Practically speaking only three reactions need to come to mind in the event you find yourself in a building with an active shooter attacking inside – Get Out – Hide Out – Take Out. This kind of scenario is the most dangerous workplace violence situation and will require some forethought and discipline to survive.

Get Out – In order to select the right initial response you will have to assess, as best as you can safely, where the shooting is taking place and which way the active shooter may be proceeding. That will be your first clue to determine whether you can select the first, and most desirable option, which is to get out immediately. If you are at work, it will help if you have a predetermined exit plan with a back up if that pathway would lead toward danger. Saving time and reacting immediately can be the difference between getting out safely and getting trapped in. When you evacuate take nothing with you –your personal stuff can stay. Though you want to move quickly, check around corners and into stairwells before you enter in case the shooter is moving quietly after the original shots were fired. Get people to come with you. If they resist don’t let them slow you down and stay as quiet as possible in the evacuation. Once outside, seek cover at a safe distance and prevent others from entering unknowingly.

Hide Out – If the active shooter is spotted or heard outside your immediate space and you cannot get out, then hide out. If behind closed doors, barricade your space and lock the door and remain quiet. If you are in a cubical or open area hide silently under a desk. Doing it silently will be hard but you must stay quiet! Turn off all radios, office machines, and lights if possible. Turn off cell phones. Don’t just put on vibrate mode- turn OFF! Let someone else call the police for help from a safe place. Hide behind anything thick and heavy and available for cover. Mentally prepare for the last option if the active shooter enters your space.

Take Out – If you are in a space with others, assemble as quiet as possible and plan to attack in mass should the active shooter enter. Do not hesitate to hurt the shooter very badly because you are fighting for your life. Don’t just hurt them –incapacitate them! Then restrain them with whatever is available after getting the weapon from them. Do not take the weapon with you if you then exit. Listen for any other shooters before leaving that space because there might be more than one. If police have begun searching the building be very careful how you exit or move towards an exit. Responding police don’t know you! Do what they say if they see you.

Now if you were by yourself under a desk, the best you can do is try to get something to use as a weapon and prepare to fight for your life if the active shooter finds you. If they go past you, be very careful before you try to exit because you don’t really know where the shooter is. This will be a personal decision but remember to move quietly if you do so.

For a more detailed set of guidelines check out the Active Shooter Response course on www.imac-training.com which will be released for purchase later this year as part of our ongoing Workplace Violence Prevention series.

Technorati Tags: Active Shooter Response

All too often management feels that removing an overly aggressive problem employee through a sudden termination, even if justified, will solve the potential workplace violence problem. The fact is that even with the best intentions a misconducted termination might be the seed of a more serious problem. A ‘need for revenge’ problem may develop if the termination is done without regard for the individual and their unique situation. Furthermore, you are in less of a position to monitor and control this condition once the problem employee has left your organization. Much depends on the specific circumstances that lead to the decision to terminate but conducting the separation process in a manner that takes away the individual’s desire to seek revenge on you or your organization is the ultimate goal.

In general, once a termination is decided upon because of an individual’s behavior, a full case assessment should be conducted to determine the best way to separate the employee and help them move on in their life. Whether the behavior development was progressive over time, as is usually the case, or a sudden outburst has caused the decision to terminate, options for handling the high risk termination in the most appropriate manner must be considered. Gaining a real understanding of the individual and the reasons for their behavior will arm you with what should be considered during and after the termination process.

There are two conditions that most often exist with potentially high risk terminations. One, the termination is rushed just to remove the employee who has acted out in one aggressive, intolerable incident. Frequently, this is not a sudden, singular outburst but a severe occurrence of a behavior pattern that has existed, but been unreported, for some time. The second is when an underlying aggressive behavior pattern has finally been reported but the individual has been getting away with such behavior for quite some time. Both of these types of cases require time to assess the individual and the developing circumstances to determine the right method, timing and conditions for the termination process. It is beyond the scope of this narrative to completely review the options available and things to consider. However, a careful assessment by a clinical professional working closely with your case assessment team would produce an approach specific to the individual that might include any of the following:

• Interviews between the individual and the clinical psychologist working on the case
• Interviewing coworkers and supervisors
• Seeking other healthcare professionals for the individual
• Seeking substance abuse professionals for assistance
• Family counseling or use of other community services available
• Coordination with security for the termination session planning and follow up security measures
• Close coordination with HR for the termination process
• A well thought out logistical/security plan for the termination interview and exit process
• Follow up interviews with the individual to track progress after separation
• Outplacement services to assist with seeking new employment
• Extended benefits of some type
• Severance packages tied to certain expectations

For a more complete exploration into the coordination of High Risk Terminations check out the training courses available on www.imac-training.com.

