Reopening also means gaining public trust

 

Everyday life four months ago was extremely different than July 2020. While we are not ordered to stay at home, it is suggested. Gatherings are still limited. Events like birthdays, weddings, and funerals are small private gatherings. Store shelves are, for the most part, stocked but there are still some items in which the shelf remains empty. 

 

Businesses small and large have had to adapt and overcome. Before everything shut down businesses quickly set up cleaning stations, Plexiglas shields, and tape on the floor. The temporary adjustments were hurried responses to keep employees and customers safe and stay open. Then everything stopped.

 

During closures, most businesses had time to adjust to coming restrictions regarding reopening. Temporary became permanent. “Behind the scenes” part of getting the economy going again were the efforts to create and install shields at customer interface points. Painter’s tape on the floors became printed stickers. Permanent signs explaining restrictions and warnings were manufactured. Face shields. And of course masks. The leaving home check of keys, wallet, phone has added mask. Which is also now apart of the employee uniform.

Masks

When COVID-19 began gaining momentum and entered into the pandemic phase the public and businesses went slowly. No one wanted to believe that restrictions and precautions were permanent. As the economy reopened it was realized that to stay open, and in some cases avoid fines business had to change. Temporary fixes had to become permanent. We now see permanent installations of shields, directional arrows to navigate, markings identifying where to stand, and in/out only doors. And of course masks.

 

Of all the changes we have seen from the pandemic the mask has been the most ubiquitous. Face coverings are our everyday life. They have sparked controversy. Started arguments about the improper or lack of wearing. They are now a point of fashion to be complimented. Masks are popping up in the impulse buy area at the checkout register and even vending machines. Masks have also become our non-verbal permission to enter and an invitation to leave. No mask – No service signs are posted in many storefronts. Businesses don’t want to turn people away, but they also don’t want to face the ever present risk of being shut down either.

Public trust

When stay at home orders were lifted and businesses began to reopen customers were leery about returning. Although we couldn’t wait to get out of our homes, we had to feel safe. The COVID virus was and still is a threatening menace. A big part of gaining a customer's trust is making them feel safe in your establishment.  To get ahead of competitors businesses had to try to be the first to explain the steps taken to keep customers safe. Not only what was being done to sanitize, but how, and how often. This has to be more than just words. Science has proven that we process visual data better than text or the spoken word. In fact, 90% of what we process is visual.  Customers have to SEE the action of cleaning and sanitizing in order to validate what is being advertised.  

 

Being in the grocery store and seeing an employee cleaning the carts or walking around, during business hours, cleaning door handles and contact surfaces goes a long way in convincing customers that the business is serious about their well being. On a recent went to a UPS store for their notary and overnight services this was evident. Of course, they had queue markers on the floor and Plexiglas at the registers, which would be expected. What was impressive was seeing an employee wiping down a public computer station with disinfectant after each use by a customer. Seeing the employee clean the keyboard and work area after a single use reinforces that business’ commitment in the eyes of the customer.

 

Demonstrating sound sanitation practices to the public will get them back and keep them coming back. With instant reviews being posted on multiple platforms, businesses not practicing safe procedures will spread quickly. At this point in time that is a quick way to lose customers and get shut down. Again.

 

Another good move to show how serious the company is taking health is transparency and decisive action. We’ve already seen businesses reopen only to be shut down again after a government agency finds a violation or an infected employee. Better to take the action yourself. Small businesses, especially bars and restaurants, have set this example. Setting up their own testing policies and discovering possibly infected employees, they have immediately shut down, publicized what happened, and the actions they are taking to rectify the issue. It hurts to close your doors but keeping the public trust is more important now than ever.

 

In addition to changes in sanitation and ensuring there are safe practices in place, there are other changes as well. How we conduct business has changed and will probably have long-term effects. Offices cleared, sending employees to work from home. After a few weeks, with no solution to the virus in sight, corporations announced that they would not be returning employees, adopting permanent work from home policies. Businesses have learned to adapt to stay in business. What we thought couldn’t be done or never thought of trying is successful.  

