It seems as if workplace shootings are becoming epidemic. For example:A
factory employee went on a shooting spree at a St. Louis industrial
plant, killing three co-workers and injuring five others.At the Ft. Hood
military base in Texas, a rampage by Maj. Nidal Mlik Hasan killed 13 and
wounded 30.A gunman walked into an Orlando, Florida, engineering firm
where he had been fired in 2007 and killed one person and injured another
five.The estranged husband of an Oregon woman who had just filed for
divorce, walked into her office and shot her to death. He wounded two
workers before taking his own life.And let's not forget Annie Le, the
Yale researcher who was shot to death in her Yale University lab,
allegedly by a technician who worked with her.The risk of this kind of
violence is significant enough that employers across the country are
setting up safeguards, crafting firearms policies, and providing employee
training on steps to take in the face of an armed individual making
threats. As an employer, you have a legal responsibility to provide a
safe workplace and to take steps to reduce the likelihood of violence. To
a certain extent, there is no way to tell when violence may erupt, your
company can take these precautions:Watch for warning signs of potential
outbursts. The signals can include verbal threats, threatening conduct,
bizarre verbal comments or obsessive grudges against co-workers. Don't
ignore these warnings. Carefully document suspicious behavior and consult
with specialists such as police or attorneys on how to handle the
situation.Train employees, supervisors and managers how to respond to a
threat. It is critical to never confront or threaten a potentially
violent individual. The wrong moves can mean the difference between life
and death.Have only one entrance and make sure all other doors stay
locked. Remind employees, and post signs saying that all doors are to
remain locked for safety reasons and should be opened only in an
emergency.Require threatened employees to report incidents to management.
Investigate immediately to determine the seriousness of the threats and
take appropriate action.Discipline employees who don't follow the
policies. When it comes to weapons, nearly all employers in most states
have a legal right to ban persons from having handguns and other firearms
in their workplaces. However, check your state's gun control laws. They
may impose restrictions on your company's ability to limit guns.Here are
more steps most employers can take to protect against guns in the
workplace:Post signs at property entrances declaring the employer's
policy regarding the presence of guns. (Note: The law in some states may
require a particular type of sign or a wording.)Train supervisors and
managers how to identify potentially violent situations in the workplace,
how to defuse them, and how to respond if they are not defused.Adopt a
company policy against firearms and other weapons in the workplace.
Inform all employees of the policy and include it in your employee
handbook.Sample Anti-Weapon Policy1In order to ensure a safe environment
for employees and customers, [Employer Name] prohibits wearing,
transporting, storing or the presence of firearms or other dangerous
weapons in or on our facilities and property.Any employee possessing a
firearm or other weapon while in our facilities or on our property or
while otherwise performing job responsibilities may face disciplinary
action including termination. A client or visitor who violates this
policy may be removed from the property and reported to police
authorities. Possession of a valid concealed weapons permit authorized by
[Name of State] does not exempt any individual from this policy.2 We
define firearms or other dangerous weapons as any:Devices from which a
projectile may be fired by an explosive;Simulated firearms operated by
gas or compressed air; Sling shots; Sand clubs; Metal knuckles; Spring
blade knives; Knives that open or are ejected open by an outward,
downward thrust or movement; andInstruments that can be used as a club
and pose a reasonable risk of injury.This policy does not apply to law
enforcement, security or military personnel while engaged in official
duties.Signs stating "No Firearms or other Dangerous Weapons" will be
conspicuously posted in and around our facilities.Staff or security
personnel will request any visitor found in possession of a dangerous
weapon to remove it from the facility and will promptly notify local law
enforcement authorities.2Any employee concerned about personal safety may
request an escort or other assistance by security personnel. Educational
materials will be made available on request outlining the role firearms
and other weapons play in workplace violence and describing the magnitude
of problem in the United States. Training will be provided to employees
on this and other workplace violence prevention measures that [Employer
Name] has implemented.1 Adapted from a model developed by the University
of Minnesota.2 This phrase is optional. Some companies follow state laws
on this issue. For example, Home Depot, in a 2003 letter to the Tennessee
Firearms Association, stated that the company prohibits employees from
carrying firearms into its stores but "does not prohibit anyone who is
legally permitted to carry firearms from entering our stores, provided
the firearms are carried in compliance with all applicable laws and
regulations."