Training aims to educate small businesses on safety in violent situations

Education and creating a conversation about safety were the goals of Manatee County Sheriff’s Deputy Yvonne Daniels for her presentation Tuesday night.

About a dozen people gathered at the sheriff’s office for the free informational presentation that discussed signs and types of workplace violence, along with a presentation on what to do in an active-shooter situation.

The training course is just one of several the sheriff’s office offers for free to educate residents. Other programs include information on identity theft, personal safety, robbery prevention, safety in the home and on the street as well as marine safety.

“Preparation. It is the key. I think that a lot of times we become kind of complacent in our everyday pursuits, and we sometimes don’t think about things that might occur in the workplace,” Daniels said.

Tuesday’s session was the first training held during the evening. Most often, presentations are conducted at businesses during the day.

Daniels’ goal is not only to make sure participants learn about safety and preparation but also to inspire a dialogue about safety.

For Cheryl Miller, who attended Tuesday’s training, it did just that. After the session, Miller said she’s thinking differently.

“I’m going to talk to my boss and see if somebody would come into our office that was flipping out, how would we handle it? What’s our plan? How do we protect ourselves or another client that might walk in,” Miller said.

In the small business session, Daniels said 97 percent of workplace violence is non-fatal, but even non-fatal events can lead to violence. One issue, Daniels noted, is that people don’t report violence in the workplace because they’re nervous.

She noted that even if someone is not a direct victim of the violence, others in the workplace are still victims because they may have witnessed or were affected in some way by the violence.

One of the key messages of the night was: “If you see something, say something.” Daniels encouraged those in attendance to keep a log of possible workplace violence indicators, like aggressive behavior, and pay attention to the signs.

“When people snap, they don’t just wake up and snap. Usually, there’s a progression, unless drugs or mental health concerns are involved,” Daniels said.

In the active-shooter portion of the training, Daniels showed the group a video about how to stay alive in an active-shooter scenario. The video encouraged people to get out, and if they can’t, secure the location and defend themselves.

Several attendees asked questions, specifying their own work environment or policies and what they can do to improve workplace safety. Daniels gave them tips for safety in small offices and reminded them to call 911 in emergencies.

This story was originally published April 26, 2017 at 8:34 AM with the headline "Training aims to educate small businesses on safety in violent situations."