Workplace violence is defined by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration as any act of violence or threat of violence that occurs in the workplace. Both physical and oral assaults are classified as workplace violence. Assailants can be fellow employees, an employer, customers or other random people at the workplace. Workplace violence can happen to anyone in any type of job. Police officers are the most common victims and university teachers are the least likely to become victims, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2001 Special Report.
Step 1
Call 911 if you are in immediate danger or are the victim of a crime. Give the police the details of the incident, including all persons involved and events that took place. File a report with the police and obtain a copy of the report for your records and to provide your employer. Usually the police will provide you with a report number, which you can use to order a copy of the report from the police station at a later time.
Step 2
Verbally inform your boss or the company's human resources department of the workplace violence incident as soon as possible.
Step 3
Follow your verbal report with a written workplace violence report made to your boss or the company's human resources department. Provide your employer with a copy of the police report, if applicable. If your employer does not have a workplace violence complaint form, write a detailed description of the event on a standard piece of paper, detailing the incident and persons involved. Make a copy of the report for your records.
Step 4
Contact OSHA to file a complaint against your employers if they fail to take measures to protect you from workplace violence or if the violence was caused by your boss and you do not have another channel at your company to file a complaint with. You can file a complaint on the OSHA website or at your local OSHA office.
Tips and Warnings
- Keep records of police reports and workplace violence complaint reports in case you need them at a later date. For example, if your employer fails to protect you from future violence and you file a complaint with OSHA or sue your employer in court, your records will help you win your case.
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