Workplace violence is not limited to physical assault. Threats, intimidation, and verbal abuse can also put employees at risk, and effective prevention depends on identifying who may pose a threat and how workers may be exposed. The risks differ when violence involves a stranger, a customer, a coworker, or someone with a personal relationship to an employee.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 470 workers died as a result of workplace homicides in the United States in 2024. This figure represents fatalities, not the number of separate incidents or the full scope of workplace violence, which also includes threats, intimidation, verbal abuse, and nonfatal assaults.
Employers have a legal and ethical responsibility to provide a safe workplace for their employees. A workplace violence prevention program should connect hazard assessments, employee reporting, training, and emergency procedures to the risks employees actually face.
What Does OSHA Require for Workplace Violence?
Federal OSHA has no specific workplace violence standard. However, the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) addresses recognized serious hazards through its General Duty Clause. Section 5(a)(1) states that each employer "shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm."
OSHA may cite an employer for a recognized workplace violence hazard when there is a feasible way to reduce it and the other General Duty Clause criteria are met. OSHA recommends prevention programs that combine engineering controls, administrative controls, and training; its guidance does not create a separate federal workplace violence standard.
What are the 4 Types of Workplace Violence?
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), workplace violence is categorized into four types:
Criminal Intent (Type I)
Criminal intent involves perpetrators who have no legitimate relationship with the business or its employees. In these cases, the primary motive is often theft or other criminal activities. This type of violence can occur in various settings, such as robberies and trespassing.
Customer/Client (Type II)
Customer/client violence occurs when the perpetrator has a legitimate relationship with the business and becomes violent while being served by the business. This type is common in service-oriented industries, including:
- Healthcare: Patients or their family members may become aggressive towards healthcare providers.
- Social Services: Clients receiving services may lash out at social workers or other staff.
- Retail: Customers may become violent towards employees over disputes or dissatisfaction with services or products.
Worker-on-Worker (Type III)
Worker-on-worker violence involves an employee or former employee who attacks or threatens another employee. NIOSH uses “lateral” and “horizontal” violence to describe harmful behavior between coworkers, including bullying and verbal or emotional abuse. Worker-on-worker violence can occur between peers or across supervisory levels.
Personal Relationship (Type IV)
Personal relationship violence occurs when the perpetrator has a personal relationship with the intended victim but no relationship with the business or workplace itself. This type of violence is often an extension of domestic violence or personal conflicts that intrude into the workplace, posing significant risks to both the targeted employee and their colleagues. For example, an abuser might arrive at the workplace and threaten an employee, putting coworkers at risk as well.
These four types can help employers select appropriate prevention measures. Criminal-intent risks (Type I) may call for cash-handling and access controls. Customer or client violence (Type II) requires safeguards tailored to public-facing services. Worker-on-worker threats (Type III) require clear reporting and response procedures. Personal relationship violence (Type IV) may require coordinated access restrictions and individual safety planning.
How to Prevent Workplace Violence?
Preventing workplace violence requires a comprehensive and proactive approach that encompasses several proactive strategies:
Train Employees
Training programs should teach employees to recognize and report threats, intimidation, and other concerning behavior without treating stress or a change in behavior alone as proof that someone is dangerous. Additionally, training should include de-escalation techniques and conflict resolution skills to help employees manage potentially volatile situations effectively. Training should also explain when to disengage, move to safety, and seek emergency help instead of attempting de-escalation.
Bystander training should explain how to report concerns and support colleagues without putting employees in danger. Mental health resources can support employee well-being, but seeking help does not mean someone poses a violence risk.
Create Effective Communication
Promoting open communication and mutual respect between employees and management can prevent misunderstandings and reduce tensions. Employers should address employee concerns promptly and fairly to build trust and a supportive work environment. An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can offer confidential counseling and support for personal or work-related concerns.
Conduct Risk Assessments
Workplace violence risk assessments should identify conditions and work activities that could expose employees to threats, assaults, or other violent incidents. These assessments should evaluate the physical environment, work processes, and interpersonal dynamics to pinpoint vulnerabilities. Based on the findings, employers can implement appropriate security measures, such as improving lighting, installing surveillance systems, and controlling access to the workplace.
Look for specific exposures: employees working alone or late, handling cash, or dealing with visitors in areas with unrestricted access. Match controls to those exposures, such as check-in procedures for isolated work, reduced cash on hand, and controlled visitor entry. Review whether employees can reach help and leave the area safely.
Use Background Checks Appropriately
Background checks may be appropriate for certain positions, but they cannot predict or prevent all workplace violence. Employers should use job-related screening criteria, apply them consistently, and avoid discriminatory exclusions. When an employer obtains a report from a background reporting company, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) generally requires a standalone written disclosure and written permission. Before taking adverse action based on the report, the employer must provide a copy of it and a summary of FCRA rights. If adverse action follows, the employer must also provide the required adverse-action notice.
Establish a Safe Space for Reporting
Employers should identify who receives reports of threats or violence and provide an alternate contact, such as HR or another manager, when the immediate supervisor is involved. Reports should record what happened, when and where it occurred, and any witnesses. Explain that information will be shared only as needed to assess and address the concern; do not promise absolute confidentiality.
