Work-related violence: A guide for employers (PDF version)

Guidance to help employers prevent and respond to work-related violence.

Employers have new duties to manage psychosocial hazards

The Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025 comes into effect on 1 December 2025. These regulations require employers to:

identify and control psychosocial hazards and risks
review and revise risk control measures for psychosocial hazards in certain circumstances.

This information has not yet been updated to reflect these new duties.

More information on employer duties

Published: 26 Jun 2023

File type: PDF

File size: 720.99 kB

Length: 32 pages

Reading level: Medium

Definition of work-related violence

Work-related violence involves incidents in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work. This definition covers a broad range of actions and behaviours that can create a risk to the health and safety of employees. It includes behaviour sometimes described as acting out, challenging behaviour and behaviours of concern.

What it contains

Guidance in this handbook may help employers control the risk of work-related violence in the workplace. The information may also benefit employees and health and safety representatives (HSRs).

Work-related violence: A guide for employers (PDF version)

Employers have new duties to manage psychosocial hazards

Definition of work-related violence

What it contains

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Work-related violence: A guide for employers (PDF version)

Employers have new duties to manage psychosocial hazards

Definition of work-related violence

What it contains

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