Focus on Workplace Safety

The shooting of Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona has brought the issue of workplace safety back into the headlines. As people ponder the senseless nature of this tragedy, some workers are coming to terms with the fact that Representative Giffords was actually at work and just doing her job by meeting constituents. Possibly like most American workers , who get up and go to work every day, Giffords wasn't preoccupied workplace safety.

The reality is, unless we work in industries like Mining or Construction, known to have higher rates of accidents and fatalities resulting from the actual work assignments, we aren't thinking about workplace safety. Most workers expect to go to work and do their jobs without fear of harm from the public or co-workers.

The US Department of Labor reports that between 2004 and 2008 an average of 564 work-related homicides occurred each year in the United States. Almost half, 48%, of those incidents occurred in public buildings and spaces where bystanders, not necessarily the intended target, were fatally hurt as well. This shooting of Gabrielle Giffords seems consistent with that practice. Even though Giffords was the intended target, nineteen bystanders were also shot. Six of those bystanders were wounded fatally.

Since workplace safety is fresh on everyone's mind, this list of Tips for Staying Safe at Work from the National Crime Prevention Council is worth printing and sharing. The list includes tips such as reporting any broken lights in public areas such as parking lots, not staying late without asking a security officer to escort you to your car and informing security or management about strangers in the workplace or anyone who makes you uncomfortable.

The key point to keep in mind is that workplace safety is everyone's responsibility and employees need to take practical steps to ensure they feel safe in the workplace.