Top 10 High-Risk Industries for Workplace Violence in 2025 — And How Companies Can Prepare Mitigation Plans

Workplace violence is intensifying across U.S. industries, but a select group faces disproportionate, persistent risk. For leaders in these high-risk sectors, the data signals a need for proactive, tailored security measures that satisfy the duty of care obligation they have to protect their employees, clients, and public from foreseeable harm.

What We Mean by Workplace Violence

Workplace violence encompasses threats, harassment, physical assault, and even fatal incidents, whether perpetrated by outsiders, customers, coworkers, or personal associates. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than 57,000 nonfatal workplace violence cases required days away from work or job restrictions in the most recent reporting period, with women representing 72.5% of those injured.

Industries Where Danger is the Highest for Workplace Violence in 2025

Based on fatality data, injury rates, and incident frequency provided by the BLS and Center for Disease Control (CDC), the following 10 industries face the highest documented risk of workplace violence.

Healthcare and Social Assistance

• Why At Risk – Patient aggression, volatile situations, underreporting, and chronic staffing shortages. 
• What The Data Shows – Over 72% of all nonfatal workplace violence cases in private industry occur in this sector. Incidence rate: 14.2 cases per 10,000 FTE workers.
• Security Measures For Workplace Violence Mitigation – Intensive de-escalation training, enforced zero-tolerance policies, risk alerts, crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED), and trauma-informed post-event care.

Retail Trade

• Why At Risk – Public access, cash handling, after-hours shifts, and customer disputes.
• What The Data Shows – 123 workplace violence fatalities in 2023, and roughly 30% of retail industry fatalities were homicides.
• Security Measures For Workplace Violence Mitigation – Robust video monitoring, employee training in active threat and robbery response, security guards for deterrence, and anonymous threat reporting channels.

Transportation and Warehousing

• Why At Risk – Isolated work, threats during deliveries, theft, and road rage.
• What The Data Shows – 91 fatalities from violent acts in 2023; 930 total fatalities in the sector.
• Security Measures For Workplace Violence Mitigation – Route risk assessments, mobile panic buttons, incident reporting hotlines, and training on dealing with confrontational events, to include de-escalation.

Leisure and Hospitality

• Why At Risk – High customer interaction, intoxicated patrons, and extended hours.
• What The Data Shows – 100 fatalities from violent incidents in 2023. Hotels, bars, and restaurants are repeatedly cited in BLS summaries.
• Security Measures For Workplace Violence Mitigation – Staff safety escorts, deployable alert systems, and training on handling aggressive and/or intoxicated guests.

Education Services (K-12 Schools and Universities)

• Why At Risk – Public access, emotionally charged parental environments, and youth issues.
• What The Data Shows – 8.4 nonfatal violence cases per 10,000 FTE; 3,300 incidents over two years (2021-2022).
• Security Measures For Workplace Violence Mitigation – Access control policies and procedures, anti-bullying awareness, behavioral early-warning systems, regular emergency drills, threat and vulnerability assessments, and trained school security guards.

Construction

• Why At Risk – High-stress deadlines, subcontractor tensions, open job sites.
• What The Data Shows – 46 violence-related fatal injuries in 2023; ongoing concerns about conflicts and site vulnerabilities.
• Security Measures For Workplace Violence Mitigation – Conflict resolution training, site access control, and supervisor-led crisis response planning.

Manufacturing

• Why At Risk – Shift work, interpersonal disputes, limited site supervision.
• What The Data Shows– 40 workplace violence fatalities in 2023; industry flagged for rising internal altercations.
• Security Measures For Workplace Violence Mitigation – Floor supervisor vigilance, anonymous reporting, grievance/harassment procedures, situational awareness training, and swift management of escalating employee disputes.

Administrative and Support Services

• Why At Risk – High public contact (e.g., cleaning, landscaping), variable locations, and solo work.
• What The Data Shows – 51 violence fatalities in 2023; high rate of contact during unsupervised work activities.
• Security Measures For Workplace Violence Mitigation – GPS and check-in systems, two-person teams, training focused on de-escalation in remote environments.

