SAMPLE PROJECT JUSTIFICATION

The purpose of this project is to examine the personal perceptions and safety concerns of workers in assumed low-risk

organizations. While high-risk organizations and professions, such as policing (Chappell & Di Martino, 2006), have been identified

and studied in previous research, there is a lack of knowledge about the personal points-of-view of workers in assumed low-risk

organizations regarding safety issues. The broad topic of workplace violence has received attention, including from the government,

but assumed low-risk environments are not the focus of that attention. Instead, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration

(OSHA), while acknowledging that workplace violence occurs in all industries, is currently focusing on workplace violence issues

regarding those in healthcare and social assistance jobs (Association of Safety Engineers, 2017).

As society faces increased threats regarding workplace violence, the types of organizations that are now at risk are changing.

Years ago, people would not believe that children could be attacked while in the safety of their school (Chappell & Di Martino, 2006).

“Just a few decades ago, the very notion that children would be murdered in their schools by other children was unthinkable” (Ruffini,

2006, p. 159). The results of this project may provide insight into workers’ perceptions of safety in currently assumed low-risk

environments such as libraries and coffee shops, which are other environments that are typically considered safe by the general public.

With the changes regarding what organizations are at-risk, understanding workers’ perceptions of safety is beneficial to leaders in

organizations because safety concerns have the potential to impact both the professional and personal needs of employees.

The justification statement should
convey the relevance of the over-

arching topic in which the
proposed research study is

grounded. The recommended
length is 2 to 3 paragraphs.

Introduce the over-arching topic.

Explain the research focus and its relationship to the
discipline or field of study that supports the need to

conduct the proposed study.

According to Jain et al. (2012), major areas of concern in the workplace include stress, violence, and bullying. “At the organizational

level, work stress can lead to a deteriorated work climate, and can have an impact on product and service quality as well as the image

of the organization” (Jain et al., 2012, p. 326). The exposure to stress in the workplace could lead to negative effects in an individuals’

mental and physical health, as well as organizations’ overall productivity and effectiveness.

The data collected through this project have the potential to be used to raise awareness of worker concerns in assumed low-risk

environments, and to provide information for organizations to use in an effort to create or improve

prevention plans and trainings regarding workplace violence. In so doing, assumed low-risk environments

could potentially avoid becoming higher risk, as happened previously with schools (Chappell & Di

Martino, 2006). Furthermore, the project results may provide organizations with information that potentially

can be used to address the mental health needs of employees in assumed low-risk environments.

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study project is to examine employees’ personal perceptions regarding

potential workplace violence occurring in organizations where an overall expectation of safety is generally

present. Data will be collected through an online survey, followed by personal phone interviews with participants

who are interested in providing further information. Specifically, the project will focus on 125 employees of the

Pueblo City-County Library District, located in Pueblo, Colorado. The libraries are located throughout different

areas of the city and county, and represent a variety of demographics, allowing the results of the project to

Describe the issue, situation, problem, or opportunity that
supports the need to implement the study.

Explain how the outcome of
your study will benefit

practitioners and scholars.

The purpose statement
should describe the focus,

approach, scope, and
intended outcomes. It

must align with the
justification statement.

The recommended length
is 1 paragraph.

potentially be generalized to similar assumed low-risk organizations throughout the United States. In regard to specific intended

outcomes, the data collected from this project may provide the Pueblo City-County Library District with information that could

potentially assist them in more effectively recognizing, understanding, and addressing their employees’ mental health needs and

concerns regarding safety in their assumed low-risk work environments. This insight into worker safety perceptions may

potentially assist the Pueblo City-County Library District in creating or improving workplace violence prevention and

preparedness trainings. The results of this project may also be beneficial to other assumed low-risk organizations, by

potentially heightening the awareness for the possibility of workplace violence in organizations where this is not

typically considered. This awareness may lead to better workplace violence prevention and incident readiness through

the creation or improvement of policies, procedures, and trainings in these types of organizations.

Importance of the Project

This project represents a unique approach to the broad topic of workplace violence by focusing on a demographic previously

underrepresented in research: workers in assumed low-risk environments. Understanding the viewpoints of workers in these

environments is important, as workplace violence continues to be an issue throughout the country. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

(2016) stated that the number of fatal work injuries in 2015, the most recent statistics available, is 4,836. Of these 4,836 fatalities, 417

were workplace homicides. “Workplace homicides rose by 2% to 417 cases in 2015, with shootings increasing by

15%, the first increase since 2012” (Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Summary, para. 8). While researchers

continue to examine workplace violence, information in the specific areas of assumed low-risk organizations and the mental

The recommended length of the importance of
the project section is 1 to 2 paragraphs. Describe how

your approach is
unique.

Cite sources to
reinforce the
importance of

the study.

Explain how the
intended outcomes

of the project
could be used to

advance
knowledge,

understanding, or
practice in the field

of study.

health needs of employees in regard to potential versus actual incidents of workplace violence is lacking or outdated.

For example, the most current workplace violence survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics was conducted in

2005. The 36-question survey was completed by employees in a variety of industries and included only one question which

could be related to the mental health and well-being of employees; furthermore, the survey was completed by representatives of the

organizations rather than the employees themselves (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2006). Howard (2011) referred to the research gap in

this area, stating that the there is a need for organizations to consider employee perspectives while creating policies on workplace

violence. This project will address these gaps by discovering the personal perceptions and safety concerns of employees in

assumed low-risk environments, which will add to the existing theoretical knowledge regarding workplace violence.

