Violence at work
Any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work, including physical and verbal attacks. Employers must assess and control the risk of work-related violence.
Also known as
By jurisdiction
UK HSE
“work-related violence”SharedHSWA 1974 section 2 and MHSWR 1999 regulation 3 require employers to assess and manage all risks to employees, including the risk of violence from clients, customers or members of the public. HSE defines work-related violence as any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work.
Irish HSA
“work-related violence”SharedThe Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 section 8 requires employers to manage all risks including the risk of violence. HSA guidance addresses the assessment and management of work-related violence, particularly for workers in high-risk sectors such as healthcare, retail and transport.
US OSHA
“workplace violence”SharedOSHA addresses workplace violence through guidance and General Duty Clause citations. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.151 (medical services) and sector-specific guidelines for healthcare (1910.303a) address violence risk. OSHA has proposed but not yet finalized a workplace violence prevention standard for healthcare and social service workers.
Practitioner note: Risk assessment must consider third-party violence from clients, patients and members of the public.