Technorati Tags: High Risk Terminations, Workplace Violence

With the increasing popularity of the “Occupy Movement” and their high profile events in many cities, companies often wonder what they can do to prepare. This movement has become popular for a number of reasons that include but are not limited to:

• The perception that there is an unjustifiable gap of wealth between the normal worker (the 99%) and the corporate wealthy (the 1%)
• The belief that there is strength in numbers for a cause that many people can relate to
• The belief that sometimes peaceful civil disobedience is required to garner enough attention to make an impact in society
• The belief that corporate greed has caused both our recent economic crisis and the seemingly hamstrung economic recovery since then
• A notion that sometimes the end justifies the means

It is that last fact that is most concerning. The First Amendment to our Constitution allows for freedom of speech and peaceful assembly. It does not condone some of the activity that has been experienced at the Occupy Movement’s gatherings. This occasional misconduct has resulted in arrests of course but still represents a danger to civilians trying to go about their business in the areas of public demonstration or picketing.

My suggestions for companies that are concerned about either finding out about whether an Occupy event is planned for their area, or whether their company has been identified as a possible target for picketing /public demonstration/ flash mobbing, etc. are as follows:

• Establish a rapport with the local police to assure that when they find out through the local permitting process, or law enforcement intelligence gathering efforts, someone from the company will be made aware of such a possibility
• Seek the assistance of an investigative service that will assist with open source monitoring of internet sites typically used in the planning of such events
• Develop open exchange of information with the police and meet with them to assess what they will be able to do for your facility and personnel if an event is expected or develops
• Based on what you find out from the local police, determine what your company has to contract out regarding extra security, intelligence gathering, photographic evidence collection, executive or personal protection and other response options
• Do some table top crisis management exercises with this possible “Occupy” type of disruption as the topic to test your preparedness and consider that it might occur in conjunction with your annual shareholders meeting for example
• If you have been identified as a corporate target – Internet monitoring and intelligence gathering becomes a full-time requirement

Technorati Tags: Intelligence Gathering, Investigative Service, Occupy, Occupy Movement, Public Demonstration or Picketing

As a Gold Partner of the EAC and CME symposium on Workplace Safety, Health & Wellness – Claims Management, Fraud and Your Bottom Line: The Real Cost of Risk, AFI would like to invite and offer you a promo code to receive a discount.

Desmond Taljaard of AFI will also be in attendance and presenting Factors to Consider When Investigating Claims of Workplace Injuries

Please find further information here or contact aferguson@afi-international.com to have a brochure emailed to you.

To register simply click this link https://eac.cmemec.ca/mpower/event/loadevent.action?e=278 and enter promo code “afipromo” in small letters and you will receive the member price of $275 before June 1^st and $325 after June 1^st.

We look forward to seeing you there!

What types of conduct does your written workplace violence prevention policy define and include? If it is only limited to actual physical violence it will fall short of recent standards. Such standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA – see directive CPL 02-01-052 dated 9/8/11) and ASIS/SHRM’s Workplace Violence Prevention and Intervention – American National Standard document both define workplace violence with fairly broad language. In order for your policy to provide some hope of prevention, as well as a reasonable defense in court, the following types of activity and conduct must be addressed by the policy:

• Criminal activity within the workspace
• Customer /client / patient confrontations
• Personal partner abuse/ domestic violence spilling into the workspace
• Aggressive co-worker issues such as abusive emails, verbal threats, hostile intimidation, and any other unacceptable behavior that invokes fear in the workspace
• Bullying and Cyber-bullying

Much of this conduct is subject to assessment of ‘degree’, especially bullying, but your policy should give clear examples of what the unacceptable conduct could be. Absent written directives forbidding such behavior, often nobody is willing to recognize it as workplace violence related and therefore it goes unreported. This will not only assure its continuation, but will probably be interpreted as acceptance and lead to more drastic, or aggressive, conduct. If it seems like there might be some spillover into other policies governing employee conduct, like into Harassment Prevention Policy, so be it. You still want to address the unacceptable behavior, see that it is reported, and take action to stop it. If abusive or aggressive conduct is addressed by more than one policy, that’s fine.

To be effective the Workplace Violence Policy has to be understood by the workforce and the only method for achieving that is through training. This training has to be done at the employee level for all. Employees actually have to be considered your first line of reporting responsibility. They should learn the behavioral red flags and the reporting requirements expected. Training also has to be done for the supervisors who are going to be your second line of responsibility to investigate the issues. Then the Case Assessment Team should be given even more specific training as to how the policy is to be applied and enforced.

Workplace courtesy and safety should be a simple issue of applying those universal rules of behavior we all should have learned by the time we were 5 years old. It has however become a complicated issue with social and legal consequences for both the perpetrators and the companies/organizations that fail to control them.

