Preventing violence in the workplace involves recognizing situations that could potentially lead to violence and taking steps to prevent violent incidents. A safe work environment is everyone’s responsibility. Employees should be trained on how to recognize an unsafe situation relating to co-workers; employers need to stress that workplace violence is not “part of the job,” and no one has to “put up with it,”; and employees should alert management to co-workers who are verbally or physically threatening other workers.
Prior to a violent act, there are almost always red flags. After a violent workplace incident, people almost invariably say “there were warning signs,” or “we should have known.” Employees and employers should be aware of these red flags, and report them before an act of violence takes place: