In September 2013, a TSA screener at Los Angeles International Airport was arrested a few hours after resigning for making threats against the airport on the anniversary of 9/11. In December of that year, the FBI arrested an avionic technician at Wichita Airport for plotting a suicide attack using an improvised explosive device.
These are just a couple of examples of employees who became a significant threat in the workplace. However, workplace threats are not limited to “home-grown” terrorists, radicalized by Islamic militarism. It also includes the careless employee, who unintentionally downloads a virus that infects your company’s computer network, or the disgruntled employee who acts unprofessionally with a customer. You may remember the JetBlue Flight Attendant, who became a YouTube sensation, when he quit his job by yelling a few choice words to passengers, grabbing some beers for the road and using the plane's emergency chute to exit the aircraft.
While the flight attendant's dramatic departure ended comically and without injury – many episodes of an employee suffering a meltdown do not always end as peacefully. As the number of workplace violence episodes continue to rise, they pose a growing safety and legal concern for employers in the aviation and transportation industries.
The best way to protect against workplace violence is to take proactive measures to ensure a safe workplace environment for your employees. This will also reduce your company’s legal liability should an employee’s actions cause injury to another person and/or result in significant damage.
Employers should consider implementing the following tips to be better prepared and protected: