Guidelines for Social Worker Safety in the Workplace

Unfortunately, the number and variety of people to whom social workers provide services and the variety of settings in which these services are provided have contributed to an increasingly unpredictable, and often unsafe, environment for social work practice. Social workers have been the targets of verbal and physical assaults in agencies as well as during field visits with clients. Tragically, some social workers have also been permanently injured or have lost their lives “in the line of duty.” The Guidelines for Social Worker Safety in the Workplace are important to the retention and recruitment of a professional social work force. Moreover, NASW guidelines may be a helpful resource to communities; private and public agencies; and local, state, and federal policymakers invested in creating a safer work environment for social workers. Information is also available online at www.socialworkers.org.