Over the years, efforts have been
made to establish Industrial Estate System (IES) in Nigeria. By this
development, large number of hectares of land is set aside, developed and
stuffed with amenities such as water, light and roads so that industrialists
can conveniently operate from there at cheaper rate to the economy.
Apart
from concentrating facilities in such areas for the convenience of the
industries, security is assumed to be provided for protection of company assets
to maximize profit. Most of such places are fenced round, huge gates are
installed, guards and police dogs are planted at the entry points to control
intrusions and so on. In some places, the level of security has been increased
to include outreach communications, police posts, strike forces, close circuit
televisions (CCTV) system, etc.
Some
of the prominent industrial estates in Nigeria established years ago include
the Trans-Amadi Industrial Estate in Port Harcourt, Ikeja Industrial Estate in
Lagos, Ekulu Industrial Estate in Enugu, etc.
Of
late, Nigeria began to experiment with the Free Trade Zone concept which is
aimed at creating an industrial zone with international conditions of
manufacture. The Calabar Export Processing Zone in Cross Rivers State became a
pioneer zone in this regard while the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone in Eleme, Rivers
State was created in terms of import facilitation and manufacture of support
products either for local oil and gas consumption or for export to the African
region.
With
over 192 multinational companies and government agencies operating in Onne Oil
and Gas Free Zone territory including the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA),
Nigerian Custom Service (NCS) and still counting, there have been constant
reports of security breaches, skirmishes and threats attracting attentions of both
local and international stakeholders.
The
attempt to poll companies in one location as in the estate system has however
brought its own peculiar problems especially in terms of security. As presence
of banks often attracts robbers and violent criminals, the presence of oil and
gas based multinational corporations who play their games in hard currencies
must be expected to draw the nefarious attention of most criminals and hoodlums
from within and without.
The
workers in the Free Zone are used to being blocked most often on their way to
work; gun-toting youths have often jumped from the corners to disrupt job
processes and hold up those either going to work or going to carryout assigned functions.
The
nearness of the Free Zone to the Onne Ports and Sea has also increased the
Estate’s vulnerability rating; and any serious risk evaluation exercise would
indicate high premiums. The long standing feud between communities of Eleme and
Okrika is another factor worthy of serious security consideration.
Although
employers are under obligation to prevent workplace violence and a legal and
ethical duty to promote a work environment free from threats and violence,
knowing to protect yourself, your property and your asset is crucial. In this
age when anything can happen, anywhere, at anytime, it is important we get
prepared, individually and collectively, to handle any situation. It takes real
awareness of planning and diligence to stay on task and remain alive. The
workplace is not only becoming more risky due to threats from outside but also
as a result of threats from members of the workforce.
Effects
of Workplace Violence
Workplace violence affects society
as a whole. The economic cost which is difficult to measure with any precision
is certainly substantial for employers. Violence can lead to poor morale and a
poor image for the company, making it difficult to recruit and keep qualified
staff. It can also mean extra cost with absenteeism, high insurance premiums
and compensation payments.
To the employees, workplace violence
can cause pains, distress and even disability or death. Physical attacks are
obviously dangerous but serious and persistent verbal abuse or threats can also
damage employee’s health through anxiety or stress. The ripples created by a
single unfortunate act of violence can go beyond what is done to a particular
victim to also damage trust and sense of security that affects every worker on
the job.
In other words, the effects of
violence do not disappear after the violent act and the harm is not only to the
person attacked. Both the victim and other employees not directly affected by the
crime, disaster or troubling incident may deserved counseling, help, comfort,
information, and support to cushion the short and long term psychological
trauma, fear of returning to work, changes in relationships with co-workers and
family feelings of incompetence, guilt, powerlessness and fear of criticism by
supervisors or managers.
Prevention is better than Cure
Unfortunately, as with other
security risks, it is easier to persuade Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) to
focus on the problem after a violent act has taken place than it is to get them
to act before anything has happened. In any company, large or small, it is
advisable to spot potential dangers and defuse them before violence develops.
To manage workplace violence, it is better for management to plan for crisis,
put appropriate policies, practices and structures to deal with them in place.
These policies should incorporate pre-employment screening procedure, workplace
culture, organizational settings, physical work environment, trade unions,
procedure for dealing with victims and perpetrators, forging alliances and
dissemination of best practices among the company publics.
What
is Workplace Violence
When a person is abused, threatened,
or assaulted or subjected to other abusive behavior in circumstances relating
to work it is referred to as workplace violence. The workplace could be a shop,
factory, hospital, filling station, office, bank, oilrig, school and so on.
Workplace
violence which takes the form of assault, attack, threat to person or property,
abuse, harassment, bulling, mobbing etc. can be categorized into the following:
1.
Violence acts by criminals who have
no other connection with the workplace – complete outsiders like armed robbery.
2.
Violence directed at employees by
customers, clients, patients, subjects, inmates or any other person for which
an organization provides goods/services.
3.
Violence against co-workers,
supervisors, or managers by a present or former employee or group of employees.
4.
Violence committed in the workplace
by someone who doesn’t work there but has a personal relationship with an
employee – an abusive spouse, a domestic partner, a community member and so on.
Early
this year, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Hazeem Shehu attached to
Ajagba Divisional Police Station in Irele, Ondo State shot dead Inspector
Adelakun Lawal at a beer palour in Ondo town after engaging each other in an
argument that degenerated into hot verbal assaults.