 

We are looking for a return to “normal” when we are living what our normal now is. 

One born every minute

You are security conscious and know all the Internet do and don’ts, but sometime it is going to happen. You’re going to fall for click bait, open an infected email attachment, or fall for a social media hoax. You’re not dumb. You’re not gullible. You’re not alone. People of all ages, backgrounds, and intelligence will fall for social media hoaxes. Including this writer.

As with any scam, whether it is a criminal affair or a joke, the perpetrators play on our human nature and how we react to stimuli. Must notably anything that threatens our family or personally well being. Fear. As with any con, the perpetrator uses broad, widely known information, with some truth sprinkled in for good measure. Sometimes, as the case with privacy issues, will use functions of the app to make it believable. Instructing the victim to perform a function within the app that produces a result. When the result happens, it further validates the hoax.

The ones that get you are intelligently written in a generic style or tone that could be from any close friend or relative that you would normally trust. They either forward the item to you, or worse, endorse it with a message that reads something like, “Tried it. It works!” or “This is true”. Most people don’t do research. If so and so posted it must be true, and we quickly click ‘share’. After fourteen years, Facebook is still having trust issues with its users. Anything that hints at a privacy scandal runs wild and users react.

Hoaxes, just like malware, circulate, mutate, and resurface, sometimes years after being launched. The one that got me was the ‘Following me’ security check on Facebook. [Spoiler alert-It’s a hoax] You receive a message from someone you trust that reads like the photo heading of this blog post. And trust me, it will read like the above photo because the original language just keeps getting forwarded. Following the steps outlined in the post you’ll find these unknown people “following” you on Facebook. You quickly go to the next step and start deleting all of these unwanted followers. How dare they intrude onto my highly secure and private Facebook page! The nerve.

After testing the theory and seeing that it does indeed reveal hidden followers, you forward the message on with your own endorsement. Because it does work, it must be true. You have to alert all of your friends. I didn’t go that far. But it did give me an idea for a blog post. A couple minutes of research had me SMH. Got me!

Snopes.com addressed this very hoax in a January 2017 article that was updated in September 2017.(Are Facebook users secretlyfollowing you?) Snopes traced the origin to a rumor post being circulated that Facebook security teams were paid to follow individual accounts. The post read similar to the one pictured except the user was instructed to enter ‘Facebook security’ in the block users search box. While this did return a list of people, it was determined to be people who had used ‘Facebook security’ in their profiles. In September 2017, the hoax took on the form we have pictured. However, now following the instructions returns a list of people that have “me” in their profiles.

In fact, the search box reads

So the hoaxers set you up with instructions that return what they want, a list of people you’ve never heard of, which gives validity to the hoax. Which gets it forwarded. And on and on and on it goes.

Please feel free to share. See the blog archive for more posts about privacy.
Are you being watched? February 2018

Time Expired on parking meters November 2017

Cleaning up online presence September 2017

Skimmers August 2017

Public WiFi for dummies July 2017

If you ever want to see your files again… August 2016

What did you say? August 2015

Keys to the vault August 2015

Workplace Safety

I’ve held off writing about this topic waiting for the appropriate time, which seems may never be. Prayers are offered to the victims of the senseless violence that has been taking place all too often. Public spaces and, sadly, places of worship have become unsafe. We have to be alert and on guard at all times, no matter where we go. The intent of the article began as a response to the sexual harassment accusations surfacing in the entertainment industry. Then a man shot several people at business locations in Maryland and Delaware. And the horrific murders in a Texas church. Every week brings more of these stories in the news. Staying on topic I’d like to speak about the hostile work environments caused by both violence and harassment. This article is posted with all due respect and prayers for the victims of recent violence. 

