Workplace violence prevention legislation

Suzy Lamplugh - gone but not forgotten

Nearly 40 years ago, in July 1986, estate agent Suzy Lamplugh vanished after showing a client around a house in Fulham, London UK.  Suzy’s body was never found; she was presumed murdered and legally declared dead in 1993. 

Her parents Diana and Paul set up the Suzy Lamplugh Trust to reduce the risk and prevalence of abuse, aggression, and violence - with a specific focus on stalking and harassment - through education, campaigning, and support.

Scale of the Problem worldwide

Recent global data reveals the severity of workplace violence internationally.  

More than one in five employees – almost 23 per cent - have experienced violence and harassment in the workplace, whether physical, psychological or sexual, according to the first ever joint analysis of data worldwide carried out by the UN International Labour Organization (ILO).

The cornerstone of international workplace violence prevention is ILO Violence and Harassment Convention No. 190, adopted in June 2019 at the Centenary Conference of the ILO, calling for the prohibition and prevention of violence and harassment in the world of work.

Recent ILO Developments on training

The ILO has also released a follow-up training manual to its 2022 publication, Violence and Harassment at Work: A Practical Guide for Employers.

Available in English, French and Spanish, the free manual was created in response to requests from employer organisations.

International Collaboration and Resources

The ILO has been working with other major international organisations to develop comprehensive prevention frameworks.

The International Council of Nurses, Public Services International, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Labor Organization itself jointly developed and Published Framework Guidelines for Addressing Workplace Violence in the Health Sector.

Occupational Safety and Health Integration

A new ILO report emphasises using Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) frameworks to address the root causes of violence and harassment and to encourage collective action for better work environments.  This approach integrates workplace violence prevention into broader safety management systems.

The ISO 45001 standard also includes a requirement to identify workplace hazards including victimisation, harassment and bullying, which further supports using safety management systems to address these risks in the workplace.

Regional Legislative Trends

• United States: Multiple states are implementing new workplace violence prevention legislation. House Bill HB 2552, introduced on January 13, 2025, would establish new workplace violence prevention requirements for healthcare entities in Oregon.  The bill would mandate the development of safety committees, periodic safety assessments, and annual employee training
• Canada has established comprehensive federal workplace harassment and violence prevention requirements. The Government of Canada committed to taking action to ensure that federal work places are free from harassment and violence Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention (HVP) - 943-1-IPG-104 - Canada.ca, implementing new regulations that came into effect in 2021. As an employer in the federal jurisdiction, you should understand the definition of workplace harassment and violence. You should also develop a workplace harassment and violence prevention policy with the help of your employees.
• The European Union has been working on cross-sectoral guidelines for violence and harassment at work. The European Commission had introduced a proposal for a Council Decision that would authorise member states to ratify ILO C190 (above) insofar as it covers areas that fall under EU competence.
• Australia addresses workplace violence through its national workplace health and safety framework. Workplace violence and aggression is when a person is abused, threatened or assaulted at the workplace or while they're working.It can cause both physical and psychological harm, making it a risk to health and safety.  The country has federal, state, and territory anti-harassment laws that vary by jurisdiction.

The trend shows countries are moving toward mandatory workplace violence prevention programmes, with particular focus on high-risk sectors like healthcare, while also expanding coverage to general industry workplaces.

The legislation typically requires employers to develop written prevention plans, provide training, implement reporting systems, and maintain incident logs.

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Jan Mirkowski