Homicide in the workplace in Ontario: occupations at risk and limitations of existing data sources

This study has identified workplace homicides in Ontario from 1975 to 1985, described those at risk, and examined what existing data sources are most suitable for locating the occurrence of these events. Homicides were identified from two sources: the Office of the Chief Coroner and the Ontario Mortality Database (OMDB). Of the 84 homicides identified, 87% occurred among males; the average annual work-related homicide rate was 0.17 per 100,000 workers, with a male-to-female ratio of 5.2:1. The rates in males were about one-eighth of those reported in California and Texas. The highest rates occurred among policemen, gas station attendants, security guards, and taxi drivers, and in restaurants and in certain retail operations such as jewelry stores. These homicides represented about 4% of all traumatic workplace fatalities. Firearms were responsible for 56% of these homicides and the motive was robbery in 50%. The OMDB proved to be an awkward source from which to identify such deaths because there is no "injury-at-work" field on death certificates. Other existing sources of data were not able to locate work-related homicides. Guidelines to protect those at high risk of assault and homicide should be developed.