Increasing: Six hundred homicides, 2 million physical attacks, 6 million threats and 16 million harassment incidents—these horrifying numbers represent the range of violence that occurs in  US workplaces every year. From harassment to homicide, acts of violence have become daily events, and the workplace, often presumed to be a place of safety and security, for many has changed into a place of fear and anxiety.

To alleviate this problem, some companies have enlisted the assistance of workplace violence prevention specialists to develop training programs. These programs can include a  workplace violence prevention team, policies and procedures for dealing with potential incidents of violence, and training for managers, supervisors and employees.

The following five tips on how to prevent violence in the workplace can help you develop a safer and more productive workplace.

1. Be sensitive about your behavior toward others. On some occasions we deliberately or unintentionally say or do something that can produce a strong negative reaction in others. This could create a new situation that aggravates an ongoing situation or results in violence. Here are some suggestions to help prevent one of these from happening:

• Be aware of how you’re feeling about a particular person or situation. Try to understand why you’re feeling the way you do. If appropriate, discuss what you are feeling with a  colleague or mentor.  If you are feeling troubled, consider seeking help from a representative for your Employee Assistance Program.

• Treat everyone from subordinates to supervisors with dignity and respect. Never speak to anyone in a condescending, demeaning manner. Be open to feedback and constructive criticism. Remember that it’s not what you do, but how you do it that can be the difference between successfully resolving an issue and creating an incident.

2. Be aware of seemingly small issues that could result in a violent situation.

A workplace situation may turn violent when a disgruntled worker exhibits behaviors that include:

•          Elevated anger;

•          Bizarre conduct;

•          Unusual interest in violence and conflict;

•          Excessive comments about weapons or displaying weapons to coworkers;

•          Making violent threats;

•          Blaming others; or

•          Voicing comments about revenge and getting even.

When any of these behaviors above are combined with the presence of depression and/or substance abuse problems, the risk of violence increases considerably.

3. Recognize the severity of a threat to take appropriate action.

Several different types of threats exist, and it’s important to understand and be able to recognize each:

• Direct Threats. These usually are clear and unambiguous. They include statements such as, “I’m going to punch your lights out!” or “I’m going to shoot you!” Don’t take these type of comments lightly—they immediately should be reported to the company’s Workplace Violence Prevention Team.

• Conditional Threats. Some threats are conditional, such as, “If I don’t get a raise, I’m going to kill my supervisor!” These also should immediately be reported to the Workplace Violence Prevention Team.

• Veiled and Ambiguous Threats. Veiled and ambiguous threats also can be made, such as, “You’ll get yours!” or “The company’s going to be sorry for what they’ve done to me!”

Further questioning usually is needed to determine the extent and severity of this type of threat. A helpful question to ask is, “What do you mean?” Their response usually helps determine what to do next.

4. Always remain impartial when involved in a dispute.

Trying to resolve a dispute between two angry employees can be difficult. Many factors should be considered, including:

•         The nature of the dispute and personality characteristics of the angry employees;

•         Past problems involving the employees; and

•         The possible presence of substance abuse.

Mediating angry disputes requires special skills and knowledge. A comprehensive workplace violence prevention program contains training in dispute mediation, including skills such as:

• Listening actively without taking sides and not responding to either party in a condescending or demeaning manner;

•     Asking questions until the dispute is clearly understood; and

•     Asking each party for possible solutions with the aim of finding one that works for all parties nvolved.

5. Be proactive about workplace safety.

Ensure that you’re bringing safety issues to your company’s attention by encouraging the use of a workplace violence prevention program. If your company has such a program and team, consider the following:

• Conduct annual workplace violence prevention training. To  successfully prevent workplace violence, managers should maintain training and communication related to this issue on a regular basis.

•  Be sure you have all the team member contact numbers available at all times. It’s important that you know what to report and how to reach team members, particularly in an emergency situation.

If your company doesn’t have a workplace violence prevention program or team, you should:

• Be aware of external resources such as violence prevention consultants and domestic violence prevention organizations and hotlines.  Establish a partnership with your company’s security department about workplace violence prevention. Encourage your organization’s executives to implement a workplace violence prevention program. As a human resources professional, you play a vital role in such communication.

Dr. James Madero is founder and president of Violence Prevention International, a developer of workplace violence prevention programs for companies and organizations, www.vpi-prevent.com. He has more than 25 years of experience as a clinical psychologist, and is an expert in psychological testing, threat assessment and workplace violence prevention training. He is a member of the Clinical Psychology faculty at Alliant International University in San Diego.