DEFINITION OF VIOLENCE AT WORK

The HSE's definition of violence is: "Any incident in which an employee is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work", The definition includes violence to employees at work by members of the public, whether inside a workplace or elsewhere, when the violence arises out of the employees' work activity. For example, this might include violence to teachers from pupils, to doctors/nurses from patients, to peripatetic employees whose work involves visiting the sick, or collecting payments, to security staff or to officials enforcing legislation. It would not include violence to persons when not at work, e.g. when travelling between home and work or violence outside their normal working hours, even though where such risks were significant, employers might wish to take action to safeguard their employees.