Understanding Types of Workplace Violence Toolbox Talk

Workplace violence is not always a fight or physical attack. It can include threats, harassment, intimidation, stalking, verbal abuse, robbery, or aggressive behavior from workers, visitors, customers, vendors, or people with no business being on the jobsite.

This talk covers the main types of workplace violence crews may face and how to recognize them. Knowing the difference helps workers report the right concern early and helps supervisors respond before the situation becomes more dangerous.

Why This Matters

• Violence can come from inside or outside the company, so crews need to stay alert to all sources.
• Threats and intimidation can distract workers around tools, equipment, ladders, lifts, traffic, and open edges.
• Different types of violence may need different responses from supervision, security, or emergency services.
• Early reporting gives the jobsite a better chance to separate people, control access, and prevent injury.
• Understanding the risk helps workers take concerns seriously instead of brushing them off as normal jobsite conflict.

Common Hazards

• Violence from strangers, such as trespassers, thieves, or people entering the site to steal tools, materials, fuel, or copper.
• Violence from customers, clients, tenants, homeowners, or the public during service work, occupied renovations, or street-side jobs.
• Violence between coworkers, including threats, bullying, harassment, arguments, retaliation, or fights between crew members.
• Violence from personal relationships, such as a spouse, partner, family member, or outside person coming to the site to confront a worker.
• Robbery or theft situations where someone becomes aggressive when challenged by site workers.
• Escalating arguments over work assignments, delays, parking, access, noise, cleanup, pay, discipline, or damaged property.
• Threatening messages, phone calls, social media posts, or repeated unwanted contact involving someone on the crew.
• An angry person showing up at a remote gate, night shift, occupied building, or small job where only one or two workers are present.

Safety Checklist

Before Work Begins

• Know who controls site access and who to contact if an unauthorized person enters the work area.
• Review how to report threats, harassment, stalking, theft, or aggressive behavior.
• Identify exit routes, safe areas, site office locations, and emergency meeting points.
• Check whether today’s work involves public contact, occupied spaces, deliveries, night work, or isolated areas.
• Tell supervision about known threats, personal safety concerns, or unwanted visitors who may come to the site.

During Work

• Do not confront thieves, trespassers, or aggressive outsiders by yourself.
• Report coworker threats, bullying, harassment, or intimidation as soon as they happen.
• Stay professional with customers, tenants, homeowners, drivers, and members of the public, even when they are upset.
• Keep distance from anyone acting unstable, angry, or threatening.
• Move away from tools, equipment, heights, traffic, trenches, and loading areas during any conflict.
• Use supervision, security, or law enforcement when a person refuses to leave or becomes threatening.
• Do not share gate codes, access badges, worker schedules, or crew locations with unknown people.

Crew Talking Points

• What types of workplace violence are most likely on this jobsite?
• Where could an unauthorized person enter the site or approach the crew?
• Who should workers call first if a customer, tenant, or member of the public becomes aggressive?
• How should the crew handle theft or trespassing without putting anyone at risk?
• Are any workers alone, isolated, or working after hours today?
• Does anyone have a question, concern, or situation that should be brought up before work starts?

Stop Work If

• Someone makes threats, blocks a worker’s path, or refuses to leave when directed by supervision.
• A trespasser, thief, customer, tenant, visitor, or coworker becomes aggressive.
• A personal dispute follows a worker onto the jobsite.
• Workers feel unsafe because of harassment, stalking, intimidation, or repeated unwanted contact.
• A conflict creates a distraction near equipment, lifts, ladders, traffic, trenches, or suspended loads.
• A weapon is seen, mentioned, or suspected on site.

Final Reminder

Workplace violence can come from many sources. Recognize the type, keep distance, report it early, and do not handle threats alone.