Violence at work

Question 1

Violence at work

Answer 1

• Violence at work is defined as any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances related to their work
• High risk occupations include health and social services, police and fire fighters, lone and night workers and benefit services

Question 2

Workers who are most at risk from violence

Answer 2

• Handle money
• Provide a service to the public e.g. shop workers, teachers and nurses
• Lone workers
• Represent authority e.g. police, traffic wardens and school crossing patrols

Question 3

Frustration can lead to violence, common causes of frustration

Answer 3

• Dissatisfaction with a product or service, including cost
• A perception of being unreasonably penalised over and incident e.g. car parking
• A general lack of information following a problem, such as aircraft delays of long delays at hospitals
• Over a third of incidents the victim believed the offender to be under the influence of alcohol and in nearly a fifth the influence of drugs