Workplace violence is a hazard that exists in many different workplaces. Each year, employees are killed and injured as a result of a violent act that takes place at work.

Q: Do I have to develop a policy or plan on workplace violence?
A: It depends on the type of workplace. Employees in some industries, such as taxi cab drivers and late night retail employees are at a much higher risk of workplace violence.

Regulation & Policy

• Workplace Violence Policy - WISHA Regional Directive (WRD 5.05)
• Workplace violence in health care settings

Resources

These links will help you develop a program to prevent workplace violence.

• Workplace Violence: Awareness and Prevention for Employers and Employees. (2,112 KB PDF / 11 min) This guidebook can help employers and employees recognize acts of workplace violence, take steps to minimize workplace violence, and respond appropriately if it occurs. Includes a sample Workplace Violence Protection Program.

• Developing an Effective Violence Prevention Program. Oregon OSHA online training course. It is only available to Oregon residents for credit and feedback, but the information can be accessed by anyone for informational purposes only.
• NIOSH Releases Workplace Violence DVD - Link to online streaming video presented by NIOSH
• NIOSH Publication No. 2006-144: Workplace Violence Prevention Strategies and Research Needs - Report summarizing the discussions that took place during Partnering in Workplace Violence Prevention: Translating Research to Practice—a landmark conference held in Baltimore, Maryland, on November 15–17, 2004.

• "Preventing Violence in Health Care - Five Steps to an Effective Program"

  (Publication No. BK-34). This guide was recently published by the Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) of British Columbia, Canada. To order copies, contact:

Publications and Videos Section
Workers' Compensation Board of B.C.
P.O. Box 5350 Stn Terminal
Vancouver, BC
V6B 5L5, Canada

Phone:   604.276.3068
Fax:      604.279.7406
E-mail:   pubvid@wcb.bc.ca

• Robberies and Abusive Customers: Tips for Preventing Injuries (147 KB PDF / 1 min)
• Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention (SHARP) - Studies and statistics about workplace violence.
• Sample workplace violence prevention policy - for a health care facility.
  

Ask an Expert

• Email a Specialist - If you have questions about workplace violence prevention.