An Evaluation of Workplace Conditions as Causative Factors to Incidents of Type III Workplace Violence in the Construction and Environmental Remediation Industries Open Access
Goldman, Michael Alan (2010)
Abstract
Abstract
An Evaluation of Workplace Conditions as Causative Factors to
Incidents of Type III Workplace Violence in the Construction and
Environmental
Remediation Industries
BY
By Michael Goldman CIH, CSP, CHMM, CPEA
Industry literature indicates that the causes of violence in the
workplace are rarely
investigated beyond the consideration of the interpersonal
relationships of the workers.
Although the effects of heat, excessive noise, repetitive tasks,
and chemical exposure on
worker behavior are well-documented, these environmental factors
are not frequently
examined in incidents of workplace violence. In fact, even though
incidents of worker-
on-worker violence in the workplace may be occurring in the
construction and
environmental remediation industries throughout the United States
at rates higher than
reported or investigated its root causes and contributing factors
may not be investigated.
The primary purpose of this study was to establish a correlation
between exposure
to workplace hazards and incidents of workplace violence. The
secondary purpose of this
study was to determine the consideration given by investigators of
workplace violence in
the construction and environmental remediation industries, usually
Health and Safety
Professionals, to these physical and chemical stressors in their
investigations. Key
informant interviews with Health and Safety Professionals in these
firms were conducted
IV
to gather data about how these professionals conceptualize,
document, and recommend
corrections for the root causes and contributing factors of
worker-on-worker violence.
Establishing a relationship between exposure to workplace hazards
and incidents of
workplace violence is crucial to understanding the causes of
workplace violence.
Understanding the approach used by Health and Safety Professionals
is important in the
development of interventions that improve worker safety and
decrease the incidence of
workplace violence.
V
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1: Introduction
....................................................................................................................
1
Chapter 2: Literature Review
...........................................................................................................
4
Environmental Factors as Modifiers of Behavior
............................................................................
4
Excessive Noise
.....................................................................................................
6
Repetitive Motions
.................................................................................................
6
Excessive Heat
.......................................................................................................
7
Attributes of Workers at Risk for Violence
.....................................................................................
7
Correlation of Violent Incidents and Environmental Factors
.......................................................... 9
Chapter 3: Methodology
................................................................................................................
11
Selection Process
...........................................................................................................................
11
Approach
........................................................................................................................................
12
Human Subjects Protection
............................................................................................................
13
Limitations
.....................................................................................................................................
14
Chapter 4: Results
..........................................................................................................................
17
Rates of Incidents
...........................................................................................................................
17
Reported Causes for No Incidents
.................................................................................................
18
Processes for Investigation
............................................................................................................
19
Influence of Schedule on Incidents on Workplace Violence
......................................................... 19
Environmental Factors as Root Causes
..........................................................................................
20
Reporting and Corrective Actions
.................................................................................................
22
Other Reported Potential Causes
...................................................................................................
22
Effectiveness of Corrective Actions
..............................................................................................
23
Chapter 5: Discussion and
Implications.........................................................................................
25
Rates of Occurrence
.......................................................................................................................
25
Severity of Incidents
......................................................................................................................
25
VI I
Root Causes
...................................................................................................................................
26
Methods of Investigating Incidents
................................................................................................
30
Implications of Controlling Environmental Factors
......................................................................
30
Implications of Developing a Formal Security Plan
......................................................................
32
Conclusions
....................................................................................................................................
32
References
......................................................................................................................................
37
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1
Types of Workplace Violence as Defined by NIOSH
.................................. 11
Table 2
Rates of Violent Incidents in Australian Construction Workers from
1993 to
1998................................................................................................................
18
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 Rate of Incidents of Workplace Violence Reported by Health
and Safety
Professionals in the Last 10 Years
.................................................................
18
Figure 2 Time of Workday that
Incidents of Workplace Violence were Reported to
Occur.
.............................................................................................................
20
Figure 3 Environmental Factors
Considered Possible Root Causes Investigations by
Health and Safety
Professionals.....................................................................
22
LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix A Questionnaire
IX
About this Master's Thesis
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