OSHA Instruction: Enforcement Procedures for Investigating or Inspecting Workplace Violence Incidents

OSHA's mission is to assure the safety and health of America's working men and women by promulgating and enforcing standards and regulations; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health as well as the development of comprehensive safety and health management systems. Effective and efficient use of resources requires careful, flexible planning. In this way, the overall goal of hazard abatement and employee protection is best served. This instruction establishes OSHA general enforcement polices and procedures for field offices to apply when conducting inspections related to workplace violence. The instruction highlights the steps that should be taken in reviewing incidents of workplace violence when considering whether to initiate an inspection in industries that OSHA has identified as susceptible to this hazard. The instruction is meant to provide guidance on both how an OSHA workplace violence case is developed and which steps Area Offices should take to assist employers in addressing the issue of workplace violence.