When many of the following factors exist, care should be taken to provide employees with counseling or other organizational programs. People who commit violence are usually triggered by an incident. Profiles and warning signs are available but human behavior is unpredictable and there is no specific profile of a dangerous person. There are however, indicators of an increased risk of violent behavior. Direct threats are clear and specific.
Conditional threats depend on a course of action.
Veiled threats are subtle. These threats may be threatening body language, offensive gestures or statements that are not explicit. Employees may be able to say the threat was misinterpreted or no harm was meant, but any veiled threat should be taken as a warning sign of potential violence. All threats should be reported immediately to a supervisor, a human resource representative, or safety officer, as company policy dictates. The person who made the threat should calmly be asked for an explanation.