Work-related violence and aggression

The department is committed to the safety, security and wellbeing of its workers and people who access our services and enter our workplaces.

Work-related violence, also known as occupational violence, is any incident where a person is abused, threatened or assaulted at work. The focus of our work-related violence and aggression policy (PDF, 259KB) and work-related violence and aggression procedure (PDF, 328KB) and supporting documents, is situational and service related violence and aggression towards departmental workers.

Work-related violence can occur where people interact with other persons accessing our services and/or using our facilities.

Some examples of work-related violence include (but are not limited to):

• abuse (misuse of physical or psychological strength or power)
• verbal abuse of either a personal or general nature by means of innuendo, raised voice, insults or obscenities, including racist and sexist comments
• shouting / yelling
• hostile and threatening gestures including physical intimidation and threats of physical harm)
• assault (physical violence against a person - sexual assault, hitting or trying to hit, pushing, shoving, kicking, grabbing and punching)
• physical violence against a worker’s personal or departmental property, possessions or objects (throwing objects, violence against objects, destruction of property)
• using or threatening to use a weapon.

Multiple events and actions of violent or aggressive behaviour can occur in one incident.

These behaviours most commonly occur face-to-face, but may also occur via telephone, social media, email and written correspondence.