Security Technology Executive

FEB-MAR 2018

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26 SECURIT Y TECHNOLOGY E XECUTIVE • Februar y/March 2018 • www. SecurityInfoWatch.com HEALTHCARE SECURIT Y Building upon the Tier 1 and Tier 2 programs, the Tier 3 program examines the top of the work- place violence spectrum, that of the active assail- ant or mass casualty incident. According to the FBI, an active shooter is defined as an individual(s) actively engaged in or attempting to kill people in a populated area 4 . There are several best practices that are suggested by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security when it comes to responding to an active assailant or mass casualty incident. These include being aware of your environment and any possible danger signs, taking note of the two nearest exits in any facility you visit or work in and knowing the "Run, Hide, Fight " process 5 . • If you're in an office, stay there and secure the door using whatever means necessary, includ- ing barricading any doors with furniture or office equipment. • If you're in a hallway, get into a room and secure the door. Silence cell phones or any other devic- es that might give away your location and close all blinds and curtains, turn off the lights and move away from the door. Remain quiet. • Remember, there is a difference between Cover and Concealment. Cover provides some protec- tion from bullets (such as a heavy desk) while Concealment simply hides you from the shoot- ers direct line of sight. • As a last resort, employees should be trained that when the assailant is at close range and if they cannot escape or shelter in place, they might try to incapacitate him/her by whatever means necessary, including the use of impro- vised weapons such as fire extinguishers which can be used to blind and disorient the shooter at a distance or used as an impact weapon at close range. This topic can be controversial based on how it is presented, and organiza- tions need to determine their own educational programs content based upon the totality of cir- cumstances and the needs of their staff. Above all, those involved in an active shooter or mass casualty incident should seek to escape first and always contact law enforcement via 911 when it is safe to do so. The design process for a secure physical environ- ment has many components, including consider- ation of perimeter security measures such as appro- priate access controls, doors and windows that can resist forced entry attempts, and visitors' screening processes. Internal controls like an effective mass notification system for all staff, identification of "safe rooms" for workers to shelter in place until law enforcement arrives on the scene. The Department of Homeland Security's updated "Options for Con- sideration" video series 6 offers detailed information on how to create your own Emergency Operations Plan as well as how to determine appropriate physi- cal security countermeasures with the assistance of a qualified security professional that can provide an assessment and make recommendations based upon best practices, industry standards and appli- cable regulatory requirements. Regulatory Guidance Speaking of regulatory compliance, regardless of your industry or business, all organizations with- in the U.S. (based upon its number of employees) should pay particular attention to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Gen- eral Duty Clause. This General Duty Clause states, in part, that "... employers are required to provide their employees with a place of employment that "is free from recognizable hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious harm to employ- ees" 7 . OSHA also advises that " An employer that has experienced acts of workplace violence, or References l. United States Government Accountability Office. Additional Efforts Needed to Help Protect Health Care Workers from Workplace Violence, 2016. Web. 10 January 2018. http://www.gao.gov/assets/680/675858.pdf 2. American Hospital Association. HAVHOPE, A National Day of Awareness Campaign, May 2017. Web. 10 Januar y 2018. http://www.aha.org /advocacy-issues/violence/ havhopephotos.shtml 3. American Hospital Association. Cost of Community Violence to Hospitals and Health Systems, 2917. Web. 10 Januar y 2018. http://www.aha.org /content/17/ community-violence-report.pdf 4. United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Investigation. FBI Study on Active Shooter Incidents in the US, 2014. Web. 10 Januar y 2018. https://www.fbi. gov/news/stories/2014/september/fbi-releases-study-on-active-shooter-incidents 5. United States Department of Homeland Security. Active Shooter Preparedness. Web. 10 Januar y 2018. https://www.dhs.gov/active-shooter-preparedness 6. United States Department of Homeland Security. Active Shooter Preparedness. Web. 10 Januar y 2018. https://www.dhs.gov/active-shooter-workshop-participant 7. United States Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Workplace Violence Enforcement Standards, 2018. Web. 10 January 2018. https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/workplaceviolence/standards.html 8. Ibid. 9. United States Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA Penalties. 2018. Web. 10 Januar y 2018. https://www.osha.gov/penalties/ Workplace violence is a traumatic event that is occurring with increasing frequency in many organizations across the country.

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