Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health

Reducing Workplace Violence in Gasoline 

Stations and Convenience Stores 

Summary

Workers in the retail trade sector 

are at a higher risk of violence and 

homicide than in other industry 

sectors [BLS 2022]. Within the retail sector, workers in gasoline stations (often involving sales of convenience store items) are at a higher risk 

compared with workers in other 

types of retail and the overall workforce [BJS/BLS/NIOSH 2022]. The 

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends steps to prevent and reduce workplace violence incidents 

in gasoline stations and convenience stores. NIOSH also encourages employers to implement and 

improve workplace violence prevention programs. These recommendations are based on a study 

of convenience stores that implemented elements of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) [Davis et al. 2021]. 

This document describes strategies 

to reduce the risk of injuries and 

deaths associated with robberyrelated violence at gasoline stations 

and convenience stores.

Background

Workers at gasoline stations and convenience stores are at increased risk of 

both severe and multiple incidents of 

violence. Small retail businesses may 

have limited resources for reducing the 

risk of robbery and other violent incidents or for dealing with their effects. 

Income is lost when operations are disrupted, and resources might be spent 

on assessments, trauma recovery, etc. 

[NIOSH 2021; DeFraia 2015; Anderson 

et al. 2010]. 

The Department of Labor (DOL) Workplace Violence Program gives more information about the effects violence 

may have on a workplace, employer 

responsibility, and the various stages of 

violence. 

Health Effects of 

Workplace Violence

The Occupational Safety and Health Act 

of 1970 (Public Law 91−596) states that 

workers have a right to a workplace 

“free from recognized hazards that are 

causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm.” Violence in the 

workplace increases the risk of severe 

stress among employees. In addition, 

workplace violence has been associated 

with a lack of quality sleep, depression, 

fatigue, insomnia, and post-traumatic 

stress disorder among employees [Andersen et al. 2021; Lanctôt and Guay 

2014; Konttila et al. 2021]. Exposure to 

violence should never be accepted as 

part of any job [NIOSH 1996, 2004].

Workers at Higher 

Risk of Violence

Demographics

Of the 3.5 million workers in the gasoline station subsector, nearly 20% identify as Hispanic, 12% as Black, 7% as 

Asian, 3% as multiracial, and 2% as 

American Indian, Alaskan Native, or 

Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. Nineteen 

percent were born outside of the United 

States (compared with 17% of the overall 

workforce) [CDC 2021]. Retail workers 

who are Black, Asian, or born outside 

of the United States experience higher 

homicide rates than workers who are 

White or born in the United States 

[BJS/BLS/NIOSH 2022; Chaumont 

Menéndez et al. 2013]. 
2

Workplace factors

The following store characteristics are associated with robbery and violence [Hendricks et al. 1999; Casteel et al. 2004; 

Amandus et al. 1997; Davis et al. 2021; Schaffer et al. 2002]: 

 Open 24 hours

 Open between 9pm and 3am*

 A history of robbery and other violent incidents

 Limited visibility of the entrance or exit 

 No bullet-resistant shielding or security systems

 No robbery prevention training for employees

 Cash availability

 Independently owned or operated

Types of Violence

Research has identified four types of workplace violence that 

are based on the perpetrator’s relationship to the victim(s) 

or the place of employment [Cal OSHA 1995; IPRC 2001; 

NIOSH 2006]:

1. Criminal intent: The perpetrator has no legitimate relationship with the business or its employees and is usually committing a crime along with violence. In these 

situations, active employee resistance to the robbery is 

significantly associated with employee injury [Jones et al. 

2015]. 

2. Customer/client: The perpetrator has a legitimate relationship with the business and becomes violent while being served by the business. 

3. Worker-on-worker: The perpetrator is an employee or 

past employee of the business who attacks or threatens 

other employees or past employees in the workplace. 

4. Personal relationship: The perpetrator usually does not 

have a relationship with the business but has a personal 

relationship with the victim. 

