New Report on Workplace Violence in Australia Released

Safe Work Australia has published a new report on workplace and work-related violence and aggression in Australia.

Our recent data report Psychological health and safety in the workplace highlighted a concerning upwards trend of workplace violence and aggression.

Using ABS and People at Work survey data and insights from other sources, our new report further examines this trend to provide a view of the prevalence, causes and impacts of violence in Australian workplaces..

Key insights from the data report include:

• Over the last 5 years, there has been a 56% increase in the number of serious workers' compensation claims for assault and exposure to workplace violence.
• Despite evidence indicating workplace physical violence is a significant issue among men, there has been a 73% increase in workplace physical violence claims made by women compared to a 33% increase in workplace physical violence claims made by men over the last 10 years.
• Clients and customers were the most common source of work-related violence. Employers and PCBUs should be talking to workers about these hazards and implementing effective and reliable control measures to prevent and respond to violence and aggression by others at the workplace.
• When it comes to specific behaviours, Angry or hostile behaviour, Shouting and swearing, and Intimidation and insults had the highest number of reports. Though these behaviours are lower in severity than other violent behaviours they can still represent significant workplace risks, particularly if they are prolonged or frequent.

These insights can help persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) and workers better understand and manage the risks of violence and aggression in their workplace.

View the data report on the Our Data. Your Stories website.