What counts as violence at work? More than most people think. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) defines work-related violence as “any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work” — so verbal abuse and threats, whether face to face, online or by phone, count as well as physical attacks. Employers have a legal duty to assess and control that risk like any other. Yet only physical violence that causes death, a specified injury or more than seven days off normal duties has to be reported to HSE under RIDDOR. And a fight between two colleagues over a personal matter does not fall within HSE’s definition at all.
At a glance: Nexis CPD’s £9 Violence at Work course covers why verbal abuse and threats matter, who is at risk, the employer’s duty to assess and control the risk, common causes and triggers, recognising warning signs, and environmental and procedural controls. It is CPD accredited and 100% online with a verifiable e-certificate, and any three courses cost £18. It is awareness training — it does not teach physical intervention or restraint, and it is not a regulated qualification.
What is the definition of violence at work?
HSE’s guidance, How employers can protect workers from violence and aggression at work, defines work-related violence as:
“Any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work.”
HSE stresses that this can include:
- verbal abuse or threats, including face to face, online and via telephone
- physical attacks.
It usually means violence from members of the public, customers, clients, patients, service users and students towards a person at work. For violence to be work-related, HSE says it “must be in connection with the work activity”. Its examples of what is not included are:
- personal disputes between workers and other people, such as family members
- violence between people not at work, such as customers or service users.
HSE also says it is not the primary authority for bullying, harassment or domestic abuse in the workplace, and points to Acas and GOV.UK for those. Conduct between colleagues is usually handled under employment law — see our guide to whether bullying at work is illegal.
Is verbal abuse at work classed as violence?
Yes, under HSE’s definition. Many workplaces still treat shouting, swearing and threats from customers as “part of the job”, recording only physical assaults. HSE takes the opposite view. It says that as well as physical harm, “serious or persistent verbal abuse or threats can also have a serious effect on a worker’s mental health”, and that violence can cause stress, mental health conditions, disability or death — affecting witnesses as well as the person targeted.
HSE also spells out the cost to the business: more sickness absence, poor morale, a damaged reputation, difficulty recruiting and keeping staff, and higher insurance premiums and compensation payments. Its training guidance lists “understanding that it should not be accepted as part of the job” as one of the basics staff should be taught.
What does the law say about violence at work?
There is no single “violence at work” law in Great Britain. Instead, as HSE puts it on its page on what the law says, “health and safety law applies to risks from work-related violence, just as it does to other risks from work.” The main duties come from:
- The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 — employers must ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of workers, which HSE says “includes protecting them from work-related violence”. Every business must have a policy for managing health and safety.
- The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 — employers must assess risks to workers, “including the risk of work-related violence”, appoint competent people, set up emergency procedures, provide information and training, and cooperate with other employers sharing the workplace.
- RIDDOR 2013 — certain violent incidents must be reported to HSE (see below).
- The Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 and the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996 — employers must consult workers or their representatives on health and safety, including violence.
Workers have duties too. HSE says they must use the information and training they have been given and report dangerous situations or failings in health and safety arrangements.
“So far as reasonably practicable” matters. HSE explains that it means balancing the level of risk against the measures needed to control it “in terms of money, time or trouble”. A late-night convenience shop, a hospital emergency department and a small accountancy office will need very different controls.
How do you carry out a violence at work risk assessment?
A violence risk assessment follows the same basic approach as any other — see our guide to risk assessment. HSE’s guidance on assessing the risks stresses a point that is easy to miss: “A risk assessment alone will not reduce the occurrence of work-related violence, but the actions you take following on from it should.”
1. Identify the hazards
HSE says hazards include “both verbal and online abuse, and physical assault”. Its tips for finding them are to:
- ask workers about their experiences, through supervisors, managers, safety representatives or a survey
- look around the workplace, including how people work and their working environment
- look back at incident records on work-related violence
- check whether there is a known pattern of violence linked to certain work situations — professional organisations and trade unions may have useful information.
2. Decide who might be harmed and how
Consider how likely harm is and how serious it could be, and whether some workers face different or additional risk. HSE highlights lone workers, who may lack nearby support, and says “new starters, trainees and other vulnerable workers are also often at greater risk.” Our guide to whether lone working is legal covers that risk in detail.
Common triggers are well known: refusing a service or a sale (such as age-restricted products), handling cash or valuables, long waits, delivering bad news, enforcing rules, working late at night, visiting people in their homes, and dealing with people who are distressed, unwell or under the influence of drink or drugs.
3. Decide on controls, record and review
Look at what you already do and ask, as HSE puts it, whether you can remove the hazard altogether and, if not, how to control the risks so that harm is unlikely. Ask workers for their ideas. HSE says you must record your findings and review the assessment periodically — and you must consult workers and their representatives throughout.
