Research shows that despite a rise in violence at work, most staff have had no training in dealing with it.
Nearly three-quarters of the workforce have received no formal training about how to deal with threatening behaviour at work, despite the fact that more than 1.3 million workers in England and Wales have been victims of violent incidents.

The report Violence at Work: New Findings from the 2000 British Crime Survey, taken from Home Office research and produced in collaboration with the Health & Safety Executive, indicates that even in high risk areas such as public services, education, cash transactions and delivery and collection, no more than 50 per cent receive appropriate training.

Security and protective services are a notable exception, where 71 per cent of the workforce receives training.

Public transport workers, nurses and teachers are most concerned about the risk of being assaulted.

The total number of violent incidents at work increased by five per cent between 1997 and 1999, but the estimated risk of a member of staff being assaulted remains relatively low. The British Crime Survey states that two and a half per cent of adults had been the victim of violence at work in 1999.

The HSE is now working on a three-year Health & Safety Commission partnership programme — agreed in March 2000 — which is designed to reduce work-related violence by 10 per cent.

  • The report from the British Crime Survey is based on data collected on incidents of violence at work in 1999.