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MSDIS CORNER
The individual chosen will be responsible for all communication during and following an event.
COMMUNICATION-RELATED LINK:
• www.onsolve.com/solutions/ products/codered
5 Train Supervisors and Employees Provide training at time of hire, annually,
and when changes occur that could affect response to a workplace violence event. Management team-member training should include a review of policy and reporting procedures, along with signs and behaviors that may foreshadow workplace violence and post-incident procedures. Employee training should include the importance of and options for reporting harassment and workplace violence, recognizing the sounds of gunshots, concept, as outlined in the Department of Homeland Security Bulletin #5. Table-top exercises and drills are an effective means of testing policy and procedure. If you are considering conducting a live drill for a workplace violence event, the local police that the police department will be willing
to assist.
While you should not expect employees to be skilled at identifying potentially dangerous persons, expect employees to exercise good judgment and to inform the human resource could be a sign of a potentially dangerous situation. Such behavior may include: discussing weapons or bringing them to the workplace; displaying overt signs of extreme stress, resentment, hostility, or anger; making deterioration of performance; displaying irrational or inappropriate behavior; dropping intimidating statements like: “You know even” or “You haven’t heard the last of me;” physical signs of hard breathing, reddening of complexion, menacing stare, loudness, fast or profane speech; having a romantic obsession
with a co-worker who does not share that interest; intense anger or lack of empathy; problems and/or unstable/dysfunctional family; brooding, strange behavior that suggests a “time bomb ready to go off.” Supervisors should be alerted to and aware of these indicators.
WORKPLACE-VIOLENCE TRAINING LINK:
• www.dhs.gov/cisa/active-shooter- preparedness
6 Post-Event Considerations
In the face of a crisis such as a workplace violence event, post-event recovery can be
A priority will be assisting affected employees with physical and emotional healing. Conducting a tactful internal investigation to identify the root cause of
the event, corrective action, and appropriate policy changes will be part of the healing process for an organization. Affected employees may have emotional scars and employers and employees may include medical and funeral costs, lost wages, business interruption, property damage, potential liability, and lawsuits. Risk- in place and will need to be accessed along with other potential sources for recouping lost revenue and unforeseen expenses.
POST EVENT-RELATED LINK:
• www.dhs.gov/publications/active- shooter-recovery-guide
7 Risk Transfer Considerations
Historically, companies have looked to more traditional insurance policies, such as general liability/umbrella, workers’ compensation, and terrorism, to seek coverage after a workplace violence event. Although coverage has theoretically been available via the Federal Terrorism Insurance Act (“TRIA”) since 2001,
the requirements to certify an event as terrorism are very stringent, and in fact,
Terrorism policies are often triggered
only for loss arising from a politically, ideologically, or religiously motivated event, which may not apply. General liability and workers’ compensation may provide some coverage for liability to employees and
gaps depending on the program structure, exclusions, and sublimits or statutory requirements. Often these policies do not provide pre-event resources or address additional expenses and business losses that would typically arise after an event. These policies are also limited to the insured location and would not respond if an event occurred at an adjacent property.
As a result, the insurance market has taken a more holistic approach to these exposures and developed policies that provide
risk mitigation resources and seamless, comprehensive coverage. There are several products now available, but it’s important to understand the differences that may exist in a policy to ensure the broadest wording and
How Can MSDIS Help?
MSDIS/USI has developed a detailed gap analysis review to help our clients understand to what extent their current program would apply to a workplace violence event. For more information regarding this topic, start a conversation with Sharon Ruth, Healthcare Client Advocate, at 302-397-0173 or visit us
at www.usi.com.
REFERENCES
1. Pioneer Press: “In Minneapolis Accent Signage shooting suit, settlement reached,” Sept. 21, 2014. www.twincities. com/2014/09/21/in-minneapolis-accent- signage-shooting-suit-settlement-reached
2. Minnesota Lawyer: “How to fire someone: case prompts review,”
Feb. 8, 2013. https://minnlawyer. com/2013/02/08/how-to-fire-someone- case-prompts-review
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