The workplace environment can be unsafe or hostile for several reasons. When the term, workplace safety, is used the first thought goes to accidents and hazards, which are some of the leading causes of injury and death. There can also be violent physical attacks against the business or the employees. Probably the most overlooked is the environment itself which can be toxic because of sexual harassment, bullying, or mistreatment. 

Hostility does not necessarily have to result in violence or injury. Many workers fear the workplace due to environments created due to sexual harassment and bullying. A survey conducted by the Rand Corp., Harvard Medical School, and the University of California, Los Angeles determined that one-fifth of Americans find the workplace environment to be hostile.

Harassment

This type of workplace hostility has come to the forefront with the revelations playing out in the entertainment industry. Everyday more victims are coming forward and not only in that specific industry. The celebrity victims have empowered women and men across all industries to come forward. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines sexual harassment as:

unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature and also can include offensive remarks about a person’s sex (male/female/orientation). Harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment. Both victim and the harasser can be either a woman or a man, and the victim and harasser can be the same sex. The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or someone who is not an employee of the employer, such as a client or customer.

The EEOC reported 28, 216 incidents of harassment in 2016 with 6,758 of those being sexual harassment incidents. These numbers do not include charges filed with state or local agencies.

Employers are responsible for providing a safe workplace. This goes well beyond ensuring the physical location is safe and employees are trained in the performance of their duties. Employers are also charged with providing a safe and healthy work environment. This starts with the owners and managers and how they conduct themselves. They must be held to the company standard and train employees on how to make an inclusive workspace.

Training and education of employees should be held at regular intervals. Ensure all employees are made aware that any type of harassment will not be tolerated. All reports must be taken seriously and employees must feel that they can make reports against any employee or supervisor without fear of retaliation. Which itself is a crime.

Violence

Workplace violence can be more than employees returning to work and shooting co-workers. Violence can manifest itself in many forms. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defines workplace violence as:

any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site. It ranges from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and even homicide. It can affect and involve employees, clients, customers and visitors. Homicide is currently the fourth-leading cause of fatal occupational injuries in the United States.

                       

Following the above definition, OSHA reports over two million incidents of workplace violence every year, with many cases unreported. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that there were over 400 workplace homicides in 2015. However, that number does not differentiate between being a victim as a result of the job or the victim of an attack, i.e.-Killed during a robbery of the business v. killed during an attack on the workplace. With this broad definition and the way statistics are captured it is hard to differentiate the specific acts of violence, how they occurred, and against whom. The point being, the workplace can be a dangerous place. Not just physical violence, but less graphic acts of violence can occur as well.

In August 2017, a Sterling, VA woman was convicted and sentenced to three and half years in jail for poisoning co-workers. An investigation into why co-workers had become ill after drinking coffee from the break room machine revealed that the coffee had been tainted. The woman later admitted that she had poured Windex, Ajax, and soap into the coffee machine water tank in an effort to make her supervisor sick. She also admitted to putting cleaning products directly into her supervisor’s coffee cup.

Small business owners have to realize that a violent act can happen anywhere to any type of business. Whether it is a disgruntled employee or customer, or the perpetrator just chooses the business for the act, a violent attack can happen anywhere. Therefore, workplace violence is everybody’s problem. More importantly, prevention is everyone’s responsibility.

Awareness and Prevention

FBI studies have concluded that individuals do not "snap" and suddenly become violent without an antecedent or perceived provocation. Instead, the path to violence is an evolutionary one. There are subtle indicators of the potential for violence. The trick is being aware enough to detect the indicators.

Prevention is everyone’s responsibility. From top to bottom. Every employee must feel that it is there responsibility to protect the workplace. Employers/managers have to know their employees and the atmosphere of the workplace. Watch for changes in behavior and disruptions. Monitor the post disruption atmosphere.

As with harassment issues training is paramount. Make employees feel safe in reporting potential threats.  Drill them on how to handle and respond to incidents. Review company policies. Practice what if scenarios.

