Workplace Violence News

The bullying business

Ross Arrowsmith — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:27:58 +0000

from The Ecomonist A company that specialises in “ethics and workplace compliance training” sends me alarming news about a surge in workplace bullying. A study last year by the University of Phoenix claims that the recession has given “serial bullies” an excuse to mistreat employees, while many more normal managers have concluded that “bearing down [...]

The Virginia Quarterly Review: A suicide rocks the esteemed literary journal

Ross Arrowsmith — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:34:16 +0000

By Carolyn Kellogg, Los Angeles Times On July 30, Kevin Morrissey printed a note, gathered his identification and called the Charlottesville, Va., police to report a shooting at the coal tower, a local landmark. When they arrived, it was Morrissey they found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, his papers laid out neatly beside him. [...]

Discovery Communications crisis a reminder to review emergency plan

Ross Arrowsmith — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:44:32 +0000

By Jennifer Nycz-Conner, Washington Business Journal Workplace experts say the hostage crisis at Discovery Communications Inc. in Silver Spring should prompt all companies and building owners to review their emergency evacuation and continuity of operation plans — or, if they don’t have a plan, to make one. Authorities praised Discovery for the way it handled [...]

Lone Wolf Attacks: Discovery Channel Center

Ross Arrowsmith — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:19:12 +0000

By August Vernon, EmergencyMgmt.com The hostage taking at the Discovery Channel Center in Maryland should be a reminder to all responders and emergency management planners that workplace violence/targeted attacks continues to be a current and emerging threat. At this time it does appear that the attacker who has been described as a militant environmentalist utilized [...]

Police Officers: 3 keys to preparing for the unexpected

Ross Arrowsmith — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:39:29 +0000

By Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith, PoliceOne.com Workplace violence seems to be back in the news again, with a man taking hostages at the Discovery Channel headquarters building in Silver Spring Maryland. Although your average nine-to-five worker doesn’t anticipate facing an explosive-wielding gunman at the office, that’s exactly what your average cop has to be prepared [...]

Update: Police Kill Gunman, Ending Hostage Situation

Ross Arrowsmith — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 02:05:37 +0000

By Liz Robbins and Brian Stelter, The New York Times Police officers shot and killed a gunman with a history of protesting against the Discovery Channel, ending a nearly four-hour ordeal on Wednesday at the company’s headquarters in Silver Spring, Md. The gunman, apparently wearing explosives, had taken two employees and a security guard hostage, [...]

Breaking News: Gunman Takes Hostages in Maryland

Ross Arrowsmith — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:07:19 +0000

By Liz Robbins and Brian Stelter, The New York Times A gunman who may have had explosive devices took a small number of hostages Wednesday at the headquarters of the Discovery Channel in Silver Spring, Md., and the police were negotiating with the man, the authorities said. “We’re trying to get him to release the [...]

Workplace Bullying Still Rampant in US

Ross Arrowsmith — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:33:34 +0000

Press Release from Workplace Bullying Institute In August, 2010 the Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI) commissioned Zogby International to conduct a survey of adult Americans. The results showed that workplace bullying is still a problem for 53 million Americans. In the scientific, national poll 34.4% of Americans report personally being bullied. In the frequently cited 2007 [...]

Bredesen agrees with latest guns-in-bars challenge

Ross Arrowsmith — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:34:32 +0000

from TheDailyTimes.com Governor Phil Bredesen on Tuesday voiced support for a Nashville waiter’s claim that a new law allowing guns in bars creates an unsafe workplace. The Democratic governor told The Associated Press that while he’s not familiar with the details of the complaint, he supports the effort to challenge the law allowing handgun carry [...]

Workplace fatalities tumbled in Colorado in 2009 – Workplace violence up

Ross Arrowsmith — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:13:47 +0000

By Aldo Svaldi, The Denver Post The number of Colorado workers killed on the job declined nearly 24 percent last year, according to a report Tuesday from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Workplace fatalities in Colorado fell from 105 in 2008 to 80 last year, according to the preliminary 2009 Colorado Census [...]