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Safety in the workplace

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Is there a law in Kansas regarding violence and weapons in the workplace? My office has experienced both.

Any violent conduct that is illegal elsewhere, is also illegal at work. Even touching another employee can be considered assualt. It is also illegal to make threats of violence to other employees. Any and all incidents of violance at work should be reported to the police.

Kansas is one of 7 states that permit employees who legally own guns to bring them to work — at least to keep them in thier locked cars in the parking lot. In most of these states, only those with a permit to carry a concealed weapon can keep the gun in their car at work. At this point, Kansas employers do have the right to ban guns inside the workplace, although there is no law that they must do so.

Threats, escalating acts of violence and weapons at work are all warning signs of serious workplace violence up to and including homicide, according to OSHA. Employers should take the threat of workplace violence seriously — homicide is the #2 killer in the workplace, second only to auto accidents.

Read more about OHSAs tips to prevent workplace violence here: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/workplaceviolence/index.html