The results of this project are important to practitioners and organizations because they may provide insight into

workers’ perspectives and mental health needs regarding safety in assumed low-risk environments, where safety concerns regarding

workplace violence may not otherwise be considered. The project allows participants to share their perspectives anonymously.

Geoffrion et al. (2015) explained that “No matter how much an organization is perceived as trying to counter violence, the majority of

workers still fear the stigma generated by complaining about workplace violence” (p. 210). Therefore, anonymity provides a way for

employees to share their concerns about workplace violence without fearing any type of retribution. This is important, because if

employees are not comfortable, they may not report concerns. Underreporting, according to Arnetz et al. (2015) may

be detrimental to efforts intended to prevent violence. The collected data can potentially be used by organizations in

assumed low-risk environments to create or improve policies, procedures, and trainings. Overall, the project has

Identify any gaps
to be addressed
by the project.

Identify how
results may

contribute to
theory or
practice.

Describe the
implications of the

study to scholars and
practitioners.

the potential to heighten awareness for the need to better prepare for possible incidents of workplace violence in any environment. The

project is also important to researchers and scholars, as the collected data will potentially provide a foundation for further research on

the topic of workers in assumed low-risk environments, a previously underrepresented demographic.

Proposed Project Approach

This project will focus on the perceptions and safety concerns of workers in assumed low-risk

environments. The project will be conducted in three parts. Part one will be completed prior to data

collection, and will include the writing of an Introduction to explain the project, a Literature Review to

synthesize relevant research, and a Project Plan/Methodology that will include an outline of how the project

will be conducted.

Part two of the project will focus on data collection. The personal responses of approximately 125 public library workers

throughout Pueblo, Colorado will be solicited through an anonymous online survey. Because this project is utilizing a qualitative

method, a field test will be conducted for face validation, prior to the distribution of the survey to participants. The field test will be

conducted with workers who are not connected to the project. Furthermore, the Pueblo City-County Library District Executive

Director will also review the survey questions for face validation, prior to the survey being conducted. Participants who would like to

share information beyond the survey will be given the option to speak with the researcher in a personal follow-up phone interview.

This will be a semi-structured interview (Leedy & Ormrod, 2013), which will allow the researcher to ask additional questions to gain

clarification or further information from participants’ answers. Data analysis will also be conducted during this part of the project.

The proposed project approach
should describe the approach for

the project, including how the
project will be conceptualized,

organized, and implemented. The
recommended length is 2 to 3

paragraphs.

Discuss any proposed data collection
methodologies and instrumentation, as well as

the study population, as appropriate.

Part three of the project will be a final write-up of the project results and researcher recommendations that are based upon the

findings of the collected data, overall project research, and the accumulated learning from the researcher’s academic program. The

results and recommendations developed through the project can be used by organizations to improve or create policies, procedures,

and trainings regarding workplace violence, and to address the mental health needs associated with employees’ safety concerns. The

results can also be used by scholars and practitioners as foundational data regarding workers in assumed low-risk environments.

Over-arching Study Question(s)/Statement of Project Intent

The following four over-arching questions will be addressed through this project.

Describe how the project
outcomes will be achieved.

Present the over-arching
study question(s) or

statement of project intent to
be addressed. This section

should be consistent with the
proposed purpose and

approach. If hypotheses will
be tested, also include the

specific quantitative research
questions and hypotheses.

References

Arnetz, J. E., Hamblin, L., Ager, J., Luborsky, M., Upfal, M. J., Russell, J., & Essenmacher, L. (2015). Underreporting of workplace

violence: Comparison of self-report and actual documentation of hospital incidents. Workplace Health & Safety, 63(5), 200-
210. https://doi.org/10.1177/2165079915574684

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2006). Survey of workplace violence prevention, 2005. https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osnr0026.pdf

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2016). Census of fatal occupational injuries summary, 2015.

https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.nr0.htm

Chappell, D. & Di Martino, V. (2006). Violence at work (3rd ed.). International Labour Organization.

Geoffrion, S., Lanctôt, N., Marchand, A., Boyer, R., & Guay, S. (2015). Predictors of trivialization of workplace violence among

healthcare workers and law enforcers. Journal of Threat Assessment and Management, 2(2-4), 195-213.
https://doi.org/10.1037/tam0000048

Howard, J. L. (2011). Employee perceptions of perpetrators and acts of workplace violence in colleges and universities. Journal of

Applied Social Psychology, 41(5), 1034-1058. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2011.00746.x

Jain, A., Saeed, K., Arnaout, S., & Kortum, E. (2012). The psychosocial environment at work: An assessment of the World Health
Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 18(4), 325-331.
https://doi.org/10.26719/2012.18.4.325

Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, J. E. (2013). Practical research: Planning and design (5th ed.). Pearson.

Ruffini, J. A. (2006). When terror comes to Main Street: A citizen’s guide to terror awareness, preparedness and prevention.
Archangel Group.

Add a references list formatted in APA
Style. Include a minimum of 10 sources.

American Society of Safety Engineers. (2017). OSHA considers workplace violence standard for healthcare sector. Professional
Safety, 62(3), 14.