What control measures prevent violence at work?
HSE’s page on control measures says “often no single control measure will be completely effective on its own and it is best to use a variety of approaches.” Its examples fall into three groups.
The workplace
- space and layout — good visibility and lighting to remove blind spots
- places where tension could grow, such as introducing a suitable queuing system
- security measures such as CCTV, trained security staff, body-worn cameras, alarm systems and building security, which can deter and provide evidence for the police
- carefully worded signage reminding people to respect staff.
The work
- good communication between employer and workers
- working with the police, local authorities, community groups and others in the same sector
- thinking about what might trigger aggression and managing expectations with clear information about delays or problems
- arrangements to keep in touch with people who work away from base, for example mobile phones and personal alarms
- adequate staffing to manage violence and respond to incidents.
What does this look like in practice?
HSE’s worked examples are practical. After a convenience store worker was knocked to the ground by a customer grabbing alcohol from behind the till, the employer moved alcohol into locked cabinets away from the till, moved the till to give a clear view of the shop and street, added mirrors, CCTV, better lighting, higher counters with protective screens, panic alarms and body-worn cameras, increased staffing at peak and late-night times, and provided de-escalation training. In a hospital example, HSE suggests live waiting-time screens, clear signage, reception desks out of reach, security staff and de-escalation training after a receptionist was punched over long waits.
In social care, HSE describes a care worker seriously injured by a parent with a known history of violence that had not been shared with them. It says the employer could have recorded and shared concerns on case notes, held the meeting at an office with alarms and CCTV, considered sending two workers (and whether the police should attend), checked in on the worker during the visit, and provided a phone or personal alarm.
What de-escalation techniques does HSE recommend?
HSE lists basic techniques anyone can use to calm a situation and prevent aggression:
- be polite and use a clear, calm voice
- relax your posture and keep your hands by your side
- keep a safe distance and allow personal space
- face the person and maintain eye contact
- show empathy, and that you are listening and acknowledging their feelings
- avoid raising your voice and arguing
- offer alternative solutions so the person has a way out other than aggression.
HSE adds: “Trust your instincts.” If the situation does not feel safe and de-escalation is not working, use a diversion such as saying you need to check with your manager, and if that fails, follow your emergency procedures, such as using a panic alarm. The aim is always to keep yourself and others safe, not to win the argument or protect property.
What training should staff get on violence at work?
HSE says training “should be available to everyone working for you who may be at risk, including cleaners and maintenance workers”, and that this also applies to temporary or agency workers. The level should reflect the specific risks identified in your assessment. HSE’s list of what basic training often includes is a useful checklist:
- identifying underlying and immediate causes
- understanding that violence should not be accepted as part of the job
- recognising warning signs, such as body language
- interpersonal skills, including verbal and non-verbal communication
- working practices and control measures
- incident reporting procedures.
Physical intervention techniques may be needed “if there is a serious risk of physical aggression” — but that is specialist, hands-on training, delivered in person and tied to the setting’s own policies, and it is not something an online awareness course can provide. HSE also says training needs should be reviewed regularly and refresher training carried out periodically.
HSE’s school example shows why agency staff matter: a supply teaching assistant was knocked unconscious by a pupil whose known triggers were recorded in an individual risk assessment but had not been shared with agency workers. The school then made sure all staff, including new and temporary ones, knew individual care plans and triggers.
Do you have to report violence at work to HSE?
Only some incidents. Under RIDDOR 2013, the definition of “accident” in regulation 2 “includes an act of non-consensual physical violence done to a person at work”. HSE’s page on reporting and learning from incidents says you must report any act of work-related violence that results in:
- death
- a specified injury
- a physical injury that means the worker cannot carry out their normal duties for more than 7 days.
You do not need to report, but must keep a record of, work-related injuries that keep a worker off normal duties for more than 3 days. RIDDOR only covers incidents arising “out of or in connection with work”, so HSE says an injury would not be reportable if one worker injures another in a personal dispute, or a relative or friend injures a worker during a visit about a domestic matter.
Verbal abuse and threats are therefore not reportable under RIDDOR — but they should still be recorded internally. See our guide to what RIDDOR is for how and when to report.
Why recording every incident matters
HSE lists common reasons workers do not report violence: believing it is part of the job, fearing blame, not knowing how, finding the process too time-consuming or complicated, believing nothing will be done, and worrying about the business’s reputation. Its answer is a quick, easy recording system — an accident book, a simple form, or an online or app option — plus visible action on the findings. HSE says a brief note of what happened, when and who was involved “should be enough to get your worker started, particularly in the case of verbal abuse.” Workers or employers can also report violence or intimidation to the police online or by calling 101.
