ARTICLE
Workplace Violence More Common Where Weapons are Allowed

In workplaces where employees are allowed to carry weapons, homicides are three times more likely to occur than in workplaces where all weapons are forbidden on premises, according to new research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The study also found that when guns are permitted in the workplace, the threat of on-the-job homicides is five times higher than in workplaces with no weapons at all.

"We don't know employers' reasons for allowing workers to have guns on the job, but the belief that firearms offer protection against crime is obviously a possible motive," said researcher Dana Loomis. "However, our data suggest that, like residents of households with guns who are more likely to be victims of homicide, workers in places where the employer allows guns have a greater chance of being killed at work."

Loomis urged employers to reevaluate their policies regarding firearms and other weapons in the workplace, in light of these findings.

In addition to reexamining policies regarding on-site weapons, there are a number of other measures employers can take to help prevent violence in the workplace. InfoMart offers a suite of services designed to weed out violent or dangerous job candidates from the hiring process. One such service is Character Match, a cost-effective screening tool for identifying job applicants whose behavior, attitudes and work-related values are likely to interfere with their success as employees or pose a threat to their employers and co-workers.

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(source: http://www.healthcentral.com)