Run, Hide, Defend: How to respond to an active shooter in your workplace

July 25, 2025

Jessica Bowes

Woman running in an office.

Active shooter events continue to be rare in Canada, says Kristy Cork, WSPS Specialized Consultant, Healthy Workplaces. However, the devastation they can cause has prompted provincial governments, police, and firefighters to work together to develop comprehensive emergency response protocols in the event they do occur.

Should workplaces be doing the same thing?

Active shooter events can happen anywhere, including workplaces,” says Kristy. “While the risk of such an event is low, employers may want to develop guidelines so employees know what actions to take if there is an active shooter in the workplace, just as they do for other possible critical situations and emergencies. The guidelines should be included in their violence and harassment and emergency response plans.”

“Some workplaces may be more vulnerable to active shooter attacks because of the nature of the business or internal factors,” notes Kristy. “In these cases, a more comprehensive active shooter program may be warranted.”

Whether you develop guidelines or a program, employees need to understand that an active shooter incident requires a unique response. "It’s far different from how they respond to other situations of violence and harassment or other emergencies in the workplace," says Kristty. "When someone is threatening with a weapon, specifically a firearm, you want to keep people away from the area, not come to support.”

Determine how vulnerable your workplace is

"Certain factors may make your workplace more vulnerable to workplace violence, including an active shooter," says Kristy. These include:

having large amounts of cash or high-end merchandise that attracts thieves. The use of firearms during robberies is on the rise in Canada, according to the Retail Council of Canada.
not dealing with conflicts, grievances, or incidents of violence and harassment among employees. “Disgruntled employees are more likely to act out violently,” explains Kristy.
not considering the risks associated with domestic violence. “Abusers have been known to follow victims to work, which can end up in violent situations involving one or more workers,” says Kristy.
inadequate security measures. “Use access control limits for your workplace if you can,” suggests Kristy. “If it’s not possible to limit access because of the nature of your business, provide training on identifying suspicious individuals and how to de-escalate a tense situation in the workplace.

“Take the time to look at these factors as part of your risk assessment when developing your violence and harassment policy and program,” says Kristy. (Under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act, all workplaces in the province are required to have a violence and harassment policy and program that includes a workplace violence risk assessment.)

Know the active shooter survival strategy: Run. Hide. Defend.

It’s vital that your staff know what to do in an active shooter incident, says Kristy. “It’s not the same as workplace violence. If someone is threatening physical abuse or assault on a worker, we want people to come and support them. But if someone has a firearm, we want people not to come to the area; we want them to get away.”

The three steps employees should take if an active shooter is on-site are:

Run: If it’s safe to do so, exit the building.
Hide: If the attacker is between the employee and the exit, they should move to a safe room and hide. “Identify safe rooms ahead of time,” says Kristy. “The room should be able to be locked from the inside, and not have windows. Examples include washrooms, storage cabinets, or janitorial closets. Direct employees to remain quiet and to turn off their cell phones, so they don’t attract the shooter’s attention.”
Defend: If confronted by an active shooter and they believe their life is in immediate danger, employees should take whatever actions are necessary to protect themselves. “Grab something – a chair, a fire extinguisher – and fight,” suggests Kristy.

Your workplace’s guidelines should also outline:

How to notify employees of an active shooter situation. “Don’t pull the fire alarm,” says Kristy, “because you do not want people moving into an area that puts them at risk of the shooter. It can also aggravate the shooter.” Instead, develop a unique code word or phrase to notify people on the PA system.
Who should call the police. Whoever makes the call should be in a safe position to do so.Provide information on the number of shooters, their description and location.
Where employees can get support. If an event takes place, employees may be traumatized and need access to mental health support.

Add these elements for a more comprehensive program

If you’ve identified that your workplace is more vulnerable to active shooter situations, a more detailed policy and program may be required. Here are some elements to include:

lockdown and evacuation procedures
expert training for staff on lockdown/active attacker procedures, including practice drills
training for specialized staff, such as loss prevention, health and safety specialists and security teams
debriefing procedures, including providing access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
after-incident procedures for ensuring all staff are accounted for, contacting emergency services, and more.

For more details on what’s required in a comprehensive program, refer to the Retail Safety & Security Guide.