Being aware of the possibilities is a good first step to a safe workplace. The weekly incidents in the news show us that we cannot hide our heads in the sand any longer. But being aware is not enough. Business owners have to take the initiative to make changes and educate their employees.

Please feel to free any post. See the blog archive for other posts regarding workplace safety.

Providing a safe work environment May 2013

Backup Safety

There was another report of a family member backing up in the driveway, running over, and killing their own child. When a parent loses a child the pain must be unfathomable. To be the cause through an accident is beyond imagination.

The child safety advocacy KidsandCars.org reports that over fifty children are backed over every week in the U.S., resulting in an average 232 fatalities. In 70% of the incidents a parent or close relative is the driver.

When learning to drive we were taught a safety checklist before turning the key. Over the years we become hurried, preoccupied, complacent. We drive the same cars every day. The seat and mirrors are always in the same place. Just start and go. Years of driving experience and familiarity with our surroundings blind us to what is right in front of us. Or behind. The safety checks become forgotten- second nature. Just like you can obscure a motorcycle with your thumb, KidsandCars.org has an interesting example of thirty children standing and sitting behind a SUV-All out of the view of the driver.

Children playing behind vehicles have no idea of the dangers. Bigger SUV’s and trucks that have high clearances can create a welcoming, shady, private area for a child to play. Electric and hybrid vehicles exacerbate the hazards, as they create little to no sound.

Children being left in cars are yet another issue that is increasingly in the news. Sometimes it is forgetfulness. Some are purposeful in the sense, “It’s only for a minute”. If casinos are nearby the chances go up. Maryland covers approximately 12,400 square miles with a population of about six million, with six casinos spread throughout the State. According to a March 2017 Baltimore Sun article, Gamblers leave their kids in cars almost everywhere there are casinos, Kidsandcars.org have chronicled more than 300 cases of child abandonment at casinos nationwide since 2000. There have been fourteen incidents of children abandoned outside casinos in Maryland over the last two years.

As responsible adults we need to stop and review our driving habits and preparations. It takes less than a second to check behind your vehicle before getting in. Checking the surrounding area and the interior before getting in the car should be part of a personal security/safety check anyway.

Simple changes to our routines, education and awareness, go a long way. They may literally save a young life.

Freedom taken for granted

Recent terror events throughout the world targeting public gatherings remind us that the world is a dangerous place. While these events don’t occur in the U.S. as frequently as Europe, we must adopt more stringent security measures and be willing to put up with some inconveniences in order to ensure our day to day routines have some normalcy.  This all reminded me of a scene witnessed in which someone asked to abide by security restrictions forgot how lucky she really is.

Secure at all costs

Attending the Baltimore air show we started the day at Martin’s State Airport where the Blue Angels were prepping for their demonstration and other planes were on display. Parking was limited and most people were shuttled to the airfield. Beginning at the parking lots, guests were warned that there would be no bags allowed. No purses, camera bags, etc. Across the parking lot you could see trunks and hatchbacks open, ladies emptying purses and parents reducing their child supplies to only the necessary items. School buses were used has transport, lining up at the edge of the parking area. Once on board the buses had signs listing what was permissible and not, broken into columns of items.

Once arriving at the airfield, guests were deposited into an area that was lined with food and merchandise tents similar to a carnival midway. At the end of this line of tents were the security checkpoints to enter the airfield. Several common standup magnetometers were situated next to each other with roping defining the lines to each. Signs were again visible listing prohibited items, which now included food and drink. Security personnel were vocal about what could and could not be brought through and instructing guests what to place in the trays before walking through the scanners. Which was pretty much everything that had any possible metal component, i.e.-coins, wallets, phones, glasses, belts.

One fellow was seen collecting his possessions from the little basket after having been rejected by the magnetometer. Seems he had a four-inch folding knife attached to his belt that he forgot he was carrying. No fuss, no comments, he just collected his belongings, turned and walked away.  

