Championing Safety Month: Expert Advice from UC Davis's Workplace Violence Prevention Director 

The first thing you notice when speaking with Adam Burkholder, UC Davis Director of Workplace Violence Prevention, is his warm, infectious smile. His calm demeanor, combined with a presence that radiates strength and quiet confidence, hints at a career shaped by perseverance and a deep commitment to protecting others.

We began our conversation with the basics. Burkholder has been with UC Davis for six years, but his professional background stretches far beyond. His résumé includes service in law enforcement along with experience in a highly regulated medical environment. His academic accomplishments are equally as notable. Calling him accomplished feels like an understatement. He humbly describes his career path with every pivot being strategic and impactful culminating in his current role as the Director of Workplace Violence Prevention at UC Davis.

The Importance of Safety Month

When asked about the significance of Safety Awareness Month, Burkholder didn’t hesitate.

“Safety Month is a great opportunity to refocus our attention on integrating safety into our daily routines—both personal and professional,” he explained. He emphasized that safety goes beyond physical hazards like wet floors or broken sidewalks. “The majority of workplace issues we deal with stem from interactions—whether with clients, colleagues, or the public.”

Burkholder sees California as a leader in workplace safety, particularly for its robust and forward-thinking regulations. He highlighted the state's industry-wide standards, not limited to healthcare settings, and expressed excitement about collaborative efforts with UC Davis departments like the Police Department and Risk Management to raise awareness and promote reporting.

Addressing Common but Overlooked Risks

One recurring theme in our conversation was the issue of situational awareness. According to Burkholder, a lack of awareness—of one’s environment, behaviors, and early warning signs—is one of the most overlooked risks in workplace safety.

“People are often unsure about what qualifies as a safety issue, or they hesitate to report it because they don’t want to make waves,” he said. But his message is clear: “If you think it might be an issue, report it.”

Importantly, Burkholder is a champion for reporting, lamenting “This (reporting), helps protect staff and encourages reporting. You’re not just protecting yourself; you’re potentially preventing someone else from experiencing the same behavior.”

Creating a Culture of Safety

For Burkholder, building a culture of safety starts at the top. “Leaders need to model safe behaviors and empower employees to use the tools provided,” he said. While his team can offer resources and training, he believes the real shift happens when leadership supports and normalizes reporting, de-escalation, and early intervention.

He also addressed a long-standing, toxic belief that “taking abuse” is simply part of certain jobs. “Abuse is not a condition of employment,” he stated firmly. “You don’t have to accept it. You deserve protection from harm.”

This philosophy has informed UC Davis’s approach to report something, even if you are unsure if it qualifies or constitutes as workplace violence—a stance Burkholder passionately advocates.

Spotting Red Flags

Another important topic we discussed was identifying early warning signs in colleagues or clients. Burkholder emphasized the importance of noticing behavioral deviations, such as withdrawal, increased irritability, or sudden changes in appearance or attendance.

“You spend 40 hours a week with these people—you’re likely to notice when something’s off,” he said. “You don’t need to diagnose or assume, but you should have a conversation with a supervisor if something doesn’t feel right.”

The Workplace Violence Prevention team offers a range of training opportunities, including Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) Verbal and Physical De-escalation, Mental Health First Aid, and general workplace violence prevention education. These cover topics like communication, posture, emergency preparedness, and situational awareness.

Leveraging Technology for Prevention

Technology has both helped and hindered safety, Burkholder noted. While mobile devices have increased distractions and reduced situational awareness, they’ve also allowed the team to innovate.

Soon, UC Davis will launch a virtual CPI Verbal De-escalation course—making it accessible to all staff, regardless of location. The team is exploring advanced tools like weapon detection systems. UC Davis is innovative and advanced as we are one of the few areas hospitals to use Vocera, a wearable device used by staff to signal for help during emergencies.

The Impact of Regulation—and Hope for the Future

While increased focus on workplace violence prevention is, in part, a response to rising incidents, Burkholder points out that regulations are working. “When we revamped our program in 2022, we saw a decrease in injuries related to workplace violence, and an increase in reporting—showing that people are using the tools and hearing our message,” he said. “That’s a success story.”

He credits this progress to a strong team and a commitment to continuous improvement. “Each member of the Workplace Violence Prevention unit is an expert in their field, and together we’ve built a thoughtful, dynamic, and effective program.”

As we wrapped up the interview, I asked Burkholder what he hopes people will take away from Safety Month.

Without missing a beat, he replied, “Incorporate safety into your everyday life—June, July, all year long. Make it a habit, not a one-month focus.”

Final Thoughts

Workplace safety is everyone’s responsibility, and at UC Davis, there are robust tools, training, and people ready to support you. Whether it’s through improving situational awareness, knowing how to respond in a crisis, or simply feeling empowered to report, we all have a role in building a safer, more respectful work environment.

For more information or to report an incident, visit the Workplace Violence Prevention | Human Resources website. Reporting systems include RL Datix for Health and RSS for Campus.

Resources:

Mental Health First Aid class: Sign Up Now!

Workplace Violence Prevention: https://hr.ucdavis.edu/departments/elr/workplaceviolence/

Academic and Staff Assistance Program (ASAP): https://www.hr.ucdavis.edu/departments/asap

Ombuds: https://ombuds.ucdavis.edu/

Counselor drop-ins: https://ucdavis.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_byI2jDrEAPyQzMa?Q_CHL=qr

Support U Peer Responder Program: clinicalwellbeing@ucdavis.edu

Harassment & Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program: https://hdapp.ucdavis.edu/

Workplace Violence Prevention Program

• Reporting Workplace Violence
• Training & Preventing Workplace Violence
• Resources & Support
• About Workplace Violence & Tools

Contact the Workplace Violence Prevention Unit:

• ViolencePrevention@ucdavis.edu