Active shooter events were not included in the original research about types of violence [Cal OSHA 1995]. However, 

these events are becoming more frequent [FBI 2021]. In retail settings, employees may need to run, hide, or fight. Employers and employees should be aware that there are different responses needed for different scenarios [FBI 2021]. The 

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported that in 2021, 

28 “active shooter incidents” occurred in businesses open to 

pedestrian traffic, including some convenience stores and 

gas stations [FBI 2021].

*

Amandus et al. [1997] found that more than half (59%) of robberies in 

convenience stores occurred between 9pm and 3am, and 47% occurred in 

stores that had been robbed before.

Prevention through Design and 

the NIOSH Hierarchy of Controls

Reducing the risk of violence can be considered in terms of 

Prevention through Design and the hierarchy of controls [NIOSH 

2013, 2015]. In these models, design or engineering controls, 

which prevent workers from coming in contact with hazards, are 

considered more effective than practices or controls that require 

individual action by the employee [NIOSH 2013, 2015]. 

Crime Prevention Through 

Environmental Design (CPTED) 

CPTED can reduce violence through design choices. On a 

large scale, CPTED uses the natural environment, built environment, and community involvement to deter crime and 

reduce victimization [ICA 2021; Jeffrey 1971]. On a smaller 

scale, CPTED principles can be used to make a building an 

unappealing target for crime by increasing the chances that 

a potential perpetrator might get caught, or by reducing the 

“rewards” for robbery [Davis et al. 2021].

For retail buildings, general principles of CPTED include 

highly visible work areas, controlling access to commonly stolen 

items, controlling entry of customers, and keeping a workplace well maintained. Repairing broken windows, cleaning 

graffiti, replacing light bulbs, keeping the parking lot clean, 

etc., sends a message that employees are alert to what happens in and around the store. For example, keeping clear 

lines of sight from retail cashier areas to the outside, or to 

areas of high-value merchandise, can dissuade thefts and 

potential violence [Bach 2022]. Having a drop safe allows 

employees to drop cash into the safe without the option of 

retrieving or accessing the cash. Employees typically don’t 

have the code to open the drop safe.

Case Study: Effectiveness of a 

CPTED-Informed City Ordinance

In collaboration with the University of Iowa, NIOSH evaluated the effect of a city ordinance on crime rates in convenience stores and small retail grocery stores in Houston, 

TX [Davis et al. 2021]. The city implemented the ordinance 

in 2010 and it is still in effect. The ordinance was based on 

CPTED guidelines and had the following requirements:

 Register each store with the police department.

 Offer training videos in several languages on deescalation tactics for employees.

 Have police enforce ‘no trespassing’ laws at any time, 

whether or not an employee is present.
3

 Post security signs indicating that alarm systems are

in effect.

 Install a drop safe.

 Install surveillance cameras.

 Increase visibility around the cash register and sales area.

Convenience stores were randomly selected for the study. 

The study accounted for risk factors such as store location, 

type (single owner or franchise), and opening hours. Managers from 358 stores completed a survey about compliance with the ordinance. As a more direct measure of existing safety features, a surveyor completed a site evaluation for 

324 stores. Of those, 293 convenience stores were in business 

when the ordinance took effect. Rates of crime for each store 

were evaluated before (2006–2009) and after (2010–2015) 

the ordinance went into effect. Crime rates were based on 

police reports for robbery and aggravated assault.

There was a significant reduction in robberies after the ordinance went into effect, especially for stores that implemented all elements of the ordinance. However, the study could 

not determine the effectiveness of any single element of the 

ordinance. Therefore, the authors concluded that a comprehensive approach, using all elements, may be more effective 

[Davis et al. 2021].

Recommendations to Reduce 

Workplace Violence in Gas 

Stations and Convenience Stores

Building managers, employers, and employees of gas stations 

and convenience stores can implement measures to reduce 

the risk of robbery and violence in gasoline stations and convenience stores [NIOSH 1996, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2018; CDC 

2020; Davis et al. 2021; Chaumont Menéndez et al. 2013; 

Hendricks et al. 1999; Jones et al. 2015]. A comprehensive 

approach, implementing as many measures as possible, may 

be the most effective.