After we successfully passed through, a conversation was overheard between a couple and the security personnel. Apparently, the woman in the couple had purchased a sandwich from one of the tents and was beginning to eat it in the security line. When it was her turn she was denied entry with the sandwich and was not happy. Security held firm and from what could be overheard the lady made the decision to trash the sandwich rather than back away and eat it. This decision made the man vocal about the restrictions as well, announcing to anyone within ear shot how much the sandwich had cost and how little of it had been consumed. Fortunately, security did not overly engage the couple and while they were vocal the couple kept moving through the line. For the fortunate guests experiencing the exchange, the coup de grace occurred as the couple waked away, the woman calling back over her shoulder in an exasperated tone, hands in the air, “Well! The terrorists have won!”

Not sure a victory celebration erupted somewhere in a terrorist command and control center, but the point was taken. For the last fifteen years our liberties have been restricted. Every time there is a terrorist attack on a soft or different kind of target more restrictions go into place. Authorities are constantly evaluating methods to further protect soft targets. Americans have become more aware of the happenings in their surroundings. More are willing to contact law enforcement with any suspicions.

Liberty and freedom

Yes, we have more security restrictions than we ever have in the U.S.  Public gatherings, big and small, are provided security and can be logistic nightmares for planers, but they still take place. We are still out enjoying the freedoms of our country. While we do not always agree with restrictions, law enforcement and security personnel are doing their best to protect us so we can enjoy concerts, fireworks, sporting events, or air shows. All of which could easily be canceled.

I’m sure the lady at the air show was exasperated at trashing her $7 sandwich, but that was her choice as well as was her choice to ignore the security rules. The fact that she was attending a public event and able to make choices is testament that the terrorists have not won. We win everyday that we, as a nation, continue the normal routines of our lives and express our liberties.

Scam websites

 Note: This post was originally published on November 27, 2016 and has been updated with new information.

On top of all the safety concerns we have for shopping in the real world, you have to be careful online as well.  Not only from identity theft issues but bogus, price too good to be true deals, on fake websites and fake mobile apps.

You use to be able to look at a website and have your spider sense tingle warning that this doesn’t look quite right. But now, at first glance, it’s hard to pick out a thrown together site. Site building skills and packages are such that pretty much anyone can construct a site that looks like a multi billion dollar corporation is at the other end. When in reality it’s a small time operation or worse an out of country company that is selling bogus products or collecting personal data.

Scam Busting

One quick way to tell if the site is not quite on the up and up is to take a tour and make note of the grammar. One thing the scammers haven’t quite grasped is writing in grammatically correct English. Sites that do not pay attention to simple grammatical structure probably don’t have your best interest in mind. We’re not talking about a typo here or their or misusing there,  they’re, or their, you'll see serious grammar issues that scream no quality control. But don’t use this as your only method.

There are several “detectors” that can be found online that you enter the questionable website address and the detector gives you a report on the site, including a score, location, technical data, owner, and contact information. One such site is Scamadviser.com. [This is just one of many and no endorsements are being given.] This site seemed to provide the most detailed information that online users could use.

If you’re not sure of a site, run it through a “scam busting site”, you should be able to get enough laymen details to make a determination if the site in question is someone you want to provide your credit card.

Typosquatting

In the early days of the Internet, criminals would identify the most popular retailing websites and then figure out the commonly mistyped spellings of the retailer’s names. They create their own sites under the misspelled names. Users always misspelled Amazon, or example. Type in Amason, and you are directed to the scammers’ site. Companies figured this out and began buying up the domain names associated with the misspellings.

The technique is called typosquatting. The practice diminished but is picking up popularity again. It’s hard to think of or even buy every possible spelling combination, so criminals are able to slip past the gatekeepers. The fraudulent sites are very close facsimiles to the real sites. Once a user interacts, malware is downloaded onto the users computer and/or information is stolen.

