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Safety in the Workforce – And ALICE Training
Last month, Beachwood Police Chief Keith Winebrenner spoke about workplace violence to those who attended the monthly Beachwood Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon. Workplace violence is a complex and widespread issue that has received increased attention from the public, mental health professionals, law enforcement and the media. Recent incidents of mass shootings at schools, courthouses, government facilities and other places of employment grab the headlines, but these incidents are a very small percentage of the workplace violence incidents reported every year. According to OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), there are nearly two million incidents of workplace violence reported every year, and it is believed that many of them go unreported because of fear of reprisal, no mechanism within the organization for reporting the workplace violence, or the immediate supervisor is the violator. Workplace violence can include threats, harassment, intimidation, bullying, stalking, intimate violence, physical or sexual assaults and homicide. It not only affects employees, but also clients, customers and visitors. It occurs under different circumstances, and different industries are affected differently. Winebrenner suggests all companies have policies in place, so that employees know expectations of what is and what isn't acceptable, and to periodically review those policies. Employees should also be trained on how to detect signs of workplace violence, and a safety plan should be in effect for when there is a violent incident. Twenty-five years of mass shooting events have yielded a national average of five to six minutes for the response time of law enforcement to an active killer scene. A lot can happen during that time. One can fight, flight or freeze and it's important to know what to do. “There is a national program being taught to schools and businesses called ALICE,” Chief Winebrenner said. “We have several officers trained in ALICE and we will provide the training to the business community.” ALICE stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate. Here's a little bit of information about each: Alert – Provide as much information as possible. For example, use an intercom system if possible, a panic alarm, texts, etc. Lockdown – Excellent starting point until the nature and location of the threat can be determined. If you are in the immediate threat area, lockdown is the best alternative; if the threat is on the other side of a building and you can get out, leave. Inform – Keep law enforcement and emergency responders up to date with as much real-time information as possible. Counter – You can survive contact with an armed intruder. Police miss 80% of their shots in a dynamic event. The bad guy is not usually a highly skilled shooter. Engage in acts that will require very high skill level, including noise, movement, distance and distractions. Evacuate - only 2 percent of violent intruder events have been by more than one person. If you know where the intruder is and you can get out safely, do so. “ALICE is not a linear response,” Chief Winebrenner added. “You don’t have to wait to do the A before you do the C.” For more information or to schedule an ALICE training program, call the Beachwood Police Department at 216.464.2343.
“We have several officers trained in ALICE and we will provide the training to the business community.”
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September 2015 n Beachwood Buzz 13
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