Violence in the workplace
The number of violent incidents at work last year totalled 677,000, according to the 2009/10 British Crime Survey – a rise of 8 per cent on the previous year’s sum. But despite the increase, fewer workers experienced an incident of violence – 318,000 compared with 327,000 in 2008/09. The figures are presented in an HSE analysis of work-related violence in England and Wales, based on findings from the 2009/10 British Crime Survey (BCS). The fact that there have been fewer victims but a greater number of incidents could be attributed to a rise in the proportion of victims who experienced more than one incident of violence.
An estimated 43 per cent of all people assaulted or threatened at work were repeat victims – up from 36 per cent in 2008/09. A quarter experienced three or more incidents of workplace violence during 2009/10, and a further 17 per cent experienced two incidents. When looking at the consequences of violence at work, the BCS found 37 per cent of total physical assaults at work – of which there were 310,000 – resulted in injury. This is a significantly lower proportion than in the previous year, in which 47 per cent of assaults resulted in injury of some kind. The HSE concludes that the overall risk of being a victim of actual or threatened violence at work is low. As in 2008/09, the BCS indicates that 1.4 per cent of working adults were the victims of one or more violent incidents at work.
The most risky occupations have not changed either, with 9 per cent of police officers – the group most at risk of attack – having experienced one or more incidents of actual, or threatened violence during the year. Others at risk include health professionals, at 3.8 per cent, and social-care professionals, at 2.6 per cent.