Emergency Response to Violence Toolbox Talk

Violence on a jobsite can happen fast. A threat, fight, weapon, aggressive visitor, or personal dispute can put workers in immediate danger, especially around tools, equipment, ladders, lifts, trenches, traffic, and energized systems.

This talk focuses on how crews should respond during a violent or threatening situation. The priority is to get away from danger, warn others, contact the right help, and avoid actions that put more people at risk.

Why This Matters

• A fast, calm response can prevent serious injury or death.
• Workers need to know when to leave the area instead of trying to handle the situation themselves.
• Violence near active work can create secondary hazards such as falls, struck-by incidents, equipment contact, or traffic exposure.
• Clear emergency steps reduce confusion when people are scared or under pressure.
• Calling for help early gives supervision, security, or emergency services time to respond.

Common Hazards

• Someone making a direct threat to hurt a worker, supervisor, visitor, or member of the public.
• Fighting, pushing, grabbing, throwing objects, or blocking someone from leaving.
• A weapon being seen, mentioned, suspected, or brought onto the jobsite.
• An angry person entering the site, trailer, parking area, occupied building, or work zone.
• Workers crowding around the incident, recording it, or trying to break it up without a safe plan.
• Confusion about who should call emergency services or who should warn nearby crews.
• Trying to keep work going while a violent or threatening situation is still active.
• A violent incident happening during night work, in a remote area, or where cell service, lighting, or exits are limited.

Safety Checklist

Before Work Begins

• Know the site emergency plan for threats, violence, weapons, and aggressive people.
• Identify exits, muster areas, safe rooms, site office locations, and emergency access routes.
• Know who can call emergency services, security, the superintendent, or company leadership.
• Review how to alert nearby crews without creating panic or drawing attention to yourself.
• Make sure emergency contact numbers and the jobsite address are available to the crew.

During Work

• Stop work immediately if there is a threat, fight, weapon, or violent behavior.
• Move away from the danger if you can do so safely.
• Warn nearby workers and direct them away from the area.
• Call emergency services when there is immediate danger, a weapon, assault, or serious threat.
• Give clear information: location, type of threat, description of the person, injuries, weapons, and safest access point.
• Do not chase, confront, restrain, or argue with a violent person unless there is no safe alternative to protect life.
• Stay out of the area until supervision or emergency responders say it is safe to return.

Crew Talking Points

• Where should workers go if violence happens on this jobsite?
• Who calls emergency services if there is a weapon, fight, or serious threat?
• What is the exact jobsite address or best access point for responders?
• How should we warn nearby crews without putting ourselves in danger?
• What areas of this site would be hardest to evacuate during an emergency?
• Does anyone have a question, concern, or emergency response issue they need to raise before work starts?

Stop Work If

• Someone threatens to hurt another person.
• A fight, assault, pushing, grabbing, or physical intimidation occurs.
• A weapon is seen, mentioned, suspected, or brought onto the jobsite.
• An aggressive person refuses to leave, calm down, or follow direction from supervision.
• Workers cannot safely focus because of a violent or threatening situation.
• Emergency responders, security, or supervision have not cleared the area for work to resume.

Final Reminder

During workplace violence, do not try to be a hero. Get away, warn others, call for help, and return only when the area is safe.