You Can’t Undo Workplace Violence: Why Prevention Has to Come First

Once workplace violence happens, you can't undo the harm. For decades, Mike Corwin worked with plaintiff attorneys building cases against employers after violence occurred at their workplaces. But one tragic case helped fundamentally change the direction of his work. A 16-year-old girl named Marissa Mathy-Zvaifler was killed during a workplace violence incident at a theater. Looking at what happened—and the opportunities that existed to potentially prevent it—reinforced a lesson Mike has carried throughout his career: You can't unring the bell. A lawsuit may provide financial compensation. An investigation may determine what went wrong. Policies can be changed afterward. But none of those things can erase the harm once violence has occurred. In this video, Mike discusses how that case helped lead him from investigating workplace violence after the fact to helping employers prevent it before it happens. You'll learn why prevention requires more than a workplace violence policy, particularly for small employers without dedicated compliance or security departments. Mike also discusses lessons from working with businesses, nonprofits, financial organizations, courts, government employees, religious institutions and other organizations facing real-world safety concerns. The goal is simple: Protect your people before something happens—not figure out what should have been done afterward. Today, California's workplace violence prevention requirements give employers an additional reason to take these issues seriously. But effective prevention shouldn't exist simply to satisfy a legal requirement. It should help employers identify hazards, prepare employees for the threats they actually face, create effective strategies to avoid physical harm, and build safer organizations. There is no pound of cure for workplace violence. There is only the ounce of prevention. Learn more about Mike Corwin and workplace violence prevention: Help You Be Safe #WorkplaceViolence #WorkplaceViolencePrevention #WorkplaceSafety #EmployeeSafety #CaliforniaBusiness #SB553 #CalOSHA #SmallBusiness #SafetyTraining