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BBC News Online: UK

Saturday, 16 February, 2002, 08:04 GMT

Rise in workplace violence

Three million days are lost annually due to violence at work

Panic alarms could be offered to workers in an attempt to reduce violence in the workplace.

New research shows 1.3 million people are attacked every year at work and assaults are increasing by 5% every two years.

The TUC has responded to the grim statistics by calling on employers to do more including offering employees alarms and redesigning workplaces to increase safety.

Violence at work
Security, nursing, social care and public transport workers are more likely to be attacked.
More than 3 million working days are lost every year due to violent incidents at work.
The cost to industry in compensation and lost production is hundreds of millions of pounds.
Half of reported physical attacks and a third of verbal threats come from people known to the victim.

'Distressing'

TUC general secretary John Monks said: " Violence at work is distressing, dangerous and bad for business.

"Ignoring the problem won't make it go away, so we want unions and employers to work in partnership to get tough with violence and tough on the causes of violence."

The TUC has also published a new guide for union reps, offering advice on how to raise the profile of the problem and outlining a checklist of legal rights.

It will be sent to 200,000 businesses across the UK.

Related to this story:
Dodging fisticuffs at the photocopier (01 Mar 00 | UK) Bullying at work 'costs millions' (14 Feb 00 | UK) PC rage hits UK (29 Jan 00 | Sci/Tech)

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