"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.”
This LRD guide covers verbal abuse or threats, including face-to-face, online and via the telephone, as well as physical attacks. The most recent year for which official statistics were produced (2022/23) show there were an estimated 649,000 incidents of violence at work experienced by 292,000 workers. And unions say these figures are likely to be an under-estimate.
This guide sets out the evidence for the extent of violence at work, where and why it is happening, to who, the relevant health and safety law that applies and what action union reps can take. It offers a broader view than HSE by considering how domestic violence can be a workplace issue, and how the impact of cuts to public services or reorganisation can expose more workers to dangerous situations. Finally, the guide sets out the union work that is taking place across the NHS, education, retail, transport and other sectors to combat the risks of work-related violence, including race and gender-based violence."

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