An employee working alone late at night at a Speedway gasoline station/convenience store in South Syracuse was shot in the leg on May 10, 2015, during an armed robbery – an incident OSHA says was preventable.
The inspection by OSHA’s Syracuse Area Office found that employees were exposed to the clearly recognized hazard of workplace violence, in that they were exposed to physical assaults while performing their routine duties.
Hazards, fixes are both well known
"The hazards of workplace violence in late night retail establishments are well known, but so are the measures employers can take to safeguard their employees against these hazards," said Robert Kulick, OSHA's regional administrator in New York.
Feasible, industry recognized and accepted abatement methods to correct this hazard could include a combination of:
- A comprehensive workplace violence prevention program that includes management and worker involvement, analysis of worksite hazards, hazard prevention and control measures and safety and health training.
- Installing panic buttons to alert local authorities, physical barriers such as bullet resistant enclosures to separate customers from store employees and a drive-through window for the overnight hours.
- Redesigning the store to allow for better visibility and hanging signs to inform the public of security precautions such as a time locked safe, limited accessible cash and video surveillance.
OSHA cited the company on Nov. 9, 2015, for one serious violation, with proposed penalties of $7,000.
Information: Recommendations for Workplace Violence Prevention Programs in Late-Night Retail Establishments*