Another example of fatal workplace violence is the havoc
created by Adam Lanza, aged 20, in the USA on December 14, 2012. Reports have
it that the young man first killed his mother at their shared home before
taking her guns and driving to Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, Connecticut,
where he killed 20 school children aged six and seven, along with six adults,
including four teachers, the Principal and the School Psychologist. Two others
were injured in the attack. He then took his own life with one of the handguns
as police arrived at the School
In 2012 alone, at least 67 journalists were killed globally
in direct relation to their work. Recently, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the global labor group
revealed that 15 million children work in Nigeria often in dangerous jobs, and
many live in fear of violence from police and employers.
Sexual harassment is common place occurrence in Nigeria. Most
sexual harassment results from sexual lust or passion. The history of our
entertainment industry, manufacturing and service institutions, schools and
ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) etc. is replete with stories of
sexual harassments. Suan Akande, a popular model captured this vividly, “I am very much aware that some models are
victims of sexual harassment”. She reiterated that it is desperate models that
“get sexually harassed”.
Unfortunately, sexual harassment is one aspects of workplace
violence that is on the rise, yet hardly reported due to socio-cultural and
economic implications. The twist in the celebrated romance case involving Bill
Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, a then 21-year-old unpaid intern is a living
example of big clouds surrounding sexual harassment at workplace. Apart from
Lewinsky refuting having sexual relationship with Clinton on oath, Clinton on
his part publicly denied the allegation, saying, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky”.
Reports also indicate that over 2 million workplace assaults
occurred in Nigeria yearly. Preceding the two million workplace assaults
annually are six million instances of employees being verbally threatened.
Causes of Workplace Violence
Several factors have been advanced as causes of
workplace violence. However, the most common reasons are disgruntled past or
present employees that have stressfully gone awry due to redundancy
layoffs; dissatisfied customer/client
angered at the quality of service or delay/denial of service; host community/company relations problem
leading to a spillover to workplace, dissatisfied workforce, corruption and
passion among others.
Workers everywhere experience acts of workplace violence.
Hostilities such as physical and verbal assaults, sexual harassment, coercion
and intimidation, also constitute acts of workplace violence. The way and
manner you response to an act of violence determines the outcome.
In Case of an Act of Violence
1. Defuse the Anger:
Endeavour to help defuse the person’s anger so that he/she can cool down and
talk calmly and rationally.
2. Maintain your Composure:
Do not panic, be calm and unshaken.
3. Motion for Help: Signal for
help from a coworker who can contact management, security, the police or
paramedics.
4. Listen Attentively:
Hostile individuals who feel that they have your attention are sometimes less
likely to act out physically.
5. Maintain Eye Contact:
This also helps to calm the person down because the individual feels that
he/she has your attention.
6. Be Polite: Be courteous and patient until help
arrives. Be slow and friendly in your speech and act to buy time and space.
7. Follow
Instructions: If the person is threatening you with
a weapon, follow his/her instructions and stall for time.
8. Do not be Aggressive:
Never try to intercept the weapon or act aggressively against the individual.
Do not risk harm to yourself or others.
Warning
Signs of Violence
The following are some warning signs of workplace violence:
Ø Numerous
conflicts with supervisors and other employees.
Ø Statements
indicating desperation over family, finances, or other problems.
Ø Intimidating,
belligerent, harassing, bullying or other inappropriate and aggressive
behavior.
Ø Direct
or veiled threats of harm.
Ø Reference
to weapons.
Report Threats
Talk to your immediate boss as soon as you observe
unusual behavior in others. Never underestimate the potential for a coworker to
act out violently. Being proactive can help prevent an incident of workplace
violence. Be mindful of the fact that no crime against the person or property
can be carried out without premeditation. Certain indications or utterances
should trigger your concern for the safety of your life.
When a coworker displays violent tendencies
reporting is one of the best ways to prevent a workplace tragedy. Unfortunately,
many workers prefer to ignore their instincts and disregard their fears of a
coworker possibly turning violent.
Many workers also do not usually believe that a
coworker’s empty threat may be
carried out until it is too late. Instances abound where after an incident you
will hear the offender’s coworkers say, “I know for long that he will do
something stupid”. Or, “I know he was a tragedy waiting to happen”. Or, “He
said it but I never believe he can go that far”. But, the harm has been done.
There is always a lot of warning signals;
unfortunately, many employees fizzle out when it comes to reporting the warning
signals to management for fear of retaliation by the suspected coworker. Report
the threat and err in caution. Take that threat serious and reduce the risk of being
victimized by reporting the threats to appropriate authority for thorough
investigation and solution bearing in mind that:
1. When
the threats are accompanied by specific plans to carry them, they are serious,
2. When
the threats of violence are directed at, or include, members of the intended
victim’s family, they are serious,
3. And
that threatening gestures also add power and credibility to verbal threats.
It is advisable to take a threat seriously than not.
Irrespective of the circumstances of the person threatening (family problem,
financial crisis, history of mental illness) threats should not be tolerated.
In reporting threats endeavor to state precisely the
When, Where, and at what Time the threat was given or received and the exact
wording of the threat, if possible. Your initial response to the threat is also
essential as well as whether there has ever been previous incidents of violence
involving the person threatening or whether he/she has ever made any other
threats in previous employment(s).
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