Disparities in work-related homicide rates in selected retail industries in the United States, 2003–2008

ProblemSegments within the retail industry have a substantially higher rate of work-related fatality due to workplace violence compared to the retail industry overall. Certain demographic subgroups may be at higher risk.MethodNational traumatic injury surveillance data were analyzed to characterize the distribution of fatality rates due to workplace violence among selected retail workers in the United States from 2003 through 2008.ResultsOverall, the highest fatality rates due to work-related homicide occurred among men, workers aged ≥ 65 years, black, Asian, foreign-born and Southern workers. Among foreign-born workers, those aged 16–24 years, non-Hispanic whites and Asians experienced substantially higher fatality rates compared to their native-born counterparts.ConclusionsThe burden of work-related homicide in the retail industry falls more heavily on several demographic groups, including racial minorities and the foreign-born. Further research should examine the causes of these trends. Interventions designed to prevent workplace violence should target these groups.

► Retail industries experience substantially higher work-related homicide rates
► We examined 6 years of occupational fatality surveillance data for United States
► Homicide rates were not uniformly distributed across demographic groups
► Men, racial minorities and foreign-born workers experience higher homicide rates
► Preventive interventions, including safety training, should target these groups