Violence in the workplace

Overview

Workplace violence is violence or the threat of violence against workers. It can occur at or outside the workplace and can range from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and homicide.

You may never encounter aggressive or violent people where you work, but you should think seriously about the risk that something could happen. If you find yourself thinking, “It can’t happen here,” you should reconsider.

All available content

Publications

Brochures/Guides
- Workplace violence: Can it happen where you work?
  Defines workplace violence and gives preventative practices for employers and employees.
  English Order printed copy 01/02/2020
Fact sheets
- Lo que los empleadores necesitan saber sobre los peligros asociados con la falta de Vivienda
  What employers need to know about hazards associated with houselessness
  Oregón tiene una alta tasa de personas sin hogar y los empleadores deben seguir las reglas de OSHA de Oregón para proteger a sus empleados de los peligros relacionados.
  Spanish 02/15/2024
- What employers need to know about hazards associated with houselessness
  Employers must follow certain rules to protect their employees from exposure hazards such as bloodborne pathogens, needles, and human waste.
  English 02/01/2024

Education and training

Online course
- Violence Prevention Program online course
  During this course you will learn about methods to recognize, evaluate and respond to risk factors related to workplace violence.
  English Online course

Rules and rule-related

Oregon Revised Statutes

654.414 Duties of health care employer; security and safety assessment; assault prevention program; requirements
654.416 Required records of assaults against employees; contents; summary report; rules
654.418 Protection of employee of health care employer after assault by patient
654.421 Refusal to treat certain patients by home health care employee
654.423 Use of physical force by health care employee in self-defense against assault

Final Rules
- Division 1, 437-001-0704 through 437-001-0742, Reporting Fatalities and Injuries to Oregon OSHA
  Administrative Order 4-2023
Program Directives
- Local Emphasis Program (LEP): Hospitals and nursing and residential care facilities
  Purpose: This instruction describes policies and procedures for enforcement efforts to reduce occupational illness and injury in hospitals and nursing and residential care facilities in NAICS 622 Hospitals, 6231 Nursing Care Facilities, 6232 Residential Mental Retardation, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities, 6233 Community Care Facilities for the Elderly, and 6239 Other Residential Care Facilities that are on the A or B tier of the Safety and Health scheduling lists.
  A-284 11/08/2022
- Safety of Health Care Employees
  Purpose: This directive provides guidance to Oregon OSHA staff on the implementation of the laws and rules addressing the safety of healthcare employees and the requirement for recording health care assaults.
  A-267 05/19/2008
- Workplace Violence Incidents-Enforcement Procedures for Investigating or Inspecting
  Purpose: The purpose of this instruction is to provide general policies and procedures that apply when workplace violence is identified as a hazard while conducting an inspection at worksites in industries with a high incidence of workplace violence and when responding to complaints, referrals and accidents where workplace violence is an issue.
  A-283 05/31/2017

Video Resources

Borrow from the Resource Center

Violence in the Workplace
See available titles
Borrow DVDs about Violence in the Workplace from the Resource Center

Watch Online

Additional Resources

Preventing Workplace Violence in Healthcare - Federal OSHA

Workplace Violence Prevention Toolkit - Oregon DAS Risk Consulting Unit and State Agency Interest Group

Workplace Safety Violence Prevention Toolkit
A comprehesive toolkit from Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems to assist health care leadership and violence prevention committees

Highlights

Workplace violence – Can it happen where you work?