Violence and Harassment Workplace Risk Assessment

Table of contents

• Introduction
• Objectives
• Core Components
• Step 1: Contextual Analysis
• Step 2: Hazard Identification
• Step 3: Risks: Analysis
• Step 4: Risk Prioritisation
• Step 5: Risk Elimination / Mitigation / Control Measures
• Step 6: Intervention Plan
• Step 7: Monitoring and Review
• Methodology:

On International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women 2025, we launched this gender and intersectional-transformative risk assessment method that recognises that violence and harassment do not affect all workers equally; women, gender-diverse workers, and other groups in vulnerable situations often experience disproportionate exposure to both overt and subtle forms of harm, including sexual harassment, unequal task allocation, career barriers, pay gaps, and work-related stress.

By systematically identifying, analysing, mitigating, and transforming these risks, the method ensures that preventive and protective measures actively challenge structural inequalities, organisational culture, failures in the organisation of the work processes, and intersectional vulnerabilities.

This method supports the creation of safe, inclusive, and equitable workplaces, aligning with C190’s objectives to protect workers from all forms of violence and harassment while promoting dignity, equality, and fair treatment across all genders and intersectional diversities, positioning unions as drivers of change.

This initiative will run for one year, during which PSI unions and WOC members will apply and evaluate the method across diverse public service workplaces.
A full assessment of progress, including consolidated lessons learned  presented on 25 November 2026, highlighting achievements, challenges, and next steps for strengthening the implementation of C190.

Introduction

Unions play a critical role as drivers of change in addressing gender- and intersectional-based violence and harassment in the workplace. By leveraging their collective voice and negotiating power, unions can influence organisational policies, promote safe and inclusive work environments, and ensure that all workers—regardless of gender or other intersectional characteristics—are protected from harm. This method for assessing workplace risks of violence and harassment aims to strengthen unions’ capacity to act in a transformative dimension and to challenge systemic inequalities and power imbalances. Conducting and presenting a thorough risk assessment is a key step in this process, providing evidence-based insights that guide interventions, inform the employer, and support measures through collective bargaining and social dialogue mechanisms

Objectives

The method aims to:

• Identify risks of violence, harassment, and psychosocial stressors at work in public services
• Recognise gendered patterns of risk (e.g. sexual harassment, unequal task allocation, career barriers, unpaid care burdens).
• Recommend preventive, mitigation, and transformative measures.
• Promote gender-transformative safe, inclusive, and equitable work environments through social dialogue and collective bargaining agreements

WUNRN

Public Services International – PSI is a union federation, we include 700 affiliated workers organisations; from grassroot movements to national union centers. Our power comes from the workers whose interests we defend. All of our activities are based on the concept that when we grow our power, we can improve the live of workers the world over.

Safe Workplaces for All – From Risk to Respect, Powered by Union Strength – PSI – The global union federation of workers in public services

https://publicservices.international/resources/digital-publication/violence-and-harassment-workplace-risk-assessment?id=16273&lang=en