Emergency ReadinessSelf-assessment

Workplace Violence Prevention and Security Readiness Checklist

A workplace violence prevention program combines management commitment, employee participation, worksite analysis, hazard controls, reporting, training, recordkeeping and ongoing evaluation. It should provide a trusted way to report threats and concerning behavior, a multidisciplinary process for assessing and managing cases, site-specific physical and administrative controls, emergency procedures and post-incident support. No checklist, guard or list of warning signs can predict every act of violence. Decisions should be behavior-based, contextual, lawful and handled by qualified HR, legal, safety, security, mental-health and law-enforcement professionals as appropriate. For an immediate threat, move to safety and call 911 rather than attempting an informal assessment or confrontation.

17 checks4 sectionsSources checked July 19, 2026
Why it matters

Use a system view, not a single-control view

Workplace violence can involve employees, former employees, customers, patients, visitors, intimate partners or others. A program must work across departments and shifts rather than being treated as a security-only issue.

Early reporting is useful only when employees know where concerns go, trained people assess information fairly and the organization follows through without stereotyping, retaliation or unsupported promises of confidentiality.

Before you begin

How to use this checklist

  1. Have executive, HR, safety, legal, security and employee representatives complete the review together; add qualified clinical or threat-assessment expertise where needed.
  2. Base worksite controls on actual tasks, locations, hours, public interaction, prior events and credible hazards.
  3. Do not put names, allegations, medical information or active-case details into this public tool.
  4. Treat every Needs attention answer as a program-design question, not proof that a person is dangerous or that the employer is legally noncompliant.
  5. Test reporting and emergency processes and review the program after incidents, exercises and operational changes.
Interactive checklist

Answer each question from current evidence

Use Not applicable only when the item genuinely does not apply, and follow the site’s approved escalation process for any urgent condition.

Section 1 of 4

Leadership, policy and employee participation

Create clear authority and a program that applies across the workplace.

01A written prevention policy defines prohibited conduct, scope, reporting options and organizational responsibilities.

Evidence to look for: The policy covers relevant workers and third parties and is reviewed by HR and legal professionals for the workplace.

02Senior leadership provides authority, resources and accountability for the prevention program.

Evidence to look for: A named executive sponsor and program owner can act on findings across departments.

03Employees and relevant worker representatives can participate in worksite analysis and program improvement.

Evidence to look for: Participation is structured, privacy-conscious and includes staff from different roles, shifts and locations.

04The policy states how reports will be handled, including privacy limits and protection from prohibited retaliation. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: Do not promise absolute confidentiality; HR and legal reviewers approve accurate language and escalation obligations.

Section 2 of 4

Worksite analysis and protective controls

Identify conditions that increase exposure and select controls appropriate to the actual work.

05The worksite analysis considers public contact, money or valuables, isolated work, late hours, healthcare or social services and other relevant exposures.

Evidence to look for: Use job and location evidence rather than assumptions about individuals or groups.

06Incident, threat, harassment, injury and near-miss information is reviewed for patterns and control gaps.

Evidence to look for: Records are handled according to privacy, employment, legal and OSHA requirements and do not equate a report with proven misconduct.

07Access control, reception, lighting, parking and emergency communication are reviewed as part of the prevention program.

Evidence to look for: Physical controls are matched to identified worksite needs and support accessibility and legitimate operations.

08Lone, remote, field and after-hours workers have check-in and emergency-assistance procedures appropriate to their jobs. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: Procedures are tested, privacy-conscious and supported by supervisors and available resources.

Section 3 of 4

Reporting and multidisciplinary assessment

Move concerns to trained decision-makers without using stereotypes or amateur prediction.

09Employees have more than one accessible way to report threats, violence, stalking and concerning behavior. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: Channels include emergency and non-emergency options and work for all shifts and relevant languages or accessibility needs.

10Reports are evaluated based on behavior, context and corroborated information rather than appearance, identity or diagnosis. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: The process avoids profiling and recognizes that no single behavior reliably predicts violence.

