Affiliations: Division of Violence Prevention, National Center for
Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Atlanta, GA, USA | School of Criminal Justice, College of Education,
Criminal Justice, and Human Services, Cincinnati, OH, USA | Analysis and Field Evaluations Branch, Division of
Safety Research, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health,
Morgantown, WV, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: E. Lynn Jenkins, Etiology and
Surveillance Branch, Division of Violence Prevention, National Center for
Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770
Buford Highway, M/S F63, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. Tel.: +1 770 488 3931; Fax: +1
770 488 4222; E-mail: LJenkins@cdc.gov
Abstract: Objective: To examine employee's perception of safety and related
workplace safety and prevention issues, including their use of self-protection
measures and victimization experience. Participants: The Workplace Risk
Supplement (WRS) to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) was
administered to 55,158 employed respondents who were 16 years or older. Methods: Trained U.S. Census Bureau interviewers administered the WRS in all
households selected for the NCVS during the 6-month reference period from
January through June 2002. Responses from the 55,158 WRS respondents were
weighted to obtain national estimates, resulting in 142,410,858 cases. Results: The demographic distribution of WRS respondents is very similar to
that of the U.S. labor force. Seven percent of respondents reported that they
worried about someone in their workplace attacking them, while nearly 4%
experienced victimization. The majority indicated that they felt that their
workplace, the neighborhood around their workplace, and places they traveled to
as part of their job were either "Very Safe" or "Somewhat Safe" from crime.
Six percent carried some type of self protection while at work although this
varied by occupation. Conclusions: Employees largely feel safe from
violence while working. Differences in victimization by occupation bolster
efforts to focus workplace violence prevention in high-risk occupations.