Check out our whole Workplace Violence Prevention series of training courses at www.imac-training.com.

Technorati Tags: Bullying, OSHA, SHRM, Workplace Violence, Workplace Violence Prevention

When a crisis hits your business there are many issues that need to be addressed simultaneously and rationally during what could be an emotionally charged time. Decisions have to be made regarding immediate and appropriate response to the event, be it an executive kidnapping, natural or man-made disaster, catastrophic accident, product integrity scandal, labor dispute, financial meltdown, or other such crisis.  However, there also has to be a concern for continuing operation of the business. You cannot just shutdown until the difficulties pass. Decisions have to reflect critical corporate responsibility regarding:

• The company’s level of crisis preparedness
• Compassion and help for anyone injured or worse
• Effective media relations
• Effective employee, shareholder and public communication
• Thorough investigation and analysis of the facts of the event
• Fiscal, employer, social and legal requirements
• Measured and effective crisis response
• Safeguards for ongoing operations
• Determining the reasonable level for business continuity
• And most importantly – just doing the right thing!

The Crisis Management Team has to be armed with a good emergency response playbook, a rehearsed and unified communication approach, and the discipline to adhere to established company values. The components of crisis management plans have often been so focused on reactions to the event, they sometimes overlook that the business must survive and continue to maintain client/customer satisfaction throughout the crisis. Shareholder confidence cannot be shaken for long. Third party assistance, procedural and production modifications, management flexibility, operational creativity, and some proportional spending will be just a few of the adaptations required. Having a structured business continuity plan will be critical in guiding the company through recovery. Taking into account that there may be some brief period of operational shutdown, shareholders will soon want to know that the business is back to functioning somewhat normally.

Check out some of our Crisis Management and Business Continuity Planning courses on our online training website www.imac-training.com.

Technorati Tags: Crisis Management, Emergency Response, Executive Kidnapping, Labor Dispute

If you were lucky you didn’t have to worry much about being bullied in school. If you weren’t so lucky, then you remember the effects. The exact same human dynamics can apply in the workplace. The tactics and their effects are not as obvious, but they are very real. Workplace bullying is often the first step in a developing workplace violence issue. One that can lead to lost employees and productivity, law suits and overt violence.

Some people are taught throughout their upbringing to stand up to bullies. This will lead to confrontation eventually and if the repressed tension has built up enough over time the ‘standing up’ will probably be violent. Nobody wins. People are hurt or terminated; sometimes the wrong people are terminated. The workplace becomes an unpleasant place to be. People leave. This all costs money, time, company reputation, and possibly clients. What if the bully is your supervisor?  If aggressive tactics are tolerated as supervisory motivators, they will become the dominant form of leadership. This is an absolute path towards organizational failure. Fear has a rare place in supervision. Holding people accountable can be done in a very civil and subtle manner. There is often a blurred line between accountability and being pressured by a bully who is trying to ‘motivate’. The effects will often be: lower energy levels, no employee initiative, manipulative behavior among employees to avoid the bully, health problems, and there are many others. Does this sound like an environment in which people will work extra hard to get things accomplished? One which will inspire good teamwork?

How can bullies exist in the workplace for so long without being dealt with? Bullying and inappropriate aggression will continue if they are ignored. Ignoring is another form of tolerance. Tolerance is another form of acceptance. This perceived acceptance is why bullying can exist undetected for so long. Bullies can sometimes even be promoted just to get rid of them. Workplace violence prevention programs must address this developmental stage phenomenon. These are questions that plague many workplaces and effect otherwise productive happy workers. Don’t be a victim. Learn more about how to protect your workers from being bullied. Check out the “Workplace Bullying: Identification and Response” course on the IMAC online training site www.imac-training.com

Technorati Tags: Workplace Bullying, Workplace Violence

How important is armed robbery response training for the late night retail industry?  The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) think it is very important and so should employers in this industry. The OSHA directive CPL 02-01-052 dated September 8, 2011 listed late night retail settings as one of their high risk work environments along with Healthcare and Social Services settings. Employers in the business of convenience stores, liquor stores and gas stations have now been put on official notice that employee security awareness training for the crime of robbery in their work environments is also a workplace violence compliance issue.

Factors that put these types of employees at risk include but are not limited to: exchange of money in public spaces, 24 hour operations, solo or isolated work sites, workspaces with obstructed public view, the sale of alcohol, poorly lit parking areas, and immediately available parking for vehicles used to escape. Some of these factors cannot be controlled but many can. A robbery prevention and response training program for employees can help deter these crimes simply by making the individual store a more dangerous environment in which the criminal must operate. Store modifications to increase visibility, brighten lighting, limit obstructing signage on windows, install bullet resistant glass, advertise surveillance cameras, and perhaps plant die packs or bait money, are just a few of the physical modifications to increase store security. However, a valuable component for the robbery response program is for the employee to be training in what to do, and what not to do, in the event of a robbery attempt.  Both deterrence and apprehension after the fact will dissuade future attempts, and will likely force the potential robber to select another environment.