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting

• Why At Risk – Isolated worksites, involvement with strangers, and sometimes heated labor disputes.
• What The Data Shows – 18 violence deaths in 2023; highest overall fatality rate of any sector.
• Security Measures For Workplace Violence Mitigation – Remote worker check-ins, conflict mediation resources, and partnerships with local law enforcement.

Public Administration (Including Correctional & Protective Services)

• Why At Risk – Law enforcement, incarceration settings, and contentious civil service roles.
• What The Data Shows – Protective service workers suffered 121 workplace homicides in 2022; the group consistently shows high incident rates.
• Security Measures For Workplace Violence Mitigation – Scenario-based training, secure facility upgrades, and interagency incident drills.

Facts and Stats: The Cost and Human Toll of Violence in the Workplace

Fatalities Due to Workplace Violence

• There were a total of 740 workplace fatalities from violent acts in 2023; homicides made up 61.9% (458 deaths).

The Financial Impact Workplace Violence Has on Companies

• In 2023, U.S. hospitals alone incurred over $18.2 billion in violence-related costs.

Nonfatal Injuries Due to Workplace Violence

• 57,610 nonfatal cases across all private sectors (2021-2022), with health care, education, and service industries leading the statistics.

Those Most Affected by Workplace Violence

• Women account for 72.5% of nonfatal workplace violence cases.

Overall Industry Losses From Workplace Violence

• Lost productivity from all occupational injuries, including violence, hit $167 billion in 2022.

How to Reduce Workplace Violence in High-Risk Industries

Perform Risk and Vulnerability Assessments

• Conduct regular, industry-specific audits to identify physical and procedural vulnerabilities.

Conduct Staff Training to Mitigate the Risks

• Deliver targeted modules on de-escalation, recognizing warning signs, and emergency response — with a minimum frequency of annual refreshers.

Maintain Clear Workplace Violence Incident Reporting

• Provide accessible, anonymous systems for staff to report threats or aggression without retaliation.

Conduct Behavioral Threat Assessments

• Create and maintain multi-disciplinary teams that monitor, evaluate, and intervene before escalation.

Develop Access Controls

• Make sure to secure entrances, monitor CCTV, provide panic alarms, and, for field employees, ensure they have mobile safety devices.

Provide Post-Workplace Violence Incident Support

• Workplace violence victims must have access to trauma counseling and there should be clear inquiry procedures.

Industry-Specific Workplace Violence Prevention Snapshot

High-Risk Industry	Top Workplace Violence Risk Drivers	Best Practices to Prevent & Mitigate Workplace Violence
Healthcare & Social Assistance	Patient/client aggression, underreporting	De-escalation, secure design, staff training
Retail Trade	Public interaction, cash on hand	Security presence, robbery response training
Warehousing & Transportation	Isolated work, theft, public contact	Mobile alerts, route risk assessments
Leisure & Hospitality	Customer violence, intoxication	Guest management, late-shift protocols
Educational Services	Public access, parent & youth dynamics	Entry screening, threat assessments
Construction	Site conflict, stress, open sites	Access protocols, conflict training
Manufacturing	Employee disputes, shift work	Grievance procedures, supervisor oversight
Administration & Support Services	Unsupervised tasks, public jobsites	Check-in systems, two-person teams
Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing	Isolation, heated disputes	Remote check-ins, mediation
Public Administration/Corrections	Inmate/citizen violence, enforcement conflict	Secure facility design, scenario drills

Expert Security Consulting and Tailored Solutions for High-Risk Industries

Meeting rising workplace violence head-on requires moving beyond generic solutions. High-risk industries must match safety and security planning and staff training to their unique exposures, staying vigilant about evolving patterns reflected in the data.

At Convoy Group, we support companies in high-risk industries with:

• Customized security protocols adapted to each industry’s unique risks.
• Hands-on security consulting, including detailed site and organizational threat assessments.
• Training for executives, supervisors, and frontline staff based on real data and real-world scenarios.
• Incident response planning from seasoned security professionals, ensuring organizations are prepared to react and recover rapidly.
• Integration of intelligence services that link ongoing organizational risk review to immediate decision-making.
• Executive protection and armed guarding support to secure every organization’s most critical assets – its people.