Workplace Violence Prevention Guide: 2026 strategy and compliance

The reality of the risk landscape

When an incident of workplace violence occurs, the effects are pervasive. For workers, the trauma ranges from physical injury to psychological damage that can last a lifetime. For organizations, the fallout extends beyond regulatory infractions to include shattered morale, plummeting productivity and severe reputational damage.

Mitigating the risk requires a preemptive approach. By mastering the risk landscape, understanding evolving compliance obligations and deploying intelligent technology, you can move from crisis-driven response to sustained protection.

This guide provides the essential context needed to build a safer workplace, covering:

• Definitions: What constitutes workplace violence today?
• Scope: The extent of the problem.
• Risk factors: Which categories of workers are most vulnerable?
• Compliance: How your policies fulfill your legal responsibilities as an employer.

What is the legal definition of workplace violence in 2026?

Workplace violence is any act or threat of violence that takes place at a work site. This definition extends beyond physical assault to include psychological trauma and verbal abuse, as well.

Importantly, anyone, from employees and managers to vendors, customers and visitors, can be affected by or responsible for an incident. Whether it occurs in a traditional office, a retail storefront or a remote field location, the risk remains a critical concern for organizational safety.

How prevalent is workplace violence?

According to a 2022 workplace violence study by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), 1.3 million people were victims of nonfatal workplace violence annually between 2015 and 2019. In 2020 alone, the BLS reported 37,060 nonfatal injuries resulting from “intentional injury by another person.”

Meanwhile, 18,000 people were killed between 1992 and 2019, either while working on duty or by an act of work-related violence.

Tragically, the 2023 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) revealed that 740 out of 5,283 fatal workplace injuries were the result of violent acts. Homicides accounted for 61.9% of those deaths.

A global crisis

Workplace violence is not confined to any single region or industry, though. A landmark 2022 global survey by the International Labour Organization (ILO), Lloyd’s Register Foundation (LRF) and Gallup revealed the true scale of the issue:

• Psychological violence: The most common type, affecting 17.9% of workers.
• Physical violence: Experienced by 8.5% of respondents.
• Sexual violence and harassment: Affecting 6.3.% of the workforce (8.2% of women and 5% of men).
• Recurrence: Alarmingly, over 60% of those who experienced violence did so multiple times.

Source: ILO, LRF and Gallup

Who is at risk of workplace violence?

While every person at a work site could be affected by an incident of workplace violence, the research suggests that certain categories of workers are at greater risk. Knowing this helps your organization to structure more effective policies and prevention plans.

Gender

Women are 0.8% more likely than men to experience violence globally. However, the risk profile shifts significantly by region:

• Higher risk for women: In the Americas (+8.2%), Europe/Central Asia (+8.0%) and the Arab States (+5.9%).
• Higher risk for men: In Asia/Pacific (+3.2%) and Africa (+2.2%).

Industry-specific risks

According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, certain operational factors significantly increase the risk of workplace violence:

• Financial transactions: Exchanging money with the public.
• Service and care: Providing healthcare or social services.
• Environment: Serving alcohol, working late-night shifts, operating in high-crime areas or working with volatile populations.

Although no sector is immune, BLS data shows that 76% of nonfatal workplace violence trauma occurs within healthcare and social assistance. Other high-risk roles include taxi/rideshare drivers, law enforcement and retail workers.

Workplace violence compliance: SB 553 and the Retail Worker Safety Act

These risks are well-documented and predictable. In consequence, regulatory bodies like OSHA now view workplace violence as a recognized hazard that employers are legally required to manage. To remain legally compliant, employers must abide by all laws that dictate safety standards for work sites.

One of the most well-known is the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety (OSH) Act of 1970. The law was a response to rising public outcry for greater environmental safety standards to protect employees tasked with handling hazardous chemicals.

The OSH Act contains a clause colloquially known as the General Duty Clause. This clause sets a basic standard for duty of care. It specifies that “each employer… shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees…”

Given its prevalence in the healthcare industry, workplace violence is a recognized hazard for all healthcare work sites, as interpreted by the Occupational Safety and Health Review Committee (OSHRC) as recently as 2019. As a result, healthcare providers must comply with obligations under the General Duty Clause to provide employees with a safe working environment.

The shifting regulatory landscape

Since the 1970 OSH Act, states have begun passing more specific and rigorous mandates:

• California Senate Bill 553 (SB 553): The national baseline in 2026, this law mandates that every employer establish and maintain a written workplace violence prevention plan.
• New York Retail Worker Safety Act: The law specifically targets the retail sector, requiring comprehensive employee training, clearly mapped emergency exits and meeting points and panic buttons that contact local public safety officers or emergency services.

