Violence

On this page:

• What is workplace violence?
• Risks related to workplace violence
• How to manage the risks
• Resources

What is workplace violence?

Work-related violence is any incident where someone is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work.

Violence is a threatened or enacted form of harm that can be physical and/or psychological. In a work context, it’s the most extreme form of unacceptable behaviour. It covers a broad range of behaviours that can create a risk to the health and safety of workers. Incidents of violence can be a singular occurrence or repeated.

Violence includes:

• verbal assaults or threats such as language that is offensive, degrading, humiliating or discriminatory and which might involve shouting
• throwing objects
• pushing, shoving, tripping or grabbing
• striking, kicking, scratching, biting, spitting or any other physical contact
• attacking with knives, guns, clubs or any other type of weapon
• intimidating behaviour that creates a fear of violence, such as stalking or sexual harassment, or threatening to do any of these acts
• hazing or initiation practices for new or young workers
• gendered violence where behaviour is directed at any person or affects a person because of their sex, gender or sexual orientation, or because they do not adhere to socially prescribed gender roles.

Work-related violence also includes threatening or intimidating behaviour which occurs in writing, via text message, social media or other forms of electronic communication.

Workers can be exposed to work-related violence from a range of people including:

• colleagues, supervisors/managers and other workers
• clients, customers, patients or people in custody
• people external to the organisation such as members of the public
• family and domestic violence where the perpetrator makes threat, intimidates or carries out acts of violence on a family member at the workplace, including working from home.

Workplace violence can occur in any industry or occupation however some experience acts of violence at higher rates. These include:

• Health care and social assistance sector such as doctors, nurses, ambulance officers, cashiers, welfare workers, and accommodation service workers.
• Public administration and safety sector such as police, prison officers and collection agency workers.
• Education and training sector such as teachers and other school-based staff.
• Retail trade such as shop assistants and support staff.
• Accommodation and food service sector such as security guards and bar staff.
• Transport, postal and warehousing sector such as delivery workers, bus drivers, truck drivers, customer facing workers and airline staff.

Risks related to workplace violence

Incidents of violence can result in physical and/or psychological injuries from:

• the work environment
• the work tasks and how they are carried out
• the way work is designed or managed.

Workers who experience violence may experience low confidence, low self-esteem, feelings of isolation and anxiety.

Prolonged, severe, and frequent exposure to violence in the workplace can have a negative effect on workers and lead to psychological injuries such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

It can also have social and economic costs for workers, their family and the business.

How to manage the risks

Employers/PCBUs

Under work, health and safety (WHS) laws, a person conducting a business of undertaking (PCBU) must take proactive steps to prevent workplace violence.

PCBUs must:

• Eliminate health and safety risks at work, including psychosocial risks. If PCBUs are unable to eliminate risks, they must be minimised so far as is reasonably practicable.
• Manage risks associated with workplace violence and consider applying the risk management process (PDF, 556.72 KB) to assist in meeting their duties. This process involves consulting with workers to identify, manage, control, and review risks related to the hazard.
• Identify and adopt effective control measures. Find information about how to do this on our psychosocial hazards page.

The Managing psychosocial hazards at work code of practice will help you meet your responsibilities under WHS laws in NSW.

PCBUs can find practical solutions to manage work-related violence in the Preventing and responding to work-related violence guide (PDF, 275.95 KB). It outlines PCBU and worker obligations in a risk management framework. It also provides information on risk control measures for the physical work environment and security, work systems and procedures, incident response, investigation and notification requirements.

PCBUs should assist all workers to understand, avoid and manage incidents of work-related violence. An outline of key topics that could be included is provided in the sample work-related violence staff training program below.

Workers

While at work, workers must:

• take reasonable care for their own psychological and physical health and safety
• take reasonable care to make sure what they do, or don’t do, does not adversely affect the health and safety of other persons
• comply with reasonable health and safety instructions, as far as they are reasonably able, and
• cooperate with reasonable health and safety policies or procedures, for example reporting workplace hazards and incidents.

Workers should report concerns to their employer if they experience harm related to workplace violence. This will ensure they get support and the PCBU can take action to address the risk.

Workers don’t need to disclose information to the workplace about any family or domestic violence, however workplaces are encouraged to have processes for the confidential reporting of hazards that may impact a person while they work. This can help with early detection and to manage the risk of family and domestic violence, particularly with workplaces that enable workers to work from home.

NSW Police should also be contacted in the event of a physical assault, robbery, sexual assault or threats of harm.

Examples of controls and actions

PCBUs must use the hierarchy of controls (PDF, 46.87 KB) and consider all relevant matters within Section 55D of the WHS Regulation 2025 when identifying appropriate control measures to eliminate and minimise the risk of workplace violence.

