Quick answer
Assess the circumstances in which workers face abuse, threats or assault, then change the work and environment to reduce the risk. Provide suitable staffing, communication, response arrangements and training, followed by reporting, support and review.
Why violence prevention needs more than a training message
Verbal and online abuse can matter as well as physical assault. HSE’s violence-risk guidance calls for assessment using worker experience, the workplace and incident information.
Do not treat abuse as an unavoidable part of a customer-facing role. Identify the situations that expose people and what the business can change before asking an individual to manage a difficult encounter.
Map difficult situations to practical controls
| Situation to assess | Control question | Who needs to act? |
|---|---|---|
| Queues, delays or unclear rules | Can information, service arrangements or layout reduce the conflict? | Operational manager and team. |
| Isolated or late work | Is staffing, access and assistance adequate? | Manager responsible for the shift. |
| Cash, valuables or restricted areas | Can exposure and access be reduced through the system? | Site and security decision owners. |
| An escalating incident | How can the worker withdraw and obtain appropriate help? | Trained staff within the agreed emergency arrangement. |
| After an incident | What care, reporting, support and review are needed? | Designated manager with suitable help. |
Provide a workable response and suitable training
HSE’s control guidance covers environmental and working arrangements, adequate staffing, communication and appropriate training. Choose measures from the actual assessment, including staff who may be exposed outside normal service roles.
Explain how to summon help, leave an unsafe situation and use the site’s emergency arrangements. Training must fit the role and risk. This guide does not teach physical intervention or authorise workers to restrain someone.
Record incidents and support affected workers
Make reporting accessible and explain what happens next. HSE’s reporting and learning guidance addresses recording, investigation and support. Consider the impact on the worker and arrange suitable assistance; do not require them to diagnose their own health needs before raising a concern.
Check any statutory reporting or other notification requirements separately. Keep information appropriately controlled and examine patterns in time, location, task and staffing rather than blaming the person exposed.
NI employers should use HSENI’s violence and aggression resources and the NI legal framework.
Example: review repeated problems near closing time
A food retailer receives repeated reports of threats during a late service period. The manager speaks with the team, reviews the circumstances and checks staffing, customer communication, sightlines, access and the route to assistance.
The agreed changes have named owners and are checked during normal late working. Staff are told how to report a recurrence and what support is available. Sending a reminder to “stay calm” would not resolve an identified gap in staffing or help arrangements.
Useful review questions
- Can workers get appropriate assistance promptly?
- Do controls work for temporary staff and every shift?
- Are incidents recorded and acted on?
- Has the team been told what changed?
Next steps
Choose a recurring difficult situation and assess it with the workers involved. Record operational controls, response limits and support arrangements, then check their effectiveness in the relevant shift.
Use HSE’s violence-risk assessment guidance — Workplace-specific controls and role training should be designed from the actual risk, with competent support where needed.