De-escalation Course (Australia): Lessons 2026

Lesson 1: Aggression at work and your duties

Safe Work Australia describes workplace violence and aggression as incidents where a person is abused, threatened or assaulted at work or while working. It includes physical assault, threats, harassment and aggressive behaviour from customers, the public or co-workers. Swearing, yelling, name-calling and taunting can also harm mental health over time, and they can escalate.

Duties under WHS laws

• Employers (PCBUs) must manage the risk of violence and aggression like any other hazard, eliminating or minimising it as far as reasonably practicable. Controls can include a clear policy, safe procedures for working alone, training and supervision.
• Workers must take reasonable care for their own and others' safety, must not act violently, and must follow reasonable instructions and policies.
• Workers may stop unsafe work if they have a reasonable concern about a serious risk from an immediate or imminent hazard, such as a threatened assault. They must tell the employer as soon as possible and be available for other suitable work.

These duties come from the model WHS laws, which every state and territory except Victoria has adopted. Victoria has its own occupational health and safety laws with similar general duties, so check WorkSafe Victoria's guidance if you work there.

NT WorkSafe says training should not be the main way to control the risk. It works alongside physical controls such as lighting, alarms and a safe place to retreat to.

Licences and training

Security licences are issued by each state and territory, not by the federal government. For example, Victoria Police's Licensing and Regulation Division regulates the private security industry in Victoria. Queensland requires unarmed security officers to complete the Certificate II in Security Operations (CPP20218) with a registered training organisation. This course is extra background knowledge only.

Lesson 2: Spotting the warning signs

NSW Health notes that anger may be a sign that a person is in distress. Fear and frustration often sit underneath it. Seeing anger this way helps you respond with patience instead of force.

Signs that violence may be close

Victoria's Child Protection Manual lists these indicators of imminent violence:

• Rapid breathing, clenched fists or teeth, flared nostrils or a flushed face
• Loud talking or chanting
• Restless, repeated movements, pacing, or violent gestures such as pointing
• Swearing a lot or using sexually explicit language
• Rapid mood swings
• Refusing to cooperate
• Threatening violence

One sign alone does not prove someone will become violent. Several signs together, or signs that are getting stronger, mean you should act early and get help ready.

Lesson 3: Talking someone down

Stay calm. Speak and move in an unhurried way, and do not take what the person says personally. NSW Health points out that you cannot reason or problem-solve with someone who is enraged, and it is not your job to stop them being angry. Calm the person first; only then deal with the problem.

LOWLINE: a way to listen

Other helpful steps

• Acknowledge the distress with a simple statement, such as "I can see you're upset."
• Keep questions simple. Upset people often cannot follow complicated statements.
• Offer a change of setting, such as talking outside or away from a crowd.
• Listen without interrupting or judging, then sum up what they said in your own words to check you understood.
• Give choices and let the person decide what they can.

Lesson 4: Keeping yourself and others safe

Your safety comes first. NSW Health says that if at any time you feel your safety is at risk, you are able to leave. WA's code of practice says workers can remove themselves from serious and imminent risk of harm without fear of being penalised.

During an incident

• Call for help from co-workers or your security team, or use a duress alarm.
• Move to a safe place, ask the aggressive person to leave, or end a phone call.
• Contact police if the behaviour becomes physical or the person threatens physical assault.
• Call 000 if anyone is in immediate danger.
• In an armed hold-up, give the person what they want, let them leave, do not follow them, and call 000.

Controls that help

NT WorkSafe's guide lists controls such as:

• Workers can see who is coming in and can restrict access when needed
• A safe place to retreat to
• Good lighting inside and outside
• Communication and alarm systems that are maintained and tested regularly
• Procedures for working alone, with a supervisor who checks in during the shift

WA's code also suggests security guards during high-risk periods and wearable cameras that capture audio.

Lesson 5: After an incident

1. Make sure everyone is safe.
2. Give first aid or get urgent medical help if needed.
3. Get support: practical, emotional and social. This can include a debrief or counselling.
4. Record what happened: when and where, who was involved and what was said and done. Keep screenshots of online abuse.
5. Report the incident to your supervisor or the person your workplace names.
6. Review the controls so it is less likely to happen again.

The WHS regulator must be notified if an incident causes a death or a serious injury, such as one needing immediate hospital treatment, an amputation, a serious head or eye injury, a serious burn or a spinal injury. Your employer usually makes this notice, so report to them quickly.

Remember the other person too. Once they are calm, treat them with respect and avoid blame. Do not assume the matter is over just because the shouting has stopped.

Support lines

It is unlawful for you to be treated badly for reporting violence at work. Many employers also offer a confidential Employee Assistance Program.