This training should be done not just to reduce liability or attain some measure of compliance, but to reduce the risk for robbery and protect the employees. It is the right thing to do. Online training courses can be a very cost effective training platform for companies with employees across the country. For a detailed Armed Robbery Response course, go to:  www.imac-training.com.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliance and civil liability will often revolve around the legal opinion of whether an act of violence could have been foreseen, and mitigation or prevention steps taken. If the act occurred in your workplace, or in an environment related to your business dealings, your organization will have to answer this often unclear question of what was reasonably foreseeable. The different categories of workplace violence incidents have been defined as:

• Criminal intent by an individual not related to the workplace
• Violence by a customer/client/patient with some relation to the workplace
• Co-worker or former employee violence
• Personal relationship violence (domestic violence) unfolding in the workplace

None of these categories will escape this foreseeability question. So, what will be necessary in order to develop a defensible position that your organization had done everything reasonable to anticipate and prevent violence? You will need much of the following to build your defense:

• Crime statistics (trends and recent occurrences) in the geographic location of the workplace
• Physical security audit at the property
• Research on crimes and violence typically related to your industry – perhaps from professional associations or peer groups
• Records regarding specific acts of violence at the workplace (or at other company facilities) in the past
• Records of employee complaints and incidents of ‘bullying’ in the workplace
• Evidence of a written workplace violence prevention policy
• Evidence of employee and supervisory training relative to aggressive behavior recognition and reporting responsibilities
• Development of a case management team for assessment purposes when investigation of an individual or incident is called for
• Records regarding reports of domestic violence affecting someone in your workforce – especially if it has become noticed at work
• Evidence of safe termination protocols for individuals where violence or aggression has been an issue
• Proof that all policies and procedures are periodically updated and tested for validity

This is certainly not a complete list but it is enough to give your organization a good start at being prepared. The biggest challenge that any employer has to face is getting out of denial that this could happen to them. Waiting to respond, even effectively, after an incident has occurred is too little too late. This is good practice, not just legally, but for the safety of your employees and visitors.

Check out IMAC’s online training series on workplace violence at www.imac-training.com

Whether it’s a workplace violence incident, a product contamination discovery, an internal accusation of harassment or abuse, an industrial accident, or any other critical incident that has the potential to destroy your business or institution, how and when it goes public is critical. That question of how and when it is addressed in public should be your decision and you need to do everything in your power to keep it so. That doesn’t mean hide it until you think you have to say something. That means get out in front of it when you know something has happened. Do the right thing and tell people you are doing the right things. In this day of real time social media, there is very little chance of ‘no one finding out’.

Selection of who will talk to the public via the media, and determining what they will say when, are the most essential elements of the communications plan. Having a designated spokesperson for the organization is recommended but, depending on the severity of the incident, that may not be the only person who must deliver a message. More devastating incidents that have resulted in, or could lead to, the loss of life may require a senior executive spokesperson for some selected messages. The ‘what’ you say needs to be driven by facts and not hearsay. This will of course develop with the progression of the case but don’t, in your zeal to be forthright, report anything that is not verified as correct. The ‘when’ is essentially, as soon as possible after you verify.  State what has happened, what actions are being taken, and that more information will be shared as it is confirmed. The theme of all of your messages should be; concern for life, uncovering any wrongdoing, and doing the right thing to respond and help.

The resultant spin-off security issues could be extensive but not immediately apparent. Have there been mistakes made that could appear malicious? This could lead to threats to individuals or your facilities. Is there the likelihood of special interest groups, or general public, outcry and demonstration? What are the follow through investigative requirements that you should be engaging internally? Should this be a police matter? Analyze the situation from several different perspectives other than the reputation of your business or institution. Could anything that has happened be a warning of a future occurrence? It may be advisable to do a situational threat assessment to explore what could develop and whether you’ve taken adequate security measures to prepare? All of these issues and more will contribute to mitigating further damage, perhaps saving lives, and helping you survive the court of public opinion to which everyone will have to answer.

Check out the related training courses on our online training site www.imac-training.com . Some to explore would be:

• Crisis Communication
• Media Relations in a Crisis
• Kidnap Prevention for Executives
• Travel Security for the Overseas Business Traveler
• Crisis Negotiations – Dealing with Difficult People in Difficult Situations
• Assessing and Responding to a Threat of Violence

Technorati Tags: Communications Plan, Investigations, Threat Assessment, Workplace Violence