The Effects Of Workplace Safety On Organizations And Society

Understanding the importance of workplace safety prevention is critical in the study of occupational health and safety. Workplace violence is a term used to describe a situation in which an individual experiences verbal abuse, threatening behaviour, harassment, or physical assault in their place of employment or business-related functions or events (OSH Answers Fact Sheet). This is a common occurrence in many workplaces and has a significant impact on the employees mental state, interfering with their ability to work successfully (Barling). Through research on the OHSA, the Occupational Safety and Health Act and historical data, we are able to explore the implications of workplace safety on organizations and society. CCOHS, the†¦show more content†¦A survey conducted in 2004 demonstrated that 17% of reported incidents, or approximately 356,000 incidents occurred in the workplace. It is also estimated that only one in five victims reported workplace violence (Violence in the Workplace). It is clear that workplace violence is an ongoing issue that should be an immense part of occupational health and safety. The reason that workplace violence is a significant topic of discussion is because it causes severe consequences to not only the victim, but to other employees and the organization as a whole. Research shows that when primary victims experience violence in the workplace, there is an increased risk of developing PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder (Barling). For example, a study of 30 Irish victims of workplace bullying reported feelings of anxiety, irritability, depression and paranoia (Matthiesen). A few more symptoms of PTSD may include avoiding situations, activities, or people that remind them of the traumatic events and difficulty concentrating or remembering information, which are factors that hinder an employee s productivity in the workplace (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, 2015). Workplace violence does not only affect the primary victim. S econdary victims are known as the individuals that experience the same anxiety and discomfort as primary victims, even