Steps to mitigate and respond to workplace violence

There are concrete steps organizations can take to ensure they are meeting their obligations and working to mitigate the risk of an incident of workplace violence:

• Establish anti-violence, anti-harassment and anti-bullying policies: Policies should be zero-tolerance, clearly defining unacceptable behaviors for work sites. This shows employees your organization’s commitment to creating and maintaining a culture of respect and building an environment that minimizes negative feelings like isolation, resentment and hostility.
• Communicate policies to all employees, managers and supervisors: Every employee must be made aware of workplace violence prevention policies. They must also be held to the same standard throughout the organization. Include prevention policies in the employee handbook.
• Hold regular employee trainings: Trainings should include the content of your policies, signs of potential violent behavior, workplace violence de-escalation techniques and drills. This way, employees know how to react should an incident occur, like how to quickly initiate incident triage, contact emergency services and send status checks. Establish relationships with local police, social service and mental health providers. Involve those stakeholders in relevant trainings.
• Outline and evangelize reporting procedures: Make the reporting process clear and accessible to all employees, with a defined chain of command. Make sure every report is investigated and that feedback is provided to the submitter in a timely fashion. That way, they are aware of the investigation and the outcome. Implement a strict non-retaliation policy to keep reporting confidential. Employees must feel safe coming forward with near-misses or red flags before they escalate into violence.
• Encourage feedback from employees on all parts of your program: Reach out to employees for opinions and suggestions about your workplace violence prevention policies, including possible risks and suggested preventative measures. Incorporate employee suggestions where possible to show your program is an ongoing dialogue.
• Improve physical security at all work sites: Deliver security improvements at physical work sites where possible, including devices that let employees expedite contact with emergency services, additional security personnel, security enhancements for entry points (like keycard access) and more. Consider revising staffing policies to help keep employees safe during work hours.
• Perform regular risk assessment at all work sites: Work sites change over time. Regular risk assessments help your organization identify any new security gaps and make appropriate adjustments. Keep your employees involved in the review process to gain key insights that only on-the-ground workers can supply.
• Implement hazard correction: When a risk assessment identifies a gap like a broken gate or blind spot, document the corrective action taken. This creates a paper trail of safety, vital to legal defensibility.
• Comply with all workplace violence prevention regulations: Make sure that you meet all legal standards for duty of care and mandatory workplace violence prevention programs. For instance, modern regulations now require maintenance of a violent incident log. The burden of compliance is yours to meet.

The role of security management software

Digital tools are foundational to fulfilling duty of care in a modern landscape. Integrated workplace violence prevention solutions transform static binders of prevention policies into a living, breathing safety and security ecosystem. When evaluating security management software, in particular, look for a platform that masters these three pillars:

Real-time threat intelligence and preparation

• AI-driven awareness: Stay ahead of potential risks to people and assets with real-time intelligence feeds (weather, traffic, social media and natural disasters).
• Centralized protocols: Ensure facility maps, emergency procedures and contact directories are accessible in seconds, not buried in a desk drawer.
• Proactive data gathering: Use QR codes and mobile forms to empower staff to report near-misses or maintenance gaps instantly.

Rapid response and critical communication

• Instant alerts: Enable authorized users to trigger an emergency signal in an average of 1.5 seconds.
• Coordinated triage: Prioritize response efforts with automated status checks. These keep administrators and first responders apprised of the safety of every individual in real time.
• Targeted messaging: Resolve minor incidents without escalating to 9-1-1 by enabling secure, internal communication between staff and on-site security or medical teams.

Investigation and enterprise resilience

• Automated workflows: Speed up recovery with pre-assigned response actions that guide your team through the chaos of a crisis.
• Detailed case management: Prevent recurrence by capturing digital dossiers, case notes and evidence for thorough post-incident investigations.
• Strategic analytics: Use flexible dashboards to uncover trends and identify high-risk work sites before an incident occurs.

Conclusion: From compliance to commitment

The effects of workplace violence are grim and lasting. Preventing these incidents takes more than just checking a legal box or avoiding a fine, though. It is about building a culture where every employee feels safe enough to do their best work.

By combining clear policies with robust tools, you move your organization from damage control to anticipatory protection.

Security management software like Noggin simplifies this journey. It bridges the gap between complex industry risks and the daily safety of your workforce. This helps to ensure that your organization is not just compliant, but resilient.

Secure your workplace for tomorrow. Request a demo of Noggin today to see how our platform can protect your people and reputation.