are a growing concern for US corporations and their insurance companies, many of which are based in Bermuda.

Homicide is now the number one cause of death in the workplace in New York City, said Mr. Warren Miller, a casualty loss control specialist with Kemper National Insurance Companies.

And a study during the 1980s showed that violence was the third leading cause of death in the workplace nationally and the number one cause of death in women.

Mr. Miller, who hosted a RIMS seminar on Violence in the Workplace, said: "This is a growing problem throughout the country.'' Most work-related deaths are related to robberies, followed by attacks by disgruntled employees and domestic violence that spills over into the workplace, said Mr. Miller.

"If anyone is aware that a member of staff has a grudge against a boss then they should report it immediately,'' he said. "This could help prevent the situation deteriorating to a more serious level.'' Cases abound of unhappy current and former employees taking our their problems through violence against company bosses.

In Tampa, Florida, a man wearing a business suit killed three people when he shot at his former bosses in an office building cafetaria while shouting: "This is what you all get for firing me.'' In Los Angeles, a disgruntled former hospital patient shot and seriously wounded three doctors after receiving what he perceived as poor medical treatment.

As more and more people are laid off to accommodate new technology, the threat of this sort of violence is increasing, said Mr. Miller.

Most deaths in the workplace, though, come about due to a lethal combination of three ingredients -the presence of cash, an isolated business location and a business which deals directly with the public.

Fast-food restaurants, garage service stations and grocery stores, the last two which have featured in recent Bermuda robberies, are classic targets, said Mr. Miller. "There have been several incidents where people working in these types of situations have been killed,'' he said.

Mr. Miller recommended that management adopt strict guidelines for staff to follow when threatened by violence so they will be less inclined to panic and will be able to reduce the scale of an incident.

"If employees are suddenly encountered by someone with a weapon what are they supposed to do?,'' he said. "This applies to Bermuda or anywhere else, as well as the US.

"There should be a laid out procedure of whether they call the Police, a supervisor or whatever.''