Citation

Safety Health 2006; 173(2): 44.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, U.S. National Safety Council)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The number of homicides in the workplace dropped sharply in 2004 with 49 percent with all time high of 1080 recorded in 1994. Person's occupation greatly affects the likelihood of him or her becoming a victim of workplace homicide and those at greatest risk are individuals whose job requires them to make cash transactions. Working in areas with high crime rates and frequently handle cash transactions possess high risk and robbery is found to be the most frequent motive for workplace homicides. Transportation and moving occupations saw 70 murders in 2004 and 57 by shooting out of which 37 were taxi drivers or chauffeurs and 20 were drivers, sales workers or truck drivers. By age 35 to 44 years old had the highest number of violent deaths with 192 deaths and the 45 to 54 age group experienced 191 violent deaths. A study is done to compare the unemployment rates during the time period to the homicide rates and found a significant correlation.