Creating a safe place to work is the priority of nearly every company. Workers that feel safe have been shown to be more productive, possess higher employee morale, and have greater longevity with the company. But is your company doing everything it can to create a safe workplace? And how well do you really know the people you work with every day?

According to a recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 7,000 homicides occurred in the workplace from 1997 to 2007. While most of these occurred during the course of a robbery, more than 1,000 were committed by co-workers, former co-workers, acquaintances, and relatives.

In addition to the tragic loss of life, workplace violence in some cases forces companies to deal with a host of other difficult issues. According to the latest statistics from the Workplace Violence Research Institute, the costs of workplace violence to U.S. businesses are approximately $36 billion per year. These costs include workers compensation, psychiatric counseling for employees, loss of time and productivity, enhanced security, and resources committed to preventing future incidents.

Steps can be taken to help prevent workplace violence. Implementing an employment screening program can reveal violent tendencies in an applicant’s past. Programs such as criminal record and sex offender registry searches, employment verification, professional reference checks, and prohibited parties searches can expose violent acts, and help ensure that you are making an informed hiring decision.

See the latest data available on workplace violence from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.