Manual to help fight
workplace threats

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Star-Bulletin staff

Hawaii employers looking to set up a workplace violence prevention program can find the information they need to get started in the "Workplace Violence: Prevention, Intervention and Recovery" manual.

What's being billed as the state's first comprehensive manual on workplace violence is expected to be unveiled today by the Hawaii Workplace Violence Working Group Committee, which developed the free handbook.

While the manual was designed for small or mid-sized businesses, the information provided is applicable for larger organizations, service providers and private and government agencies, said Valerie Mariano, chief of the Attorney General's community and crime prevention branch.

Instances of workplace violence, such as the Xerox shootings in 1999, were not the only impetus for putting the manual together.

"(Byran) Uyesugi was part of it, but workplace violence is an issue for a lot of businesses," Mariano said.

Yet there were no standardized or comprehensive workplace violence programs available that businesses could look at.

"With the community's concern over crime prevention or safer workplaces, the timing is now that everyone take that personal responsibility -- whether you're a business, employer or community member -- to prevent crime and workplace violence," Mariano said.

The manual will assist employers in developing employee assistance programs and threat assessments and finding resources in the community, she said.

It also provides case scenarios and tips on what businesses can do to practice responding to instances of workplace violence.

The committee members who volunteered their time and expertise to produce the manual included representatives from businesses, employee assistance programs, safety and security professions, and psychologists.

The committee used as a prototype sections from the federal government's Office of Personnel Management manual and made them applicable to Hawaii. The manual was funded by a grant by the Department of the Attorney General from the Hawaii Community Foundation's Fund for Victims of Violent Crimes in Hawaii.

Limited copies of the manual will be available beginning today at no cost at The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii (call 545-4300) and the Hawaii Community Foundation (call 537-6333). Copies will also be made available at state libraries.

Safeguard Services will also have the manuals available on CD-ROM (call 526-2006). The manual can also be downloaded from the Department of the Attorney General's Web site at www.cpja.ag.state.hi.us.