If there is immediate danger, move to safety and call 911 when safe to do so, following the site’s emergency procedures. Routine reporting must not delay emergency help. Employees should not be expected to confront or physically intervene with a threatening person.
Forming a workplace violence committee can provide ongoing oversight and support for these initiatives, ensuring they remain effective and responsive to emerging risks.
For example, a useful report might state that a coworker blocked the exit during an argument, record the words used, and identify who witnessed it. It should also note whether the person is still present and what immediate safety action was taken. If the supervisor is involved, the employee should use the alternate reporting contact. Record observations rather than guessing the person’s motives or medical condition.
Develop a Zero-Tolerance Policy
Developing and enforcing a zero-tolerance policy towards workplace violence is another key strategy. This policy should clearly define acceptable and unacceptable behaviors, outline the consequences for violations, and be communicated effectively to all employees. The policy should apply consistently to employees, contractors, customers, clients, and visitors, with procedures for assessing reported behavior, addressing immediate risks, and determining appropriate corrective action.
Workplace Violence Employee Rights
Employees have the right to raise workplace safety concerns with their employer or OSHA without retaliation. They can also file a safety and health complaint with OSHA. State laws may provide additional protections and impose more specific prevention requirements.
In California, Labor Code section 6401.9 has required covered general-industry employers to maintain a written workplace violence prevention plan since July 1, 2024. Cal/OSHA enforces these requirements, which include employee involvement, initial and annual training, a violent incident log, recordkeeping, and review of the prevention plan at least annually and after workplace violence incidents. Coverage is subject to specific exemptions; healthcare locations covered by California’s separate workplace violence standard follow that standard instead.
Employees covered by section 6401.9 can obtain the written plan and specified records and report workplace violence concerns without retaliation. Employers should check the requirements that apply to each location rather than treating one state’s plan as a nationwide compliance checklist.
Workplace Violence Prevention Plan
A workplace violence prevention plan should reflect the hazards, work areas, and operations at the site. The following are general program elements, not a complete checklist for every jurisdiction:
- Assigning responsibility for implementing the plan and receiving reports, including backup coverage
- Engaging employees and their representatives in the process
- Receiving and addressing reports of workplace violence, with protections against retaliation and a process for communicating follow-up
- Keeping employees informed about workplace violence hazards and the measures taken to address them
- Handling real and potential emergency situations
- Creating and delivering comprehensive training programs
- Identifying and assessing workplace violence hazards, assigning corrective actions, and checking that those actions are completed
- Investigating incidents, reviewing whether controls worked, and updating the plan and training when needed
Effective workplace violence prevention depends on identifying site-specific hazards, implementing appropriate controls, training employees, maintaining reliable reporting channels, and reviewing incidents to strengthen the prevention program. By promoting a culture of safety and upholding employee rights related to workplace violence, employers can establish a safer and more supportive work environment.
FAQs About Workplace Violence
What is considered workplace violence?
Workplace violence includes any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site. It ranges from verbal abuse to physical assaults and even homicide.
What is the most common cause of workplace violence?
There is no single cause that explains workplace violence across all settings. Risk factors include working alone, exchanging money with the public, and providing services or care. Personal disputes can also extend into the workplace. Assess the actual worksite and reported behavior rather than assuming stress is the cause.
What are the three levels of hostile behavior?
The U.S. Department of Labor’s workplace violence program describes three levels: early warning signs, escalation, and further escalation that usually requires an emergency response. Examples in that framework include:
Level 1: Early warning signs, such as bullying, intimidation, or verbal abuse.
Level 2: Escalation, such as statements about wanting to hurt someone or threatening messages.
Level 3: Further escalation, such as physical fighting, property destruction, or using a weapon to harm others.
This is a guidance model, not a universal legal classification or a prediction that someone will become violent. A situation may require emergency action without passing through each level. If there is immediate danger, move to safety and call 911 when safe to do so; do not wait to assign a level.
| Comparison | Four workplace violence types | DOL three-level framework |
|---|---|---|
| Basis | Relationship between the perpetrator and the workplace or employee | Observed behavior and the response a situation may require |
| Categories | Criminal intent; customer/client; worker-on-worker; personal relationship | Early warning signs; escalation; further escalation usually requiring emergency response |
| Use | Identify the source of exposure when assessing hazards and controls | Help recognize concerning behavior and plan a response |
| Limitation | A type does not indicate severity or urgency | A level is not a prediction or a required sequence before emergency action |
Are employers liable for workplace violence?
Employers can face OSHA citations for failing to address recognized serious workplace violence hazards when the General Duty Clause criteria are met. Whether an employer also faces civil liability depends on the facts and applicable law; a violent incident alone does not establish liability.
What is the punishment for workplace violence?
Punishments for workplace violence can vary widely depending on the severity of the incident and jurisdiction. They can range from disciplinary actions such as termination of employment to criminal charges, including fines and imprisonment, for perpetrators of violence. Employers failing to provide a safe workplace can face fines and other penalties from regulatory bodies like OSHA.
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