Environmental evaluation for workplace violence in healthcare and social services

Details

• Personal Author:
  Flannery K ; Lipscomb, Jane A. ; London M ; McPhaul KM ; Murrett K ; Rosen J
• Description:
  Problem: Federal policy recommends environmental strategies as part of a comprehensive workplace violence program in healthcare and social services. The purpose of this project was to contribute specific, evidence-based guidance to the healthcare and social services employer communities regarding the use of environmental design to prevent violence. Method: A retrospective record review was conducted of environmental evaluations that were performed by an architect in two Participatory Action Research (PAR) projects for workplace violence prevention in 2000 and, in the second project in 2005. Ten facility environmental evaluation reports along with staff focus group reports from these facilities were analyzed to categorize environmental risk factors for Type II workplace violence. Results: Findings were grouped according to their impact on access control, the ability to observe patients (natural surveillance), patient and worker safety (territoriality), and activity support. Discussion: The environmental assessment findings reveal design and security issues that, if corrected, would improve safety and security of staff, patients, and visitors and reduce fear and unpredictability. Impact on industry: Healthcare and social assistance employers can improve the effectiveness of violence prevention efforts by including an environmental assessment with complementary hazard controls. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Environmental Exposure Environmental Health Environmental Pollution Men Occupational Health Preventive Medicine Safety Women Workplace
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Workplace Violence Prevention Environmental-exposure Environmental-factors Environmental-hazards Environmental Assessment Force Hazards Health-care Healthcare Workers Humans Injuries Occupational Injury Participatory Action Research Preventive-medicine Traumatic-injuries Work-environment Workers

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• ISSN:
  0022-4375
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 3
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  237-250
• Volume:
  39
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20042121
• Citation:
  J Safety Res 2008 Apr; 39(2):237-250
• Email:
  mcphaul@son.umaryland.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2008
• Performing Organization:
  University of Maryland - School of Nursing - Baltimore
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20020930
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Safety Research
• End Date:
  20090929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:75a96c72ed1603850abf6a4daddb9d9cf3fc516206905440d1b63c3ff272108bd51e1f0bfe3d2134a984ba095d51f877589d6d861e0853083bd3df3cf06ccff2
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/194445/cdc_194445_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 619.42 KB ]