Premium
Societal cost of workplace homicides in the United States, 1992–2001
Author(s) -
Hartley Daniel,
Biddle Elyce A.,
Jenkins E. Lynn
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.20171
Subject(s) - homicide , medicine , occupational safety and health , earnings , environmental health , safer , poison control , injury prevention , census , psychological intervention , economic cost , suicide prevention , cost estimate , business , finance , population , economics , nursing , pathology , neoclassical economics , management , computer science , computer security
Background The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) reported 8,672 workplace homicide victims between 1992 and 2001. Although rarely calculated, cost estimates are important for prevention and research efforts. Methods Societal costs were estimated using the cost‐of‐illness approach applied to CFOI data. The cost calculation model incorporated medical expenses, future earnings summed from the year of death until the year the decedent would have been 67, and household production losses (includes activities such as child care and housework). Results Workplace homicide had a total cost of nearly $6.5 billion dollars and a mean cost of $800,000 between 1992 and 2001. The retail trade industry division had the highest number of homicides and total cost, $2.1 billion, for males and $556,000 for females. Conclusions Estimates of the cost of work‐related homicides can be used to improve occupational injury prevention and control program planning, policy analysis, evaluation of safety and health interventions, and advocacy for a safer work environment. Am. J. Ind. Med. 47:518–527, 2005. Published 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.