Journal of Safety Research

Journal of Safety Research

Volume 44, February 2013, Pages 65-71
Journal of Safety Research

Workplace violence among Pennsylvania education workers: Differences among occupations

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2012.09.006Get rights and content

Abstract

Problem

The purpose of this study was to measure the prevalence and characteristics of physical and non-physical WPV in a state-based cohort of education workers.

Method

A sample of 6,450 workers was drawn using de-identified union membership lists, stratified on gender, occupation, and school location. A cross-sectional survey was mailed to participants.

Results

An estimated 7.8% (95%CI = 6.6  9.1) of education workers were physically assaulted and 28.9% (95%CI = 26.4  31.5) experienced a non-physical WPV event during the 2009–2010 school year. Special education teachers were significantly more likely to be physically assaulted and experience a non-physical WPV event compared to general education teachers (Prevalence Rate Ratio = 3.6, 95% 2.4-5.5; PRR = 1.4, 95%CI = 1.1  1.8).

Discussion

Special education teachers were at the highest risk for both physical and non-physical WPV. If not already present, schools should consider implementing comprehensive WPV prevention programs for their employees.

Impact on Industry

Special education teachers have unique workplace hazards. Strategies that protect the special education teacher, while still protecting the special education student should be considered.

Highlights

► We performed a cross-sectional survey of unionized Pennsylvania education workers. ► We asked about the prevalence, characteristics, & impact of workplace violence (WPV). ► 8% had been physically assaulted and 29% experienced a non-physical WPV event in the 2009–2010 school year. ► Special education teachers were at the highest risk for physical & non-physical WPV compared with all other education workers.

Section snippets

Problem

In 2009, nearly 25% of all nonfatal violent crimes such as sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault occurred against persons while in the workplace (Harrell, 2011). Since 2002, nonfatal workplace violence (WPV) rates have declined 35%; however, WPV remains a significant public health concern and occupational hazard (Harrell, 2011). Historically, the occupations at highest risk for nonfatal WPV included those in the protective services industry such as police officers, correctional

Method

A cross-sectional design, utilizing a stratified random sample was employed for this study. Data were collected via paper-and-pencil questionnaire. The survey and research study were approved by the NIOSH Human Subjects Research Board and the U.S. Government Office of Management and Budget.

Characteristics of Study Population

Surveys were returned by 2,514 participants for an overall response rate of 39%. Participants were largely female (75%) and the average age was 46.5 years (SE = 0.33) (Table 1). The participants were primarily white and non-Hispanic (94% and 98%, respectively). Over three-quarters of participants had a bachelors’ degree or higher (80%). The most frequently reported occupation was general education teacher (57%), followed by aides (13%), and education support personnel (10%). On average,

Discussion

This research provides a description of nonfatal WPV among education workers. Previously published WPV studies in the education field focused on teachers and did not include the experience of others employed in a school setting. We found that WPV affects a large number of education workers: in a single school year in Pennsylvania, over 13,000 education workers were assaulted and nearly 50,000 experienced a non-physical WPV event. Special education teachers, pupil service professionals, and

Impact on Industry

The results of the current study suggest that those employed in a school setting are at risk for physical and non-physical WPV. While the primary perpetrator of this violence was students, many administrative staff members also experienced WPV from co-workers. If not already present, states, districts, and schools should consider implementing comprehensive WPV prevention programs for all education workers, not only general education teachers. Results of the current study also confirm that

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Division of Safety Research, NIOSH, CDC. We thank Nanette Sowers for her diligence in exhaustive data collection efforts. We thank Darryl Alexander from the American Federation of Teachers for her support. We thank Barbara Goodman, Dee Phillips, Janet Fusella, and Jerry Jordan from the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers for their assistance with data collection efforts and support. We also thank John Tarka, Sylvia Wilson, and Kathy Noroski from the Pittsburgh

Hope Tiesman is an epidemiologist with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. She completed her MSPH in Epidemiology from the University of South Florida and PhD from the University of Iowa where she was a fellow in the occupational injury prevention research program. She has an adjunct academic appointment with the West Virginia University Injury Control Research Center. Her research interests include the prevention of workplace violence, urban–rural injury disparities, and

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    Hope Tiesman is an epidemiologist with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. She completed her MSPH in Epidemiology from the University of South Florida and PhD from the University of Iowa where she was a fellow in the occupational injury prevention research program. She has an adjunct academic appointment with the West Virginia University Injury Control Research Center. Her research interests include the prevention of workplace violence, urban–rural injury disparities, and occupational safety of law enforcement officers.

    Srinivas Konda is a research fellow with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Morgantown, WV. He completed his MPH in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg. His work focuses on projects related to the prevention of workplace injury and violence. Current areas of research include occupational injuries among foreign born workers, occupational traumatic brain injuries, and robbery related homicides among retail workers.

    Scott Hendricks has been a statistician for the Division of Safety Research at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health for over 20 years. He has numerous publications in occupational safety, particularly in the areas of workplace violence and statistical methodology in workplace intervention evaluation. He has a MS degree in Statistics from West Virginia University.

    Dan Mercer received a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from Wittenberg University and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, respectively. His Ph.D. was received from Johns Hopkins University in 2007; his thesis explored the relationship between migration, local age structure, and public school funding. Mercer has been employed by the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) since 2006. His work is concentrated on surveys of member and public opinion, and on school funding.

    Harlan Amandus is Chief of the Analysis and Field Investigations Branch at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. He is an occupational injury epidemiologist and has over 30 years of experience in occupational epidemiologic research. His current research interest is prevention of robbery-related workplace violence in retail workers and evaluation of approaches to increase compliance among retail businesses to proven robbery-prevention guidelines.

    The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

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