Why Employers Must Take Charge of Security at the Worksite

SECURING WORKSITES IS A PRIORITY

Shootings, including mass shootings of children, have been uppermost in our minds. Whatever the solution our government may come up with in the next weeks, your employer must have an assessment done of your workplace to determine security strategies to put in place. Sudden events can occur at any time, suddenly and with tremendous lethal consequences.

A recent workplace shooting took place on June 1, 2022, at a doctor’s office in a medical complex when a patient returned and shot the doctor who recently did surgery on his back. Dr. Preston Phillips, 59, along with three others were shot dead and several others were wounded. The gunman, Michael Louis, shot himself shortly afterward as police officers arrived on the scene, according to a witness.

According to ABC News, Louis had been in pain after the surgery and repeatedly requested further medical treatment to alleviate the pain. Louis returned to see Dr. Phillips and then left, just days before the shooting. At this time, it is unclear what the treatment was or if any was given. Others who died that day were Dr. Stephanie Husen, 48, Amanda Glenn, 40, both employees of the complex, and William Love, 73, who was receiving treatment at the time of the shooting.

An assault at the workplace can take place at any time for any reason. An angry ex-employee, with a grudge against a manager or fellow employee, can return to the workplace and take out not only the intended target but surrounding employees. If there are valuable products onsite that could be taken during a holdup, then these must be secured in an unknown location to avoid going on the black market if taken.

If your employer is not taking steps to protect the workplace, call an Arizona workers’ compensation attorney who can guide you on what to do next. That attorney has many resources at hand for you to connect with if there are serious security issues at the workplace. You can also get together with other employees feeling concerned, and then approach management with your concerns.

If you are attacked at the workplace and suffer injuries (or worse), workers’ compensation benefits would be approved immediately under most, if not all, circumstances. Know the people working around you and be alert to your surroundings, including going to and from your employer’s parking lot when shifts begin and end. If you see something suspicious, report it once to your manager or call the police at once.

ASSESSMENTS AND STRATEGIES FOR SECURITY

In an assessment, a building is gone through very thoroughly to identify weak points of access which then should be secured. Many medical centers, for example, do require a sign-in via a phone text (due to the pandemic), and then a patient is buzzed in for their appointment. But a complex may still be open for entry to the public.

General access points may now require an armed guard on duty, including a scanner, and a sign-in logbook with date and time. Alternatively, employees at a manufacturing center could get an employee identification tag with a bar code to scan through the entry machine and be let in. If it is an ex-employee, that person would be denied entry and taken aside for an interview.

IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, TELL SOMEONE

People are under constant stress during their jobs and if someone is having problems, feel free to gently talk with them to help. If you sense that the person is also irrational, it would be better to inform the manager of the information. At that point, upper management takes over whatever strategy they need to implement.

IF YOU WERE INJURED IN A SHOOTING ON THE JOB, CONTACT US AT ONCE

Arizona Injury Law Group offers experienced and Certified workers’ compensation lawyers and legal services for injured workers. Call for your free consultation! (602) 346-9009.