How to Conduct a Workplace Threat Assessment

Key Takeaways – A workplace threat assessment is a structured process for evaluating whether a person or situation poses a genuine risk of violence. – Effective threat assessment goes beyond “gut feelings” — it uses evidence-based criteria to evaluate risk levels and guide intervention. – Every organization should have a multidisciplinary Threat Assessment Team (TAT) in place before an incident occurs. – Threat assessment is not about predicting violence with certainty — it’s about identifying risk factors and managing them proactively. – California’s SB 553 reinforces the importance of threat identification, evaluation, and correction as core components of workplace violence prevention.

What Is a Workplace Threat Assessment?

A workplace threat assessment is a fact-based, systematic process for evaluating whether an individual, situation, or circumstance poses a credible risk of violence. It answers three critical questions:

1. Is the threat real? Does the person have the intent, means, and opportunity to carry out an act of violence?
2. How serious is it? What is the level of risk — low, medium, or high?
3. What should we do about it? What interventions can reduce or eliminate the risk?

Unlike reactive security measures that respond to incidents after they occur, threat assessment is proactive. It’s designed to identify and manage potential violence before it happens.

This workplace threat assessment guide will walk you through the framework, the team structure, and the process your organization needs to implement.

Why Every Organization Needs a Threat Assessment Process

Most acts of workplace violence are preceded by identifiable warning signs — threatening statements, behavioral changes, escalating grievances, or concerning communications. But without a structured process, these warning signs often fall through the cracks.

Common failures include:

• Information silos — One department knows about a threat, but others don’t.
• Minimization — “He’s just blowing off steam” or “She would never actually do anything.”
• Lack of training — Employees and managers don’t know what to look for or who to tell.
• No follow-through — A threat is reported but never formally assessed or managed.

A formal threat assessment process addresses all of these gaps. It creates a centralized, systematic mechanism for collecting, evaluating, and acting on threat-related information.

California’s SB 553 explicitly requires employers to identify, evaluate, and correct workplace violence hazards — which includes human threats. Having a threat assessment process is a direct path to meeting this requirement.

Building a Threat Assessment Team (TAT)

Who Should Be on the Team?

A Threat Assessment Team (also called a Threat Management Team or Behavioral Threat Assessment Team) should be multidisciplinary. No single department has the full picture. Your team should include representatives from:

• Human Resources — Knowledge of employee history, grievances, performance issues, and organizational policies
• Security — Physical security expertise, access control, surveillance capabilities, and protective intelligence
• Legal/Compliance — Understanding of legal obligations, privacy considerations, and liability issues
• Management/Operations — Insight into workplace dynamics, staffing, and operational impacts
• Mental Health/EAP (when available) — Clinical perspective on behavioral indicators and intervention strategies
• Law Enforcement Liaison (as needed) — Coordination with local police for criminal threats or imminent danger

Team Structure

• Designate a team leader — typically someone from Security or HR — who is responsible for convening the team and managing the process.
• Establish clear authority — the team must have the organizational backing to investigate, interview, and recommend actions.
• Define confidentiality protocols — information shared in threat assessments must be handled carefully to protect privacy while ensuring safety.
• Create documentation standards — every assessment should be documented thoroughly.

Training the Team

Team members need specialized training in:

• Behavioral threat assessment methodology
• Workplace violence warning signs and escalation patterns
• Interview techniques for assessing threat credibility
• Risk classification systems
• Intervention strategies at each risk level
• Legal and ethical considerations
• Coordination with law enforcement

E3 Security Training Academy offers Workplace Violence Prevention training that covers threat assessment fundamentals — an essential component for security officers serving on or supporting TATs.

The Threat Assessment Process: Step by Step

Step 1: Receive and Document the Report

The process begins when a threat is reported. This could be:

• A direct threat made by an employee, customer, or visitor
• Concerning behavior observed by a coworker or supervisor
• A report from law enforcement about an individual connected to the organization
• Online activity (social media posts, emails) that suggests violent intent
• Information from a domestic violence protective order involving an employee

Key actions: – Document the report in writing immediately – Collect all available details: who, what, when, where, witnesses – Preserve any physical or digital evidence – Notify the Threat Assessment Team leader

Your organization’s reporting procedures — as required by SB 553 — should ensure employees know how to submit these reports and that they are protected from retaliation.

Step 2: Initial Screening

Not every report requires a full threat assessment. The team leader (or designated screener) conducts an initial review to determine:

• Is this a workplace violence concern? (vs. a policy violation, performance issue, or interpersonal conflict that doesn’t involve violence risk)
• Is there an immediate danger? If so, activate emergency protocols immediately — call 911, secure the area, protect potential targets.
• Does this warrant a full assessment? If the situation involves potential violence risk but is not immediately dangerous, move to Step 3.

Step 3: Information Gathering

This is the most critical and time-intensive phase. The team gathers all relevant information about the individual and the situation:

Background Information

• Employment history and performance records
• Prior disciplinary actions or grievances
• History of threatening behavior or violence (at work or elsewhere)
• Known personal stressors (financial problems, relationship issues, substance abuse, mental health)
• Criminal history (through legal channels)

Contextual Information

• What specifically was said or done?
• What was the context? (After a termination? During an argument? Unprovoked?)
• Has the behavior escalated over time?
• Are there specific targets or is the threat general?
• Does the individual have access to weapons?
• Has the individual taken any preparatory actions (surveillance, acquiring weapons, making plans)?

