Four in five people have experienced abuse or violence at work, research finds
Unions are demanding greater protection for workers after new research revealed alarming levels of violence and abuse they face in the workplace.
A Trades Union Congress (TUC) survey of 5,000 workers found that four in five had experienced some form of abuse or violence in the last year.
This ranged from physical attacks and threats to sexual harassment.
The problem covers sectors such as education, transportation, health, local government and prisons.
More than half of those surveyed reported weekly or more frequent incidents by customers, the public, colleagues or managers.
Underreporting remains a significant problem.
Half of those who do not report incidents believe it is “just part of the job”, while a third think their concerns will not be taken seriously.
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “No matter what you do for a living, workplace violence is never ‘part of’ the job.
“No one should go to work fearing for their safety, but this is the reality for thousands of our vital frontline workers.
“The Conservatives have left the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) in tatters and left the current government to clean up their mess, but ministers need to reinvest in the HSE so we have more inspectors visiting workplaces and enforcing safety rules.”
Ruth Wilkinson, of the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, said: “Under health and safety legislation, employers have a duty to protect staff from work-related violence. This starts with assessing where the risks lie, considering both psychological and physical threats.
“We want to see organizations put robust controls in place to prevent violence and aggression, provide training for staff and ensure anyone who is targeted knows how to report it and get support.”
