Employers could be made responsible for the safety of every person in the office. The term every person not only includes employees but, independent contractors, clients and members of the public. While there are no sure way to stop violence, there are steps that employers can take to minimize the danger of workplace violence. It is an employers legal responsibility to provide safer place of employment. Employers are expecting employers to foresee the potential for violence, prevent it from occurring and then pay for it, if it happens.
Employers are duty - bound to set an acceptable standard for workplace behavior.
Employees on the other hand are entitled to expect to have a safe working environment, in fact, that expectation of employees is a promise which has been added in to the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Employees should be aware of all the laws concerning workplace violence. The duty of an employer is to provide reasonably safe workplace may arise from a variety of federal or state statues, regulations, or judicial decisions. Employers seeking to avoid liability for acts of workplace violence should become familiar with the law regarding violence. Employer can never fully guarantee the safety of the workplace.