文章基本信息

标题：Employee and Customer Injury During Violent Crimes in Retail and Service Businesses
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作者：Corinne Peek-Asa ; Carri Casteel ; Jess F. Kraus 等
期刊名称：American journal of public health
印刷版ISSN：0090-0036
出版年度：2006
卷号：96
期号：10
页码：1867-1872
DOI：10.2105/AJPH.2005.071365
语种：English
出版社：American Public Health Association
摘要：Objectives. We sought to compare the frequency and risk factors for employees and customers injured during crimes in retail (convenience, grocery, and liquor stores) and service businesses (bars, restaurants, motels). Methods. A total of 827 retail and service businesses in Los Angeles were randomly selected. Police crime reports (n=2029) from violent crimes that occurred in these businesses from January 1996 through June 2001 were individually reviewed to determine whether a customer or an employee was injured and to collect study variables. Results. A customer injury was 31% more likely (95% confidence interval [CI]=1.11, 1.51) than an employee injury during a violent crime. Customer injury was more frequent than employee injury during violent crimes in bars, restaurants, convenience stores, and motels but less likely in grocery or liquor stores. Injury risk was increased for both employees and customers when resisting the perpetrator and when the perpetrator was suspected of using alcohol. Customers had an increased risk for injury during crimes that occurred outside (relative risk [RR]=2.01; 95% CI=1.57, 2.58) and at night (RR=1.79; 95% CI=1.40, 2.29). Conclusions. Security programs should be designed to protect customers as well as employees. Workplace violence is a leading cause of occupational death, injury, worker’s compensation costs, and lost productivity. 1 ^– 6 Robberies are the leading cause of occupational homicide and cause more than 60% of worker homicides each year. 2 ^, 7 Small retail (convenience, grocery, and liquor stores) and service businesses (bars, restaurants, motels) have the highest risk of robbery and related workplace homicide and assault. 1 ^, 2 ^, 7 ^– 9 Violence prevention programs in retail and service businesses have focused on primary prevention of robberies or on the protection of employees during a robbery. 10 Evaluations of these programs have shown some success in preventing robberies and in reducing homicides and assaults on employees. 10 However, robberies are 1 of many potentially violent crimes that can occur in the business setting, and customers as well as employees are at risk of being victimized during these crimes. Customer victimization is especially important for retail and service businesses whose primary function is to serve customers. Employers are required to protect employees from known hazards under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) General Duty Clause. 11 ^– 13 Some state OSHAs, such as in California, have more specific requirements for employers to identify and address violent hazards in the workplace to protect the employee. 11 ^, 12 ^, 14 However, US Occupational Safety and Health mandates do not require employers or business owners to protect their customers. Thus far, no workplace violence programs have examined effects of violence on customers. Using a large database of crimes in small retail and service businesses, we examined the incidence and risk factors for customer and employee injury during workplace crimes.