EnglishHazard: Work-related violence
Any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work.
Can include verbal abuse or threats as well as physical attacks.
In the UK, in 2017-2018, there were 694,000 incidents of violence at work for adults of working age in employment, 374,000 adults experienced violence at work.
Work-related violence can occur in any workplace, but the risks are higher in certain sectors for example in protective services (for example, police), transport, health, retail and leisure. This is linked to dealing with difficult members of the public or service users.
Some groups of workers may be a more risk than others – for example:
- young workers, trainees or temporary workers who lack experience and training
- lone workers who lack immediate protection from colleagues
- night workers – particularly in licensed premises where alcohol is consumed
- workers who handle large amounts of cash
Controls: Work-related violence
Control measures could include:
- improving the design of buildings to create a more calming environment
- giving staff training and information on how to deal with potentially difficult situations
- redesigning work tasks and reducing the handling of cash
You should always report violence, including verbal abuse, harassment and bullying, to your supervisor who should record and investigate the incident.