Is it a specific crime to assault a worker?
Assault is a crime whoever the victim is, but two groups of workers now have specific protection in England and Wales.
Emergency workers. The Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 increases the maximum penalty for common assault or battery against an emergency worker acting in their role — up to two years’ imprisonment on indictment. “Emergency worker” includes police, prison, fire and rescue staff and, under section 3, people employed or engaged to provide NHS health services, or services supporting them, whose general activities involve face-to-face interaction with patients or the public. It does not automatically cover every care or retail worker.
Retail workers. The Crime and Policing Act 2026, which received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026, creates a new offence of assaulting a retail worker at work in England and Wales (section 45), punishable on summary conviction by imprisonment or a fine, and section 46 places a duty on courts, in certain cases, to make a criminal behaviour order against adult offenders. At the time of writing, legislation.gov.uk still shows both sections as not yet in force, so check the commencement position before relying on them.
Whatever the criminal law says, it does not change the employer’s health and safety duty: to assess the risk, put controls in place, train staff and support them after an incident.
How should employers support staff after a violent incident?
HSE says that if workers experience work-related violence you should provide suitable support, record and report incidents, and review whether further controls are needed. Its key points on support are that:
- victims react in different ways — consider changing a person’s job role or working conditions if they are particularly affected
- sensitive, appropriate support reduces suffering, such as a chance to talk openly about the incident as soon as possible
- you can offer confidential counselling if your organisation provides it, or details of local counselling services or charities such as Victim Support
- workers dealing with post-incident situations should be fully trained to support colleagues.
Violence and aggression can also lead to work-related stress, which employers must assess and manage in its own right — see our guide to work-related stress. Finally, HSE says to check regularly how well your arrangements are working, consult workers as you do, and examine incident records to see whether controls are working and whether the problem is changing.
Which training helps staff deal with violence and aggression?
These three £9 courses work well together for front-line staff, supervisors and managers, each with a verifiable certificate:
- Violence at Work — why verbal abuse and threats matter, the employer’s duty, triggers, warning signs and workplace controls.
- Conflict Resolution and De-escalation — recognising escalation and calming situations down.
- Lone Working Awareness — staying safe when working alone or visiting people’s homes.
RIDDOR Awareness and Conflict Management are useful alternatives for managers. Any three courses cost £18 with the pay-for-2-get-3 offer — add them to the cart and the discount applies automatically. These are awareness courses: they support the information and training duty, but they are not regulated qualifications and they do not teach physical intervention or restraint, which must be taught in person where your risk assessment calls for it.
Frequently asked questions
What is classed as violence at work?
HSE defines work-related violence as any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work. That includes verbal abuse and threats face to face, online or by phone, as well as physical attacks, usually from customers, clients, patients, service users or the public.
Is verbal abuse from customers classed as workplace violence?
Yes. HSE’s definition includes verbal abuse and threats, and HSE says serious or persistent verbal abuse can seriously affect a worker’s mental health. It is not reportable to HSE under RIDDOR, but employers should record it and include it in their risk assessment.
Do employers have a legal duty to protect staff from violence?
Yes. HSE says the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 duty to ensure workers’ health, safety and welfare includes protecting them from work-related violence, and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to assess that risk.
Do you have to report a violent incident at work to HSE?
Only if it is physical violence connected with work that results in death, a specified injury, or a worker being unable to do their normal duties for more than 7 days. Injuries causing more than 3 days’ incapacity must be recorded but not reported.
Is a fight between two colleagues work-related violence?
Not under HSE’s definition if it is a personal dispute, and HSE says an injury in a personal dispute between workers would not be reportable under RIDDOR. It may still be a disciplinary, bullying or criminal matter for the employer and the police.
Is it a crime to assault a retail worker?
Assault is always a crime. The Crime and Policing Act 2026 also creates a specific offence of assaulting a retail worker in England and Wales, but at the time of writing legislation.gov.uk shows that section as not yet in force, so check its commencement.
Protect your team from violence and aggression
£9 per course. CPD accredited, 100% online, verifiable e-certificate. Pay for 2, get 3 — any 3 courses for £18.
This article is general information, not legal advice. It describes health and safety law in Great Britain as explained by HSE, and criminal offences that apply in England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own criminal law and Northern Ireland has its own health and safety legislation. Sources are HSE and legislation.gov.uk at the time of writing — check the current commencement position of the Crime and Policing Act 2026. If someone is in immediate danger, call 999. A Nexis CPD awareness course is CPD accredited but is not a regulated qualification and does not provide physical intervention training.