Building managers can incorporate the following elements 

into their stores:

Doors and windows 

 Active, working alarm systems connected to the local police 

department 

 Entrance/exit doors that are easily seen by store workers for 

monitoring and may also serve as escape routes for workers 

 Exit routes that are accessible and unobstructed by inventory (boxes), etc.

 Doors with fully functioning locks, and a policy about 

when to lock doors

 Unobstructed windows (not blocked by signs or objects) 

that allow law enforcement to see in from the outside

Inside the store

 Bullet-proof barriers where payments are made, to provide additional protection for employees

 Trespassing affidavits (agreements allowing police departments to order trespassers to leave the property, even 

in the absence of the store representative)

 Active, recording surveillance cameras with no blind spots

 Curved mirrors to cover a wider area in the reflection

 In-store shelving that is not high enough to be a hiding place 

for perpetrators

 A safe area for employees to go if they feel they are in 

danger (e.g., a hidden room that locks from the inside, 

has a second exit route, and has a phone or silent alarm)

Employers can take the following steps:

 Post signs indicating that employees do not have access 

to the safe.

 Reduce available cash on the premises. Maintain a drop 

safe and ensure that employees make deposits frequently. 

Time-lock safes cannot be opened until specified times.

 Do not allow signage, advertisements, promotions, stickers, 

or writing on facility windows. These items obstruct the view 

into the facility for responding law enforcement officers. 

 Provide employees with options to minimize contact with 

customers.

 Ensure that work areas and money/inventory/storage locations are restricted to employees only.

 Ensure emergency exit routes (including exits employees rarely use) are not blocked or obstructed by inventory, pallet jacks, etc. In the event of an active shooter, these 

exit routes may be used by customers and employees for 

survival.

 Provide training to employees about the following:

— Steps to take in the event of a robbery, including not 

resisting when the situation is robbery only.

— Steps to take in the event of an active shooter, including locations of safe zones, exit routes not routinely 

used, and emergency numbers.

Employees can take the following steps:

If you are in a situation that feels unsafe: Remove yourself from the situation, if possible. Call the police for help.

 Know the location of all exits, alarms, emergency numbers, 

call buttons, and other emergency information.
4

 Be alert:

— Evaluate each situation for potential violence when 

you enter a room or begin to interact with a customer or visitor. Be aware of anyone who shows signs of 

possible violence.

— Report any violent or potentially violent situations to 

your manager and local law enforcement.

— Report any person who appears to be “casing” the 

store, loitering for long periods, or stalking you or 

another employee.

 Watch for signals that may be associated with impending 

violence:

— Verbally expressed anger and frustration

— Body language such as threatening gestures

— Signs of impairment from drug or alcohol use

— Brandishing a weapon or firearm

 Maintain behavior that does not escalate anger:

— Don’t match threats.

— Don’t shout commands or give orders to a potentially violent person.

— Do not resist a situation that involves only robbery.

 Avoid any behavior that may be interpreted as aggressive 

(for example, getting too close to a potentially violent person or speaking loudly).

Suggested Citation

NIOSH [2023]. Reducing workplace violence in gasoline stations and convenience stores. Workplace Solutions. By Hughes 

SE, Chaumont Menéndez CK, Afanuh SE. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2023–121. 

https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2023121

Resources

 NIOSH [2021] and OSHA web pages on workplace violence include training on risk factors and prevention measures for various occupations.

 Recommendations for Workplace Violence Prevention 

Programs in Late Night Retail Establishments [OSHA 

2009] includes checklists for training, security measures, 

and incident reporting.

 Wholesale and Retail Trade Sector (NIOSH) 

 Active Shooter Preparedness (Department of Homeland 

Security)

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200211000-00007

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2023121

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2023-121

February 2023