Workplace violence is not limited to rare, headline-making events. It includes threats, harassment, intimidation, and physical assaults, and it happens in every industry: a waste collection driver confronted by an angry resident, a public works crew threatened at a job site, a field technician alone in a customer's home, a shop employee in a heated dispute with a coworker.
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, violence by another person is consistently one of the leading causes of workplace fatalities in the United States, and tens of thousands of workers lose time from work each year because of assaults. Many more incidents go unreported.
A written workplace violence prevention plan gives your organization a clear, consistent way to identify risks, prevent incidents, and respond when something happens. In some states, it is now the law.
What Counts as Workplace Violence?
OSHA describes workplace violence as any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior at the work site. Safety professionals commonly group it into four types.
The Four Types of Workplace Violence
A good plan addresses every type that could realistically affect your workforce, not just the most obvious one.
What the Law Requires
Federal Requirements
There is no federal OSHA standard specifically for workplace violence. However, OSHA can cite employers under the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act, which requires employers to keep the workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious harm. If violence is a known risk in your industry or at your site and you have not taken reasonable steps to address it, you may be exposed. OSHA also publishes voluntary guidelines for high-risk sectors such as healthcare, social services, and late-night retail.
California: SB 553
California became the first state to require a workplace violence prevention plan across nearly all industries. Under Labor Code section 6401.9, which took effect July 1, 2024, most California employers must:
- Have a written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP), either standalone or as part of their Injury and Illness Prevention Program.
- Identify and evaluate workplace violence hazards and correct them.
- Keep a violent incident log for every workplace violence incident.
- Train employees when the plan is first set up and annually after that.
- Keep records of hazard assessments, incident logs, and training.
Cal/OSHA is also required to adopt a general industry workplace violence standard by December 31, 2026, so California requirements may become more detailed.
New York: Retail Worker Safety Act
New York's Retail Worker Safety Act took effect March 4, 2025. It requires retail employers with at least 10 employees to adopt a written workplace violence prevention policy and provide training when employees are hired and annually after that. Larger retailers face additional requirements, such as silent response buttons. (See our guide to New York workplace safety laws.)
Other States and Industries
Many states have workplace violence laws for healthcare employers, and some cover public employers or other specific sectors. Check the rules in every state where you operate.
Key Elements of a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan
1. Management Commitment and Employee Involvement
The plan should name the people responsible for running it and state that leadership supports it. Involve employees in developing and reviewing the plan. Frontline workers know where the real risks are.
2. Clear Policy and Definitions
State your organization's position plainly. Most employers adopt a policy that prohibits threats, intimidation, harassment, and violence of any kind, and covers employees, contractors, customers, and visitors. Define what behaviors are covered and what the consequences are.
3. Hazard Assessment
Identify where and how violence could happen. Look at:
- Past incidents, near misses, and complaints.
- Jobs that involve handling cash, working alone, working late at night, or entering homes and private property.
- Interactions with the public that may become tense, such as enforcement, collections, service denials, or job site disputes.
- Building layout, lighting, access control, and parking areas.
Repeat the assessment at least annually and after any incident.
4. Prevention Controls
Use the hierarchy of controls, starting with the most effective options:
- Engineering controls: access control systems, locked doors, good lighting, security cameras, panic buttons, barriers at customer counters, and drop safes.
- Administrative controls: visitor sign-in procedures, check-in schedules for lone workers, two-person crews for high-risk tasks, cash handling limits, and policies for refusing service when a situation feels unsafe.
- Training: recognizing warning signs, de-escalation, and when to walk away.
5. Reporting Procedures
Employees must know how to report threats and incidents, and they must be confident they will not face retaliation. Offer more than one way to report, such as a supervisor, a hotline, or a mobile app. Make sure reports are taken seriously and followed up.
6. Emergency Response
Plan for how employees should respond to an active threat. Include evacuation routes, shelter locations, how to alert others, and how to contact law enforcement. Practice these procedures.
7. Post-Incident Response and Investigation
After an incident, provide medical care and support, such as access to an employee assistance program. Investigate to find the root cause, document what happened, and take corrective action to prevent it from happening again.
