Preventing Workplace Violence with Active Shooter Training
December 13, 2022Preventing Workplace Violence: Solutions for Employers
Preventing workplace violence in North America remains a challenge for many employers. Workplace violence has grown to be more commonplace, as recently seen in Virginia, where a conflict between fellow employees turned into a deadly shooting rampage.
AFIMAC is committed to ensuring the safety of workplaces across North America with planning and response strategies. AFIMAC can work alongside employers who maintain large retail workforces to manage risks of violence and ensure their workplace is free from possible violent offenders. Protect your workforce by training your staff to identify threats before they turn into tragedies.
Preventing Workplace Violence Begins with Your Workforce
Corporations maintain a moral and legal obligation to protect their workforces, even if gun violence comes with no warnings. While it can be difficult to identify risks in the workplace, employers could face complex legal consequences if it is proven that they failed to provide a safe work environment for all staff. The onus remains on the employer to ensure all workers are protected from reasonable harm. If the employer did not act after a series of complaints or warning signs, they could face massive legal challenges along with a widespread impact on the brand’s reputation.
Making efforts to protect workers begins with the employees themselves, as security awareness training among staff members can help identify risks before they turn into instances of violence. Training your staff to identify potential risks and report them before they turn violent can help prevent shootings before they happen. As for the recent shooting in Virginia, mainstream media noted that the firearm used was purchased the morning of the incident.
Active Shooter Training For Workforces
Employers should also maintain emergency protocol and preparedness instruction, including active shooter training. Training your staff on how to act in an active shooter situation saves lives and manages the risks that come from such unfortunate events. Training your staff on how to shelter in place, initiate emergency call trees, or exit the building safely during an incident can protect employees and address your duty of care obligations as an employer.
Workplace Investigations and Corporate Security
Many employers also fail to look into complaints against staff members, which can later result in an employer being held legally responsible for instances of workplace gun violence. Investigating such issues can be a complicated task for even the most experienced HR professional, but it must be thoroughly addressed in order to prevent workplace violence before it happens.
Third-party workplace investigations can get to the bottom of any complaint and provide a non-biased report. Ultimately, employers can lean on companies such as AFIMAC to conduct comprehensive workplace investigations, address threats of violence, and help employers make informed decisions about their workforce. The investigation services of AFIMAC can also be used as legal evidence of an employer’s efforts to address workplace violence.
Solutions From AFIMAC Global
Active shooter preparation and training are vital elements of any workplace training program. Even low-skilled and retail workers can be trained to identify risks and how to report them correctly. Failure to have such policies in your workforce could ultimately place employers in complex liability situations, harm your reputation, and result in loss of life.
Implement a series of active shooter training programs across your workforce that can help manage risks and deter threats of violence well before they happen. Implementing a collective effort among your staff to curb workplace gun violence is one of the important tools employers can use to protect both human life and corporate interests.
Contact us directly by filling out the form below to learn more about your options for preventing workplace violence with active shooter training, emergency preparedness efforts, and several workplace investigation products. The risks of workplace gun violence can be managed by contacting AFIMAC today, begin planning now.