Interviews

• Interview the reporting party for additional details
• Interview witnesses
• Interview the subject of the assessment (when safe and appropriate)
• Interview supervisors and coworkers who may have relevant observations

Important: All information gathering must comply with applicable privacy laws, company policies, and — if law enforcement is involved — any active investigation protocols.

Step 4: Analyze and Classify the Threat

Using the information gathered, the team evaluates the threat level. While classification systems vary, a common framework includes:

Low Risk

• Vague or indirect statements that don’t specify a target, method, or timeline
• No history of violent behavior
• No access to weapons
• Stressors are manageable
• Subject is responsive to intervention
• Action: Monitor, provide resources (EAP, counseling), document, and follow up

Medium Risk

• More specific threats that identify a target or method
• Escalating pattern of behavior
• Some history of aggression or conflict
• Known stressors that are intensifying
• Subject may be resistant to authority
• Action: Active case management, increased monitoring, possible restriction of access, involve law enforcement as appropriate, develop a safety plan for potential targets

High Risk

• Specific, credible threats with identified targets
• Evidence of planning or preparation (acquiring weapons, conducting surveillance, writing manifestos)
• History of violence
• Severe stressors with no apparent coping mechanisms
• Subject has expressed hopelessness or “nothing to lose” mentality
• Action: Immediate protective action, notify law enforcement, remove the individual from the workplace, protect identified targets, activate emergency protocols

Step 5: Develop an Intervention and Management Plan

Based on the risk classification, the team creates a tailored intervention plan. Options may include:

For the Subject

• Referral to Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or mental health resources
• Mandatory counseling or fitness-for-duty evaluation
• Administrative leave (paid or unpaid) during assessment
• Formal disciplinary action
• Termination of employment (conducted safely, with security present)
• Restraining order or workplace violence protective order
• Law enforcement notification or criminal referral

For Potential Targets

• Notification of the threat (balancing safety with confidentiality)
• Personal safety planning (escort services, schedule changes, parking accommodations)
• Temporary relocation within the workplace
• Emergency contact protocols

For the Workplace

• Increased security presence
• Access control modifications (changing locks, revoking badges)
• Surveillance adjustments
• Communication plan for employees (what to share and what to withhold)
• Emergency action plan review

Step 6: Monitor and Follow Up

Threat management doesn’t end with the initial intervention. Many threats require ongoing monitoring:

• Schedule regular check-ins with supervisors, HR, and security
• Track compliance with any conditions (counseling attendance, behavioral expectations)
• Reassess risk periodically — threats can escalate or de-escalate over time
• Document all follow-up actions meticulously
• Plan for re-entry if the individual returns to the workplace after leave
• Maintain awareness even after the individual leaves the organization — former employees can still pose risks

Common Threat Assessment Mistakes

Avoid these pitfalls that can undermine your process:

• Waiting for a “real” threat — Concerning behavior that falls short of a direct threat still warrants assessment.
• Over-relying on profiles — There is no single “profile” of a workplace violence perpetrator. Focus on behaviors, not demographics.
• Conducting assessments in isolation — A single person cannot see the full picture. The team approach is essential.
• Ignoring domestic violence — Personal violence frequently enters the workplace. Take domestic violence reports seriously.
• Failing to document — If it isn’t written down, it didn’t happen. Documentation protects the organization and supports future decisions.
• Treating assessment as punishment — The goal is safety, not discipline. Some subjects need help, not termination.

Threat Assessment and California Law

California’s SB 553 requires employers to have procedures for identifying, evaluating, and correcting workplace violence hazards — which directly aligns with threat assessment practices. Your threat assessment process should be documented as part of your written workplace violence prevention plan.

Additionally, California law provides tools that support threat management:

• Workplace Violence Restraining Orders (Code of Civil Procedure Section 527.8) — Employers can seek protective orders against individuals who threaten or stalk employees.
• Civil Harassment Restraining Orders — Available when the threat comes from someone without a direct workplace relationship.
• Criminal Threats Statute (Penal Code Section 422) — Making criminal threats is a felony in California.

Understanding these legal tools enables your Threat Assessment Team to use the full range of available interventions.

The Security Officer’s Role in Threat Assessment

Security officers are often the first to receive threat reports, observe concerning behavior, or be called to manage a developing situation. Their role in the threat assessment process includes:

• Front-line observation — Identifying and reporting behavioral warning signs
• Initial response — Securing the immediate area and protecting potential targets
• Information gathering — Providing detailed accounts of observed behavior
• Protection details — Escorting threatened employees, managing access control
• Liaison — Coordinating between the TAT, management, and law enforcement

Security officers with training in workplace violence prevention and threat assessment are invaluable assets to any organization’s safety program.

Invest in Threat Assessment Training

Building an effective workplace threat assessment capability requires training, practice, and commitment. Whether you’re a security professional, an HR manager, or a business leader, understanding the threat assessment process is essential for protecting your people.

E3 Security Training Academy in Manteca, CA provides BSIS-certified Workplace Violence Prevention training that covers threat assessment fundamentals, warning sign recognition, and intervention strategies. We serve security professionals and organizations across Manteca, Stockton, Modesto, Tracy, Lodi, and the greater Central Valley.

👉 Learn about our Workplace Violence Prevention courses or explore our full training catalog to build the skills your organization needs.

Don’t wait for a threat to become a tragedy. Build your assessment capability now.