Workplace Violence Can Happen To You

• A fired employee bursts into his former workplace carrying a shotgun.
• A customer in a convenience store waits until he is alone with the clerk and pulls out a knife.
• A man stalks a lone woman in a dark parking garage.

Work should be a safe haven from violence. Your employer has a responsibility to provide protection from the possibility of violence. You have a responsibility to learn and practice ways to keep yourself safe.

Here are some reminders about personal security at work and as you travel to and from work:

• Commute in well-traveled and well-lighted routes and conveyances. Travel with others whenever possible. Avoid dark streets and nearly-empty buses or subway cars.
• Trust your own instincts. If a customer, co-worker or fellow commuter gives you the creeps, get away.
• Follow your company’s security procedures concerning lock-up, setting alarms, handling cash, confidentiality and other matters. These are not just for the protection of company property, they are also for your safety.

The increasing violence in today’s society is being felt in the workplace. Learn how to protect yourself.