SHARP

Economic Burden of Workplace Assaults in Washington State

Barbara Silverstein & Mike Foley

Darrin Adams, Randy Clark, Sarah Davison

Safety & Health Assessment & Research for Prevention (SHARP) Program

WA State Dept of Labor & Industries

SHARP

National Statistics

CFOI 1995-2000: average 6004 reported work related fatal injuries in US

• `13.5% homicides (n=809)• WA (7.0%)BLS: 19,582 nonfatal assaults• Rate of 2.3 per 10,000National Crime Victimization Survey (DOJ):

1.7 million assaults at work• Rate of 126 per 10,000

SHARP

Washington State Workers Compensation Assault Type 1998-2003a

Struck/beaten by fellow worker/patient 1,155

Struck/beaten during crime 344

Bitten 200

Kicked 112

Struck nec 143

Shot by another person 6

Stabbed 0

Average #

State Fund data

SHARP

Washington State Workers Compensation Assault Claims & Costs 1995-2000

SF SIAverage # claims 2,080Average # compensable claims 452 188Rate per 10,000 15.1Compensable rate/10, 000 3.3 2.9Average cost medical only $4,906Average cost compensable $20,469% Female 58.2%

55.4%Average age 35.4 38.3

BLS Rates: Private sector US 2.3, WA 2.2

State Govt:30.4

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1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003Injury Year

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Psychiatric Hospitals

Residential Mental HealthFacilitiesOther Residential Care Facilities

Community Food/Housing Svcs

Nursing Care Facilities

Administration of HumanResource ProgsVocational Rehabilitation Services

WA State Fund Assaults per 10,000 FTEs Top 7 NAICS 1998-2003. (> 50% of all assaults in SIC 80, 83)

SHARP

Washington State Fund Accepted Assault Claims: WC Direct Cost by Industry Sector,2002

Industry N Total Average Median

Agriculture 31 $170,186 $5,490 $325

Construction 25 $426,721 $17,069 $797

Light Manufacture 13 $16,103 $1,239 $245

Heavy Manufacture 6 $2,652 $442 $217

Transport/Comm 20 $305,095 $15,255 $352

Wholesale/Retail 179 $604,563 $3,377 $435

FIRE 32 $35,415 $1,107 $497

Business Services 194 $410,405 $2,115 $295

Professional Srvs 998 $4,773,659 $4,783 $317

Public Admin 263 $1,878,795 $7,143 $423

SHARP

Washington State Fund Assault Claims by Type(%), 2003 (excludes health care & social services)

TYPE I II III IV

All 24.3 55.0 20.4 0.3

Agriculture(5) - 66.7 33.3 -

Construction(10) 10.0 20.0 70.0 -

Light Mfg (7) - - 100.0 -

Heavy Mfg (11) 27.3 9.1 63.6 -

Transport (17) - 82.4 17.7 -

Retail/Whole (114) 37.7 42.1 20.2 -

FIRE (28) 25.0 67.9 7.1 -

Srvc s prof/gov(139) 18.7 68.4 12.2 0.7

Avg TL:24 daysAvg $6,277Med age 35

SHARP

Washington State Fund Assault Claims by Type(%)b, 2003 (excludes health care & social services)

TYPE I II III IV

Female% 23.4 65.6 10.2 0.8

Male% 24.9 48.3 26.9 0.0

Mean Incurred $ $6,968 $5,278 $10,216 *$53474

Mean Lost days 25.7 16.1 48.5 *294 **

(*=1 case)

No sig diff between types on lost days

No sig diff between types on cost

Construction:$14,171 and 47.6 lost days on average

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STATE FUND CLAIMANTSWITH NO OTHER COMPENSABLE CLAIMS

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A better estimate of burden

1. Compare WA BLS estimate of rates and counts of assaults resulting in at least one lost workday to WC

2. Case cost data from WA State Fund (excludes cost data for 400 largest employers)

3. Quarterly earnings profiles from Employment Security Dept data linked to WC cases, excluding those with other injuries 1994-2001. N=2434 in study

SHARP

Advise/Require: Type 1• Training workers (de-escalation techniques)• Post signs re minimal cash in register• Clear unobstructed view of cash register• Drop safe, limited access• Outside lighting• Address employee isolation factors• Provide security personnel• Communication method to alert police/security• Increase police patrol• Post laws re assault, stalking or other violent acts

5 or more admin controls associated with significant lower risk of fatal assaults, Loomis et al, 2002

SHARP

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)a, Crowe

• Direct relationship between design, use & management of environment to human behavior

• Environment: people and their physical and social surroundings

• Design: of physical space for bona fide users of space (physical, social, psych needs), expected use and predicted behaviors of bona fide users & offenders

• Uses natural access controls (spatial definition), natural surveillance, territorial reinforcement

SHARP

CPTED Strategy Examples b, Crowe

• Clear border definition of controlled space• Clearly marked transition zones public-semi-private• Locate gathering areas to locations with natural surveillance &

access control• Place safe activities in unsafe locations to bring along natural

surveillance & increase perception of safety• Place unsafe activities in safe spots• Overcome distance & isolation via improved communication &

design efficiencies• Lighting & windows• Two-way vs. one-way streets• Fortress effects destroy surrounding land use->no man’s land”

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What works?

• What do we actually know or need to know?• What role do companies have to play in and outside

the regulatory framework?• How effective are OSHA guidelines? How likely are

they to be followed? • What are the barriers to implementing violence

prevention programs?• What role does legislative action play in protecting

workers from workplace violence? • Why don’t other states follow Washington, California

and Florida?

SHARP

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Washington State Assault Related Fatalities by Type, 1998-2004

Washington FACE