Department of Health and Human Services

Workplace Violence Prevention Strategies and Research Needs Department of Health and Human Services

Publisher Marketing: Since the 1980s, violence has been recognized as a leading cause of occupational mortality and morbidity. On average, 1.7 million workers are injured each year, and more than 800 die as a result of workplace violence (WPV). These tragic deaths and injuries stress the need for a proactive and collaborative WPV prevention effort at the national level. As part of its WPV Research and Prevention Initiative during 2003, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) convened a series of stakeholder meetings that focused on various types of WPV and the industries and occupations at risk. For example, separate meetings addressed domestic violence in the workplace, violence in health care facilities, violence in retail settings, and violence against law enforcement and security professionals. The purpose of these meetings was to bring together subject matter experts from business, academia, government, and labor organizations to discuss current progress, research gaps, and collaborative efforts in addressing WPV. One of the recurring discussion points that emerged from the meetings was the need for a national conference on WPV prevention. In November 2004, NIOSH assembled a diverse group with representatives from various disciplines and organizations that have a stake in reducing the toll of WPV. This landmark conference-Partnering in Workplace Violence Prevention: Translating Research to Practice-was held in Baltimore, Maryland, on November 15-17, 2004. The sessions were structured to give participants an opportunity to discuss the current state of national research and prevention efforts. The intent was to draw out their best professional judgments on (1) identification and implementation of effective prevention programs and strategies, (2) identification of barriers to prevention and steps for overcoming them, (3) current research and communication needs, and (4) the advancement of research and prevention through effective partnerships. This report summarizes discussions that took place during the conference.