Essential Defense: Navigating Workplace Violence Prevention Training

By Stacie Brown, M.Ed

Workplace violence training is the armor needed to protect today's workforce – that’s the easy part to identify. The challenging part is navigating who should receive training, the required content, and at what level it should take place to comply with industry standards and best practices.

Industry Standards

OSHA Instruction CPL 02-01-058, Enforcement Procedures and Scheduling for Occupational Exposure to Workplace Violence, outlines areas that will be investigated related to workplace violence.

ASIS WVPI AA-2020 Workplace Violence and Active Assailant-Prevention, Intervention, and Response American National Standard to guide organizations in developing and implementing a comprehensive WVPI program.

Industry Best Practices

The most effective and efficient methods, techniques, and approaches have been identified and widely accepted by leaders and officials in security and threat management.

Workplace Violence Training Guide

Use this as a reference guide for understanding the many layers of Workplace Violence Prevention and Intervention (WVPI) training. The level of who receives the training and the content varies depending on the individual’s role within the organization. WVPI Awareness training is required for all employees and should take place upon hire and annually. All others should occur as soon as the individual becomes an affiliate of the group identified and periodically as the organization sees fit. Best practice is biennial.

      I.         WVPI Awareness Training: Provides general awareness by addressing basic facts about workplace violence, how to identify warning signs such as behaviors of concern, policy and reporting guidance specific to the organization, the relationship between the workplace and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), and active assailant awareness to include response options, reporting responsibilities, and resources available within the organization.

     II.         WVPI Managers Training: Enhanced training for managers, supervisors, frontline leaders, HR professionals, and anyone else who could benefit from the content within this training. This outlines a leader's role and responsibility within the WVPI program and includes understanding the benefits of building relationships to tune into the behaviors of others to identify changes and concerns, procedures for reporting, and their role in supporting the Threat Management Team (TMT).

   III.         Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) training. This is the highest and most detailed level of training that will occur and should be conducted by an experienced specialist in the field. At a minimum, this multidisciplinary team includes an HR, security, legal, and communications representative. The curriculum is designed to train the TMT as a team, covering five main topics: (1) behavioral and psychological aspects of violence, (2) threat assessment, (3) investigation procedures, (4) intervention strategies, (5) incident management practices. The goal is to create a safer environment by preventing incidents through early intervention and fostering a culture of vigilance and awareness among those responsible for the organization's safety.

   IV.         Crisis Management Team (CMT) training. This team should also train as a team, completing scenario exercises to practice and test the organization’s active assailant protocol. Understanding that each member has a specific role, this should cover all phases of an active assailant situation, including pre-incident planning, incident response, and post-incident recovery. Best practice is to include law enforcement, fire personnel, and other emergency management partners critical to the organization’s incident response.

     V.         Top Management training:  The WVPI program requires top-down support essential to creating a culture of safety and security and prioritizing prevention. This could include executive team members, directors, and senior leadership who have a vital role in supporting the following components: establishing WVPI as a priority, approving officials for policy, personnel designation, allocation of resources, and assisting in incident management.

Benefits of a Comprehensive WVPI Training Program

There’s no greater responsibility than safety and security. By investing in a holistic WVPI training program, organizations reduce the risk of workplace violence and associated costs while protecting their most valuable assets. The results undeniably empower participants to practice the skills learned to aid prevention, creating a safe work environment and a lasting culture of professionalism and respect.

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