What Should Happen Once a Violent Incident Has Occurred at Work?

Once a violent incident has occurred, the priority shifts from prevention to response: check on everyone's welfare, get medical attention if needed, record what happened while it's fresh, and make sure it's formally reported - not quietly absorbed as "part of the job."

• Check welfare first, and confirm the immediate risk has genuinely passed.
• Record details as soon as practically possible.
• Report formally, through a proper process rather than an informal word to a manager.
• Support the staff member involved, especially after a serious incident.
• Review what happened to reduce the risk of it recurring.

If the incident involved physical intervention, see responsibilities following a physical intervention for the specific duties that apply. This process is built into our training courses as standard.