MEMPHIS, Tenn.– Workplace violence seems to be taking over the headlines in the Mid-South.
Workplace violence isn’t new, but it seems to be happening more and more. WREG investigated what employers and workers can do to keep everyone as safe as possible while on the job.
On Tuesday, a postal worker killed two other employees then himself at a sorting facility in Orange Mound.
“That’s no sense right there. That doesn’t make any sense to take people’s lives,” said Roxanne Rogers, a cousin of one of the victims. “It’s sad. It’s really sad. Right now, it’s just got to stop.”
The violence follows other recent shootings. On September 23, a gunman fatally shot one person and wounded 14 others before killing himself inside a Kroger store in Collierville.
A week later, a teenage boy was shot and critically wounded inside Cummings Optional School.
Sandra Worlow, the director of the Methodist Healthcare Employee Assistance Program, says employees must be aware of their work environment and coworkers.
“We’ve seen an increase in violence in general during the pandemic. I think stress levels are running so high,” Worlow said. “Work, home, those are supposed to be safe places. Now it seems almost no place is safe. We need to be hyper vigilant and being so aware of your surroundings. Listen for comments made by coworkers.”
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA website says employers should take appropriate precautions ranging from being aware of risk-factors, creating prevention and training programs and enforcement.
Many American workers report having been victims of workplace violence each year. Unfortunately, many more cases go unreported, according to OSHA.