When choosing control measures you must consider all hazards present and how they may interact and combine.

Here are some examples of controls that can help minimise harm:

• Change the system of work and processes using technology to eliminate the risk of violence. For example, online complaint lodgement.
• Refuse entry and service to persons with a history of poor behaviour such as patrons at pubs or clients at gyms.
• Remove the motivation or incentive that may give rise to the risk of violence. For example, reduce cash held on premises and keep stock levels to a minimum.
• When building, designing, or modifying a workplace minimise opportunity for violence. For example, controlling access to the premises using electronically controlled doors and surveillance systems, separation of workers from the public (secure workstations, protective barriers, safe rooms), security card access for persons working alone at night, providing good lighting to improve visibility such as in car parks.
• Design work to minimise the need for workers to work alone (see remote and isolated work if workers are exposed to working alone).
• Foster a positive and respectful work culture where violence, aggression, harassment and bullying are not tolerated.
• Develop a system to assess and manage patient, client and customer needs with challenging behaviours of known history of violence. For example, student support plans and client risk management plans.
• Implement a process for the confidential reporting of domestic and family violence, outlining to workers how these types of incidents will be managed by the workplace.
• Provide information, instruction and training to workers who work with patients, clients and customer who pose a risk to their health and safety. For example, training on student and client risk management plans.
• Provide information, instruction and training to workers and managers specific to the types of violent hazards and situations they may encounter in your workplace. For example, training that covers specific violence controls relevant to your workplace, internal reporting and escalation processes to managers, procedures on how to report an incident, how to deal with difficult customers, de-escalation techniques and behavioural observations.
• Display signs at the workplace to deter violent behaviour. For example, a signs that state a zero tolerance of aggression and violence.
• Communicate workplace behaviour expectations to clients and customers and actions that may be taken should violence and aggression occur.
• Use equipment that may influence behaviour and support workplace policies and procedures, such as body-worn video cameras and CCTV which allow the recording of incidents for accountability and encourage good behaviour.
• Purchase equipment and clothing such as stab/bullet resistant vests, handheld shields, padded clothing wear physical restraint may be necessary and face shields where spitting or objects may be thrown.
• Improve communication mechanisms through fixed and personal duress systems. For example, radios/duress alarms attached to clothing (not around neck) and alarms at front customer counters.
• Provide post incident support to workers who may be regularly exposed to violence and aggression. For example, professional psychological support.

Note: These are examples only. You must consult with workers to identify and implement control measures that eliminate or minimise the risks in your workplace, so far as is reasonably practicable.

Resources

• Managing psychosocial hazards at work code of practice – SafeWork NSW. Practical guidance on complying with WHS laws, including how to identify and manage psychosocial risks in the workplace.
• Designing work to manage psychosocial risks – SafeWork NSW. Practical support and information for PCBUs on using work design to manage the risk of psychosocial hazards.
• Preventing and responding to work-related violence (PDF, 275.95 KB) – SafeWork NSW. Practical steps for identifying, preventing, and responding to incidents of work-related violence. It supports employers in creating safer workplaces through risk assessments, control measures, and clear reporting procedures.
• Managing the risk of violence and aggression in the workplace – SafeWork NSW. This short video highlights key strategies for managing violence and aggression at work. It’s a useful awareness tool for leaders and teams, reinforcing the importance of proactive risk management and respectful workplace culture.
• Lateral violence – SafeWork NSW. Explains lateral violence, harmful behaviours between colleagues, and its impact, particularly in Aboriginal communities. Offers guidance for recognising, addressing, and preventing lateral violence to foster respectful and inclusive environments.
• Psychosocial hazards – SafeWork NSW. Information about what psychosocial hazards are, their effects and how to manage them.
• Preventing workplace violence – information sheet for small business – Safe Work Australia. This resource helps small businesses understand and manage the risks of workplace violence. It outlines practical steps for prevention, response, and compliance with WHS duties, tailored to the needs and capacities of smaller organisations.
• Family and Domestic violence at work – information sheet – Safe Work Australia. Guidance for employers on recognising and responding to the impacts of family and domestic violence in the workplace. It includes strategies for supporting affected workers and creating a safe, respectful work environment.
• Managing cash in transit security risks – Safe Work Australia. A comprehensive guide for businesses handling cash in transit, offering strategies to identify and control security risks. It covers planning, staff training, equipment use, and emergency procedures to ensure safe operations and protect workers.
• Psychosocial hazards request for service form – SafeWork NSW. Use this form to request assistance from SafeWork NSW. This can be useful if your business/workplace doesn’t have processes for you to report workplace conflict or you have reported it internally and no action is being taken.
• Psychosocial hazards service standards – SafeWork NSW. Information about what you can expect from SafeWork NSW, and what we expect from you when you raise a psychosocial hazard issue.