How to curb job violence? Watch for stressed workers

SEYMOUR, Ind. — Screams rang out last month at Cummins' engine plant here as the bodies of two employees were found in what was later determined to be a murder-suicide.

The gruesome scene sent a wave of shock through the 1,100 employees working March 10 in the Cummins Technical Center and at adjacent engine factory. The incident at Cummins, a manufacturer of high-horsepower engines, is one of an average 700 workplace homicides recorded each year across the USA, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.

Although incidents are rare, the consistent pattern of workplace violence means employers must prepare for the worst, experts say. They also must train employees to watch for signs of aberrant behavior in their co-workers.

“Homicides are rare, but the reality is they continue to occur,” said W. Barry Nixon, executive director of the National Institute for the Prevention of Workplace Violence. “The vast majority of them fall under what we consider procedural justice, where someone feels like they’ve been slighted or wronged."

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“They strike out to try to get what, in their mind, is a sense of justice for them," he said.

If employees appear agitated or act as if they might hurt themselves or others, a supervisor must be notified, Nixon said. By simply reporting someone who might harm themselves or others, lives can be saved.

Aggressors often feel as if they have to lash out because of unresolved workplace issues whether they’re based in reality or not, said Rae Sovereign, a lecturer in the Department of Labor Studies at Indiana University who specializes in workplace violence.

“You’re talking about situations where workers' voices have gone unheard,” she said. “Sometimes there are racial, gender or ethnic discrimination that has not been dealt with adequately by management.”

In the Cummins incident, Qing Chen, 37, of Seymour, gunned down his manager, Ward R. Edwards, 49, of Columbus, Ind., police said. The company wouldn’t comment on Chen's employment history or any potential warning signs.

Chen, a Chinese citizen in the United States on a work visa, had worked for Cummins for five years, rising to senior engineer at the company. Police have not released a motive for the crime.

“What happened in Seymour has deeply affected our company and our employees,” said Shelley Stewart, Cummins’ executive director of global integrated services. “Using our emergency-response program, we had counselors and company leadership on site within hours. We are continuing to provide counseling resources to help employees in their recovery process.”

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Of the 90 fatal workplace injuries in Indiana reported to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2014, six were the result of violence and other injuries by persons or animals.

However, most workplace violence doesn’t result in death, said Marquita Walker, associate professor in the Department of Labor Studies at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. In many instances, employees feel a loss of power, which results in bad behavior.

That behavior can range from verbal to physical altercations, she said.

“People don’t harbor or contemplate acts of violence against others unless they are pushed to some breaking point,” Walker said. “That generally happens over a period of time. Even with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), they don’t snap immediately.”

Stressors outside the office — such as child care, marital problems or financial issues — also can play a role in workplace violence, she said.

“You don’t just drop those stresses when you go into your workplace. The demands made by an employer just kind of exacerbate all of the stress,” Walker said. “The idea that individuals can just handle all of that is predicated on whether they had some emotional or mental issues prior to the work environment.

“There is a lot we don’t know about that yet.”

Some of the early warning signs of workplace violence include threats, paranoia and a fascination with violence or bizarre behavior, Nixon said.

Other indicators include being unreasonable, intimidation, irresponsible actions, a vindictive nature, desperation, obsessions, chronic depression and substance abuse.

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“The good news is if employers are paying attention to the warning signs and employee behavior, then they can stop problem issues and address them before it builds into some horrific behavior,” Nixon said. “The key piece to really understand is people don’t go into work one day and have an Uzi in their bottom drawer.”

Cummins had an emergency plan in place, which Nixon said is helpful if an employee becomes violent.

Plans can vary in scope and procedure depending on the work environment, experts say. Employees could be instructed to take shelter in a locked room if a shooter is present or proceed to the nearest exit if a situation is contained.

Employers, especially larger ones, should notify workers on how to best handle dangerous situations, the experts said.

Cummins acknowledged that it cannot eliminate every security threat but said being prepared is the best option.

“Although our facilities are secure, we have to prepare our employees for risks that may be out of our control,” Stewart said. “We cannot prevent everything, but we can prepare our people to know how to react in an emergency situation.”

Just last year, Cummins put training in place for dealing with a potential shooting in the workplace.

To help Cummins employees deal with the stress from the shooting, the company has been interviewing its workers to see what it can do to make the workplace more comfortable. It has reconfigured the area where the shooting took place, adding a planter and small fountain.

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“We took time and talked with employees about what would help them return to work,” Stewart said. “We have been very sensitive about ensuring what we do with the facility is respectful, intentional and supports the emotional healing of our employees.”

Follow Kris Turner on Twitter: @krisnturner

Fatal workplace injuries declining

In 2014, fewer than 10% of all the 4,679 workplace fatalities were homicides, and law-enforcement officers and security guards are among the victims most often. However, those who work in retail, especially as cashiers; drive taxis and trucks; or manage employees are also frequent targets.

Note: 2014 data is preliminary; 2001 data excludes the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. 
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Fatal workplace injuries by state

Two dozen states had more workplace fatal injuries in 2014 than in 2013 while 22 states and the District of Columbia had fewer. Transportation incidents accounted for 40% of all deaths.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Potential indicators of workplace violence

A worker headed toward workplace violence might exhibit some of these behaviors:

• Threats
• Paranoia
• A fascination with violence
• Bizarre behavior
• Unreasonableness
• Intimidation
• Irresponsible actions
• A vindictive nature
• Desperation
• Obsessions
• Chronic depression
• Substance abuse

Source: National Institute for the Prevention of Workplace Violence