Mobile devices are targeted as well through fake retail apps sold in smartphone stores. The apps mimic legitimate retailers, but they install malware that steal identity, financial information, and sometimes install ransomware (If you ever want to see your files again August 8, 2016) The RiskIQ cybersecurity company estimates that 1 in 10 Black Friday apps were fraudulent. The biggest app stores fall victim to fake apps. Retail apps may be safer downloaded from the retailers website.

  

Another oldie but goodie is fake shipping notices sent via in email. They are always prevalent but become more so when criminals know that there will be an increase in online shopping/shipping. The notices can look real and appear as they are from a retailer from which you recently purchased. With the flurry of shopping everyone does at this time of year, it’s easy for fake notices to lost in all the emails received. Know what you purchased and from whom, monitor the confirmations and shipping. Most companies will send out a confirmation email, a product shipped email, and possibly a follow up.  Be on guard for anything more.

It’s hard to say stick with nationally named brands and big retailers. Lots of small businesses make their living through online sales and often have good deals especially on unique items. Just as if you were shopping in the real world, you wouldn’t buy from a questionable character off the street, so do some research before you buy online. And watch out for too good to be true deals, especially on hard to find items. Use common sense.  Check reviews. Do your homework.

Be safe. Enjoy the thrill of the hunt.

See our blog archive for other posts relating to shopping safety:

Gift cards-Less than you bargained for? December 2012

Psssst...Need some speakers? December 2015

No candy

Can you believe Halloween is next week? Retailers have even begun stocking Christmas decorations. Crazy, yeah, but let’s deal with Halloween first which is not a fun time of year for all. Safety and protecting children is always on parents’ minds. One topic that comes up every year is the identification of sexual predators in the community and whether or not such identification infringes on that person’s safety and rights.

Throughout the U.S., states have programs that prohibit registered sex offenders from participating in Halloween activities such as decorating or passing out candy. Many require that offenders notify the public by placing a sign on their residence indicating that they have no candy. MD Dept of Parole and Probation, who manages the Sex Offender Registry, has had a similar policy since 2005.

On October 14, 2015, A Federal lawsuit was filed in California claiming that such laws violate the First Amendment and puts sex offenders on parole in danger. The argument being that the signs compel speech and identify offenders who have no means to protect themselves due to not being able to possess firearms.

In 2012, Sex offenders in Simi Valley, CA successfully challenged a city ordinance in Federal Court citing a violation of their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. Lawyers for the group California Reform Sex Offender Laws, CA RSOL, filed a lawsuit in Federal court during September 2013. That suit alleged that the city of Orange is violating sex offenders First Amendment rights by requiring the posting of signs on Halloween night. Lawyers felt that the ordinance placed sex offenders at risk. They also cited that there had not been a documented incident of a sex offender harming a child on Halloween night.

However these cases play out in court, nothing protects our children more than being involved. Chaperone your children, know where they’re going. Watch for and report suspicious activity.

Halloween safety brochure

School's back-Think safety

Summer vacation ends next week for most children. Some parents are ecstatic to get the kids out of their hair, while others will miss all the bonding. No matter the category in which you fall this is an excellent time to review safety with your child.

We all want to protect our children or just help them remember important information. However, we must be mindful of how much information about our child, is sent with our child. When you’re filling out labels on backpacks, lunch boxes, coats, binders, etc., take a second to think about what information is really necessary. Information such as names, addresses, and phone numbers can be very revealing. Child predators only need little bits of information to seem friendly and familiar to your child.

Someone that has your child’s name can be very convincing that the child should come with him or her. Unfortunately, child predators are a reality that is all too present, even in our own community. There are fifty-seven registered sex offenders with Odenton/Severn addresses. One for attempted solicitation.

When attending school orientations, pay attention to the school’s plan for emergency events. If not presented-ask. Know what the notification system is and that your contact information is up to date. Know where and how parents are to respond to the school in the event of an emergency.

