The four types of workplace violence
- Type 1 — Criminal intent: robbery, trespass; no legitimate relationship to the business.
- Type 2 — Customer/client: the most common type in retail, healthcare, and property management.
- Type 3 — Worker-on-worker.
- Type 4 — Personal relationship: domestic violence following someone to work.
California's written plan requirement (SB 553)
- Most employers must have a written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan, effective since July 1, 2024.
- Annual training for employees, in language they understand.
- A violent incident log kept for five years, recording each incident regardless of injury.
- Procedures for employees to report hazards without retaliation.
- Verify your obligations with Cal/OSHA — coverage and exemptions vary by workplace.
De-escalation that works on a real post
- Position: bladed stance, arm's length plus, exit behind you, hands open and visible.
- Volume down, pace slow. Match their concern, never their volume.
- Use their words back: "You've been waiting forty minutes and nobody told you anything. That's frustrating."
- Offer two acceptable choices instead of one demand. People escalate when they feel cornered.
- Ditch the words that ignite: "calm down," "you need to," "that's policy."
- Know your out. If it is going physical, you disengage and call — you do not win by standing your ground.
Warning signs worth a report
- Escalating threats, however "joking."
- Fixation on a specific person, a grievance, or weapons.
- Sudden withdrawal, marked behavior change, or a personal crisis plus access to the workplace.
- Restraining order involving an employee — HR and security both need to know so the photo is at the desk.
- A culture where people report early is worth more than any camera.
How Summit Force approaches it
We are a de-escalation-first company. Our officers are hired for temperament and trained to end situations with a conversation. A grocery manager wrote to tell us our team handled a distressed person with compassion instead of force — that outcome is the standard we hire toward, not an exception.
Watch — public training videos
These videos are published publicly by the organizations credited below. Summit Force did not produce them, is not affiliated with them, and claims no ownership — they are linked here as free study material.
Workplace Violence Prevention Program: OSHA's 5 Core Elements
Published by SafetyVideos.com
Violence Prevention: De-escalation & Conflict Resolution Techniques
Published by Actsafe Safety Association
Practice quiz
4 questions. Nothing is recorded or submitted — this is study practice only, not an exam and not worth credit.
1.Which violence type is most common in retail and property management?
2.Under California SB 553, covered employers must keep a violent incident log for:
3.Which phrase makes de-escalation harder?
4.Best physical positioning during a tense contact:
Official sources & further reading
Go to the primary source. Rules change, and only these agencies speak for themselves.