8. Recordkeeping and Review
Keep records of hazard assessments, incidents, investigations, corrective actions, and training. Review the plan at least once a year and after any serious incident.
Special Considerations for Field and Fleet Workers
Drivers, field technicians, inspectors, and crews working in public spaces face unique risks because they work alone or in unfamiliar places. Strong plans include:
- Check-in and check-out procedures for lone workers.
- GPS tracking and emergency alert features on mobile devices.
- Clear permission for workers to leave a site or skip a stop if they feel unsafe.
- Guidance on road rage and confrontations with other drivers.
- Procedures for reporting threatening customers so other crews can be warned.
How SMS360 Helps
SMS360 gives you the tools to run your workplace violence prevention program in one place. Use Incident Managementto keep a violent incident log and track investigations, Risk Assessment to document hazard assessments, Training Management to assign and record annual training, and the Document Library to store your written plan. Request a demoto see how it works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a workplace violence prevention plan required by OSHA?
Not by a specific federal standard. OSHA does not have a regulation that requires all employers to have a written workplace violence prevention plan. However, under the General Duty Clause, OSHA can cite employers who fail to address a recognized workplace violence hazard that is likely to cause death or serious harm, especially where feasible ways to reduce the risk exist. OSHA has used this authority in sectors such as healthcare and social services. State law may also require a plan. California requires most employers to have one under SB 553, and New York requires retail employers with 10 or more employees to have a workplace violence prevention policy. Even where it is not legally required, a written plan shows that you have taken reasonable steps to protect workers, which matters a great deal if an incident leads to an investigation or lawsuit.
What is a violent incident log?
A violent incident log is a record of every workplace violence incident, including threats, near misses, and actual assaults. California requires covered employers to keep one under SB 553. Each entry typically includes the date, time, and location of the incident, the type of violence, a description of what happened, the people involved by role rather than name, the consequences, and the steps taken in response. The log should not include personal identifying information about the employees involved. Even if your state does not require one, keeping a log is a best practice. It helps you see patterns, such as repeated threats at a particular site or from a specific type of customer interaction, so you can target prevention where it is needed most.
What training should employees receive?
Training should help employees recognize, prevent, and respond to workplace violence. At minimum, cover your written policy and plan, how to report incidents and concerns without fear of retaliation, the workplace violence hazards specific to their job, warning signs of potential violence, de-escalation techniques, and emergency response procedures, including how to get help and where to go. Supervisors need additional training on how to receive reports, respond to threats, and support affected employees. California requires training when the plan is first established and annually after that, and New York's retail law requires training at hire and annually. Make training interactive where possible, using scenarios that reflect what your employees actually face, such as an angry customer at a job site or a confrontation on a delivery route.
How should we handle a threat from an employee?
Take every threat seriously. Make sure anyone in immediate danger is safe and contact law enforcement if there is an immediate risk. Then document exactly what was said or done, when, and who witnessed it. Involve the right people, usually HR, security, management, and legal counsel, and consider forming a threat assessment team that can evaluate the situation consistently. Depending on the circumstances, actions may include separating the employee from the workplace while you investigate, restricting their access, offering support through an employee assistance program, and applying discipline under your policy. Avoid ignoring "jokes" or comments that would be alarming in another context. Communicate with affected employees about the steps you are taking to keep them safe, while respecting privacy.
Does a workplace violence plan need to cover remote and field workers?
Yes. Workplace violence can happen anywhere work happens, including customer sites, job sites, vehicles, and public roadways. Field and fleet workers often face higher risks because they work alone, enter private property, handle disputes with the public, or travel through unfamiliar areas. Your hazard assessment should look at these jobs specifically. Controls might include check-in procedures, mobile panic or emergency alert features, two-person crews for high-risk calls, flagging problem addresses or customers in your dispatch system, and clear permission to leave an unsafe situation without penalty. California's law includes some exemptions for employees working remotely from a location of their choosing, but that does not cover drivers or field crews who are working at locations the employer directs.
