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February 2012, Vol. 135, No. 2
On guard against workplace hazards
William J. Wiatrowski
William J. Wiatrowski is an economist in the Office of Compensation and Working Conditions at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Email: wiatrowski.william@bls.gov.
Security guards face a variety of workplace hazards that can lead to injury, illness, or death.
Many of us interact with security guards every day—at work, at the mall, or even when we attend our favorite sporting event. Most of the time, security guards are part of the nearly invisible infrastructure of our lives; they check our identification or scan our bags as we pass them with nonchalance or politeness or annoyance. Security guard safety is perhaps far from our thoughts until a high-profile tragedy makes the news. One such incident took place in June 2009 at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, DC, when a security guard was shot and killed while at his post at the main entrance of the museum. The incident highlighted the safety risks security guards face on a daily basis.1
1 Details about the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum shooting, which occurred on June 10, 2009, are available through a variety of media reports. For example, see "Guard killed during shooting at Holocaust museum," CNN.com, http://edition.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/06/10/museum.shooting/index.html.
Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities
Nonfatal injuries and illnesses in State and local government workplaces in 2008.—Feb. 2011.
Fatal occupational injuries at road construction sites, 2003–07—Nov. 2010.
Fatal occupational injuries at road construction sites.—Dec. 2004.
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