Cell phone cameras make it easier than ever to keep current photos of your children. Whenever you go to busy public areas or they have field trips, take a photo. If needed, you would have a current picture of your the child and their clothing to give to the police.

Children will also be walking to and from school and maybe coming home to empty houses. Drive safely and be mindful of children walking. If your child comes home to an empty house, sent up a notification time and method. Establish trouble codes. If you don’t hear from you children do not assume everything is OK. Contact them right away. Better to over react than not at all.

Be smart and safe.

www.mazzellainvestigations.com/training.html

Providing a safe work environment

            Providing a safe work environment is the responsibility of every employer. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, requires employers to provide employees with working conditions that are free from known dangers. Most associate OSHA with the physical hazards associated with occupational safety and health issues, which is correct. However, there is more involved than protecting against physical hazards. Who you hire, protecting against workplace violence, and being prepared for acts of violence in the workplace are all components of a safe workplace.

Hiring the right person for the job is the one component that is often overlooked. Why should you do employee screening? The expense of making a bad hire is generally three times the salary of the job in question. One third of all resumes have some lies, so you need to ensure the applicant is who they say they are. Workplace violence amounts to 18% of all crime. Those with a propensity for violence can be discovered before they’re hired. Workplace accidents can be reduced because the applicant was thoroughly vetted and has the skills for the job.  Liability. Employees or others who may be harmed by an under qualified or violent employee can sue the employer.  The safety of all involved is put at risk when the employer does not check into the applicant’s background.

Safe working conditions are always on employer’s minds. The impetus behind the Occupational Health and Safety Act was to prevent workers from being killed or injured while at work. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics reported over 4,000 deaths attributed to workplace injuries in 2011. Private sector injuries had an average of eight days of work missed. Assessments of the workplace are necessary and constant.

Just because a condition was fine today doesn’t mean that conditions will not change. Employees have to know why policies are in place and understand the reasoning behind the policy. They also have to see that management takes safety seriously and practices the safety policies. Employees have to be trained on all machinery. If it is determined that personal protective gear is needed to reduce injury, employees have to be provided the necessary PPE as well as be trained in its use. Whenever there is an incident, the employer should determine the cause, provide solutions, corrections, and retraining so that further exposure to an unsafe condition is removed.

Workplace violence can happen anywhere to any type of business. Whether a disgruntled employee or customer, or the perpetrator chooses your business to commit the act, the possibility has to be considered. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, of the 4,547 fatal workplace injuries that occurred in the United States in 2010, 506 were workplace homicides. Homicide is the leading cause of death for women in the workplace.

First, it must be understood that individuals do not “snap”. Studies have shown that individuals who commit acts of workplace violence are set on a pathway to violence well before the act occurs. There are indicators that the person’s life is going off track and these indicators are manifested in daily interactions. Changes in mood or mood swings, becoming introverted, violent outbursts, or other changes in personality may indicate that something is wrong. Talking about violence and threatening others, or property destruction, and strange computer activity may be more indicators. Bear in mind that not one action may indicate that someone is about to act out, but changes should be noted. The decision to act is usually caused by a triggering event. Triggering events are usually a perceived wrong against the person or an attack on their ego, such as loss of financial stability, divorce, loss of promotion, or being overly disciplined.

            Employers should have policies and plans in place to deal with workplace violence. Employees need to feel confident that they can report abnormalities and that action will be taken. They should be trained in how to deal with violent employees and evacuation methods. Security strategies used to prevent crime against the business work well in preparing the environment for acts of violence. Security doors and cameras, clear line sight throughout help identify and prevent against potential threats. Employers should know their employees and be able to identify when something just isn’t right. Simple intervention and counseling early on could prevent acts of violence.

Providing a safe work environment is not just about working conditions. Employers have to take into consideration all the factors of workplace safety: Hiring, Safe conditions, and Workplace violence. Simple prevention strategies, employee training, and response may save lives and keep the employer out of court.

www.mazzellainvestigations.com/services.html