11A multidisciplinary team or defined external resource is authorized to assess and manage reported concerns. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: Roles may include HR, legal, security, safety, management, mental-health and law enforcement expertise appropriate to the case.

12The assessment process documents decisions, protective measures, responsible owners and follow-up.

Evidence to look for: Records are factual, securely stored and revisited as behavior or circumstances change.

13Relationships with law enforcement, emergency services and qualified specialists are established before a crisis.

Evidence to look for: The organization understands when and how to seek help and does not expect private guards to replace public authorities or clinicians.

Section 4 of 4

Training, emergency response and recovery

Give people practical knowledge while keeping high-risk decisions with qualified roles.

14Employees, supervisors, reception and security receive role-specific prevention and reporting training.

Evidence to look for: Training covers policy, reporting, emergency actions and role boundaries without encouraging diagnosis or confrontation.

15Immediate-threat procedures align with the site emergency action plan and clearly direct people to 911. Priority review item

Evidence to look for: Procedures are site-specific, accessible and coordinated with applicable public-safety partners.

16Post-incident plans address medical care, employee support, communication, records and return-to-work or continuity decisions.

Evidence to look for: Qualified HR, legal, clinical, safety and communications roles own their respective decisions.

17The program is evaluated after incidents, exercises, reports and material workplace changes.

Evidence to look for: Findings lead to assigned corrective actions and documented verification rather than blame for reporting.

Current result

Complete the checklist to see a summary

Results are informational and do not certify compliance or eliminate risk.

Common mistakes

What can weaken the review

  • Treating workplace violence as a security-department issue instead of a multidisciplinary employer program.
  • Using a checklist of personality traits, appearance or mental-health assumptions to label someone as dangerous.
  • Promising absolute confidentiality when the organization may need to disclose information to protect people or meet legal duties.
  • Training only on crisis response while neglecting reporting, worksite analysis and case management.
  • Expecting guards or frontline supervisors to conduct threat assessments without qualified support.
  • Failing to address domestic violence, stalking, customer or patient aggression and third-party threats that may reach the workplace.
Practical questions

Frequently asked questions

What are the main elements of a workplace violence prevention program?

OSHA guidance emphasizes management commitment and employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, training, recordkeeping and program evaluation. Reporting, multidisciplinary assessment and emergency coordination make those elements operational.

Can warning signs predict workplace violence?

No simple list reliably predicts who will become violent. Report concerning behavior and threats through the approved channel so trained professionals can assess the full context, corroborate information and manage risk fairly.

Who should be on a workplace threat assessment team?

Composition depends on the organization and case, but commonly draws from HR, legal, security, safety, management, mental-health and law-enforcement expertise. Members need training, authority, privacy controls and access to outside specialists.

Can security guards prevent workplace violence?

Guards may support access, observation, communication and assigned emergency procedures, but no guard can guarantee prevention. A complete employer program requires leadership, reporting, assessment, controls, training and public-safety coordination.

What should an employee do during an immediate threat?

Follow the site's emergency instructions, move to safety and call 911 when able. Do not delay for an internal checklist, attempt an informal threat assessment or confront the person.

Sources and evidence baseline

These references support the general planning baseline. Site-specific decisions still require the responsible organization and appropriate qualified professionals.

  1. Workplace Violence — OverviewOccupational Safety and Health Administration

    Program scope, worksite assessment, training and OSHA's statement that there is no specific federal workplace-violence standard.

  2. Workplace Violence — Prevention ProgramsOccupational Safety and Health Administration

    Prevention-program components and sector-specific federal guidance.

  3. Violence in the Federal Workplace: A Guide for Prevention and ResponseCybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Interagency Security Committee

    Multidisciplinary prevention, threat assessment, response and case-management framework; adapted beyond federal workplaces with caution.

  4. Workplace Violence: Issues in ResponseFederal Bureau of Investigation

    Multidisciplinary teams, reporting, training, crisis management and post-incident considerations.

Source links checked: July 19, 2026

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