understand your important responsibilities.
Here's how it works (Read this... it's important!)
- Study each course module. Just click on the course "Modules" tab above to get started. It take about 30 minutes to one hour to complete each module, including the quiz.
- Complete each module quiz. Each quiz is 5-10 questions. When you submit the quiz, a new web page will load with instant feedback on your answers. After you complete the quiz, start on the next module. There is no need to wait! No hurry either. You are in control of the pace of learning.
- Order an Optional Certificate. If you want certification of your training, order a high quality certificate.
Our training is free. We only charge a small fee to provide documentation of your training. If you are enrolled in one of our professional safety and health programs,
you can save money by purchasing the program package that fits your needs. If you just want to purchase the certificate for this course, a link will be provided on
your student dashboard after you pass the final exam. Just click on the "Purchase Certificate" Link.
For individual courses, the PDF certificate is only $, the original certificate is $ (shipping extra), and the PDF & original certificate is $ (shipping extra).
- Complete and submit the final course exam.
- Final exams consist of 20 questions.
- To meet OSHA requirements, you must pass the final exam with at least a 70% score.
- If you do not pass the exam, you may retake the exam.
- If you pass the exam, you may not retake the exam just to raise your score.
- Most final exam questions are derived from module quizzes.
If you have questions as you study, just send us an email.
Introduction
This course provides you with recommendations on steps to consider in developing a workplace violence prevention program to reduce the hazards of workplace violence. These are guidelines only. Safety Insight does not intend to create rules specific to violence in the workplace. While not every suggestion may be appropriate for all organizations, these recommendations provide an excellent means for quickly assessing the state of an organization's current policies and practices. Special thanks to the U.S. Interagency Security Committee and the FBI Critical Incident Response Group for providing most of the information within this course. Primary sources: Violence in the Federal Workplace: A guide for Prevention and Response and Workplace Violence - Issues in Response.
Workplace Violence - A Preventive Approach
Across the nation, violence in the workplace is emerging as a significant occupational hazard. All too frequently, employees become victims of violent acts that result in substantial physical or emotional harm. For injured or threatened employees, workplace violence can lead to medical treatment, missed work, lost wages, and decreased productivity.
For many occupations, workplace violence represents a serious occupational risk. Violence at work can take many forms: harassment, intimidation, threats, theft, stalking, assault, arson, sabotage, bombing, hostage-taking, kidnapping, extortion, suicide, and homicide. Homicide is the second leading cause of all job-related deaths and the leading cause of such deaths for women, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (1994). For each murder, there are countless other incidents of workplace violence in which victims are threatened or injured.
The Law
The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act's General Duty Clause requires employers to provide a safe and healthful working environment for all workers covered by the OSH Act of 1970. Failure to implement the suggestions mentioned in this document is not in itself a violation of the General Duty Clause. If there is a recognized violence hazard in the workplace and employers do not take feasible steps to prevent or abate it, employers can be cited.
The Importance of Planning
The central theme which emerges from the shared experience of these specialists from different disciplines is this: While some cases of workplace violence can be dealt with swiftly and easily by a manager with the assistance of just one specialist or one department. Most cases can be resolved far more easily and effectively if there is a joint effort which has been planned out in advance by specialists from different disciplines.
Be Prepared
Many who have never experienced workplace violence think, "I don't need to worry about this" or "It would never happen in my department." Violent incidents are relatively rare, but they do occur, and lives can be lost. A little preparation and investment in prevention now could save a life. There is no strategy that works for every situation, but the likelihood of a successful resolution is much greater if you have prepared ahead of time. This course is designed to help you do that: Be prepared for violence in the workplace.
Employers can take several steps to reduce the risk of legal liability. For example, they can implement careful hiring, employee evaluation and discipline procedures, and adopt appropriate workplace security procedures. However, employers must be careful not to violate laws protecting employee privacy rights, civil rights, or rights created by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Employers conducting workplace violence risk assessments may want to consult with legal counsel.
The Benefits of a Joint Effort
The experience of companies who have developed programs has shown that managers are more willing to confront employees who exhibit disruptive and intimidating behavior when they are supported by a group of specialists who have done their homework and are prepared to reach out to others when they know a situation is beyond their expertise. This team approach promotes creative solutions and much needed support for the manager in dealing with difficult situations that might otherwise be ignored.
Modules
To begin your training, click on the module links below. If you are just starting this course, you should start with module 1.
Course 720 Final Exam
OSHAcademy course final exams are designed to help ensure students demonstrate a sufficient understanding of the content covered within each course. To help demonstrate this understanding, students must achieve a minimum score of 70% on final exams. It is OSHAcademy's policy to protect the integrity of our exams and, as a result, we do not provide missed questions to students.
After you have studied all of the course material and taken the module quizzes, you can take the final exam. The module quizzes are optional, but we highly recommend you take each quiz, as the questions are similar to those on the final exam.
This is an open book exam. As you are taking the exam, if you find a question you are unsure of, you should use the course study guide or course web pages to research the correct answer. Don't worry if you fail the exam. You can study and retake the exam when you are ready.
If you have already paid for a Certificate Program
If you have already paid for your certificates, your exam score will be displayed in your student dashboard next to the course. You will also be able to view or print the course PDF certificate if you purchased this option. Your PDF transcript will also be automatically updated to include the course.
If you only want free training
You are welcome to take all of our courses for free! We only charge a fee if you want certificates, transcripts and exam scores to document your training. If you have not made a payment for your certificate, we will archive your exam results and you will see "Completed!" next to the course if you passed the exam. If you did not pass the exam with a score of 70% or higher, you will need to retake the exam.
Take the Final Exam
Course 720 Study Guide. You can save this study guide to your computer for offline studying, or print the study guide if you prefer.