Frequency and determinants of recommended workplace violence prevention measures

PROBLEM: Limited information exists concerning adoption of workplace violence prevention measures by employers and the factors influencing their adoption. METHODS: A weighted sample of North Carolina workplaces (n=210) in operation January 1994 through March 1998 was used to estimate prevalence of 18 measures and identify community and workplace predictors of having >/=5 recommended measures. RESULTS: Location in a metropolitan area most strongly predicted presence of >/=5 administrative safety measures while a history of workplace violence and being in a high crime area were negatively associated. Belonging to an industry considered to be high-risk for workplace homicide was most strongly associated with having >/=5 environmental safety measures. DISCUSSION: Factors influencing high prevalence of violence prevention measures were related to business type, violence history, and location. Knowledge of factors influencing adoption of recommended workplace violence prevention measures can help tailor interventions to diverse industry settings. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: An important contribution to the understanding and mitigation of workplace homicide is knowledge of the extent of implementation of recommended workplace violence prevention guidelines and factors influencing their adoption. Identifying factors that influence the prevalence and adoption of workplace violence safety interventions can help to tailor development of interventions to address the issue of workplace homicide across diverse industry settings.