Environmental Risk Factors
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Environmental risk factors are those that are attributable to the layout, design, and amenities of the physical workspace. Environmental risks fall into four categories and include factors that:
- Provide opportunity to gain access or avoid detection such as unmonitored entries or stairwells, insufficient lighting, blind corners, unsecured rooms or closets.
- Increase stress such as signage that is confusing, poor weather conditions, difficulty parking or accessing a building, insufficient heat or air conditioning, and disturbing noise levels.
- Provide opportunities to be used as weapons such as unsecured furniture, fixtures, decorative items, office or medical supplies.
- Limit staff's ability to appropriately respond to violent incidents such as the lack of security systems, alarms, or devices.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE - Checklist for identifying environmental risk factors for violence