Workplace violence

Physical force, attempted force or threats against a worker at work, from anyone. Provincial safety laws require employers to assess and control the risk.

Also called: violence at work, workplace violence prevention

What workplace violence means

Workplace violence is the use of physical force against a worker, an attempt to use it, or words or behaviour a worker can reasonably take as a threat of it. It can come from a customer, a patient, a member of the public, a co-worker, or a partner or family member who brings a domestic dispute to work.

For a small business, violence is often a customer problem: an angry shopper at closing time, an intoxicated patron, a client who threatens a home care worker. It can also be quieter, such as repeated threatening messages from an ex-partner to an employee's work phone.

Provincial safety laws treat violence as a workplace hazard, like a slippery floor or a dangerous machine. That means you are expected to look for the risk, put controls in place, tell workers about it and respond when something happens.

How it works

Start with a risk assessment. Look at the work itself: handling cash, working late or alone, dealing with upset or intoxicated people, going into clients' homes, or past incidents. Ask your staff where they feel unsafe. Write down what you find.

Then put controls in place. Common ones are keeping little cash in the till, good lighting and clear sightlines, a rule that two people close, a check-in system for staff who visit clients, a way to call for help, and a clear right to refuse service to someone who is threatening. Tell workers about the risks you found and train them on what to do.

Most provinces want this written down as a violence policy, a violence prevention plan or a code of practice, and many tie it to the harassment rules. Your plan should say how workers report incidents, how you will investigate, and how you will support the worker afterwards. A worker hurt in a violent incident may also have a workers' compensation claim.

Common mistakes: treating threats as part of the job in retail or hospitality, not recording near misses, and having no plan for an employee who tells you they fear a partner may come to the workplace. If you learn of that risk, take reasonable steps to protect the worker and others, such as changing their schedule or alerting staff at the door.

Workplace violence by province

All provinces treat workplace violence as a hazard, but they differ on whether every employer needs a written policy or plan.

Where the work is done	The rule
Alberta	Employers must have a written violence and harassment prevention plan readily available to workers, with measures to eliminate or control the hazard, reporting and investigation procedures, and training workers to recognize violence.
Saskatchewan	Since 17 May 2024, every provincially regulated workplace must have a violence policy and a prevention plan.
Ontario	Every employer covered by the OHSA must have a workplace violence policy and review it at least once a year. Where 6 or more workers are regularly employed, it must be written and posted.
Quebec	CNESST guidance says a violence policy should list the forms of violence, state that violence is not tolerated, describe expected behaviour and set out roles, and that workers should be trained on the prevention measures and how to respond.
New Brunswick	Every employer must do a violence risk assessment. A written code of practice for violence is required for employers with 20 or more employees, and for smaller employers in certain cases, such as when the assessment identifies a risk.

We did not confirm the current violence rules for the other provinces, the territories or federally regulated employers for this page.

Example: Late shifts at a convenience store

Sunil runs a convenience store in Regina with 6 employees, and the store is open until 11 pm. Last month a customer shouted at a cashier and threw a drink when she refused to sell him cigarettes without ID.

Saskatchewan requires a violence policy and prevention plan, so Sunil reviews his. He adds a rule that no one closes alone after 9 pm, installs a panic button linked to his phone, posts a sign about the store's ID policy, and trains staff to step back and call for help rather than argue. He records the drink incident and the changes he made, and goes over the plan with every new hire.

Onboarding checklists in Staffkin

Staffkin's onboarding checklists let you add your violence prevention plan and safety training to the steps every new hire goes through.

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Free tools and guides for this

Questions about workplace violence

Do threats count as workplace violence?

Treat them as part of your violence plan. A threat is often the warning sign before an attack, so record it, take it seriously and check how your province's law defines violence.

Is violence from customers my responsibility as an employer?

Yes. Safety laws treat violence from anyone at work, including customers and the public, as a hazard you must assess and control.

Does a small business need a written violence policy?

It depends on the province. Saskatchewan requires one for every provincially regulated workplace, while New Brunswick requires a written code of practice for employers with 20 or more employees.

What if an employee is being threatened by a partner?

Treat it as a workplace risk if it could reach work. Take reasonable steps, such as adjusting schedules, screening calls or alerting staff, and keep what you learn private.

Official sources

General information for Canadian employers, not legal advice. Rules differ by province and territory and change over time, so check with your provincial employment standards office (or the federal Labour Program if you are federally regulated) before you rely on it. See employment standards by province.

Checked against official sources on 4 November 2026.