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Developing Workplace Violence and Harassment Policies and Programs: A Toolbox
Ranking or prioritizing the risk factors
Ranking or prioritizing the risk factors is one way to help determine which safety hazards need to be addressed first.
Priority is usually identified by taking into account how much or how often a worker is exposed to the situation or
conditions and the potential for harm. Assigning a priority to the risks creates an action list.
There is no simple or single way to determine the level of risk. Ranking hazards requires knowledge of workplace
activities, the urgency of particular situations, and, most importantly, objective judgment. The following can help guide
you in choosing the appropriate level for each specific risk:
Category of Risk Activity Description
High
One or more potential risks regularly place the employee at risk and/or the risk is severe.
• Regularly = Part of the normal work routine/assignment
• Severe = Potential for fatal or critical injury
Moderate
One or more potential risks occasionally place the employee at risk and/or the risk is
moderate.
• Occasionally = Recognized part of work activities occurring on an infrequent basis
• Moderate = Potential for lost time/medical aid required
Low
One or more potential risks rarely place the employee at risk and/or the risk is minimal.
• Rarely = Not a normal part of the work routine
• Minimal = Potential for first aid required
The above method is not the only way to categorize risk. If a job or location has multiple risk factors, the overall risk of
workplace violence may be higher than for jobs with only one or two risk factors. In addition, you may want to take
into consideration whether hours of operation or the makeup of the workforce influences the level of risk.
Remember that you should address all risk factors in your workplace, not just the priority ones.
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