UCSF workplace safety survey results
Background
From Thursday, January 15, 2026, to Friday, February 20, 2026, the “UCSF Workplace Safety Survey” asked about experiences of assault, threats of violence, sexual assault, harassment, and other sensitive topics.¹
University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE) conducted a confidential survey to understand better how University of California, San Francisco (UCSF or UC San Francisco) staff in outpatient behavioral health settings have experienced unsafe working conditions and how management has handled prior safety incidents.² UPTE is now presenting the results as summary statistics to inform worker- and patient-centered safety improvements.³
Methods
Study design and administration
The survey was a confidential, cross-sectional questionnaire administered online (“UCSF Workplace Safety Survey — UPTE-CWA 9119”).
Measures
The instrument included structured, closed-ended questions with standardized response options, including frequency bins (0, 1–3, 4–6, 7+), Likert-type satisfaction scales, and urgency ranking scales.
Participants and response rate
The survey targeted UC San Francisco campus behavioral health social workers (N=190); 120 workers responded (63.2%).⁴
Confidentiality and reporting
The survey stated that respondent contact information would be shared with organizers on a separate sheet from responses, and that all published results would be summary statistics without personal identifiers.
Results
Overall exposure
Only 5% of those surveyed reported they had not witnessed or experienced any form of verbal, physical, or sexual assault or harassment.⁴
90% reported experiencing some type of threat, assault, or intimidation (physical, sexual, or verbal).⁴
Respondents also reported witnessing patients (83%) and colleagues (86%) being threatened, assaulted, or intimidated (physical, sexual, or verbal).⁴
Perceived safety and management response
81% of those surveyed reported feeling unsafe at work from at least once a month to every day.
90% reported feeling unsafe at work at least once to management; in 50% of those cases, management either took retaliatory action, responded in a retaliatory manner, did not address concerns, or addressed concerns only after what the employee considered an unreasonable period.
Satisfaction rating scale: Respondents also rated aspects of UC/management response on a 1–10 scale, where 1 = least satisfied and 10 = most satisfied (median scores reported).
Retention risk and system-wide priorities
Over 71% of those surveyed reported considering leaving their positions at UCSF due to safety concerns.
Top priorities for addressing safety at the system-wide level (multiple selections allowed; out of 120 survey responses) were: Ending the Two-Tier System for UC Campus Social Workers (97 selections); Creating an escalation system for security risks or threats to staff and patients (83); Addressing safe staffing levels by adding positions to campus social work (81); and Allowing workers to have direct seats on committees for workplace violence prevention (68).
Satisfaction with response and urgency of changes
On a rating scale of 1 to 10 (median score; higher scores indicate more satisfaction), respondents reported: UC’s response to the recent stabbing incident at Ward 86 (2.75); Existing safety protocols (4); and How safety protocols are communicated to staff (3).
When a safety incident was reported to management (median satisfaction score, 1–10), respondents reported: Initial conversation (3); Escalation of safety concerns up the ladder (3); Quality of trauma-informed care provided to those affected by violence (3); Provision of safety debriefing (4); Implementation of safety measures following the incident (3); and UC’s role in facilitating a substantial response to safety and workplace violence (2).
On a rating scale of 1 to 8 for urgency of infrastructure/physical changes (median score; higher scores indicate more urgency), respondents reported: Weapons Detection Systems (8); Badged Doors and Readers for Clinical Areas (6); Physical Barriers between Waiting Areas and Clinical Spaces (5); Panic Buttons (5); Camera Installation (4); Crash Kits and Other Emergency Medical Devices (4); Expanded Waiting Areas (3); and Moving Clinics to More Suitable Locations (2).
On a rating scale of 1 to 6 for urgency of protocol changes (median score; higher scores indicate more urgency), respondents reported: Improved Safety Alert System for Staff to Notice High-Risk Patients Attending Clinic (6); Mandatory Safety Briefings and Debriefings on Incidents of Violence or Threat (4); More Trainings on Workplace Violence Prevention including in-person (3); Written Protocols and Workflows for Managing High-risk Patients (3); Clear Procedures to Ensure Care for Victims of Workplace Violence within 24 hours (3); and Buddy System for Social Workers Field Time (3).
Witnessing violence and harassment
Respondents reported witnessing patients being violently assaulted (50%) and clients being violently assaulted (43%).
Respondents reported witnessing patients being sexually assaulted/harassed (58%) and colleagues being sexually assaulted/harassed (54%).
Respondents reported witnessing patients being threatened with violence (72%) and colleagues being threatened with violence (77%).
Respondents reported witnessing patients being stalked or intimidated (55%) and colleagues being stalked or intimidated (55%).
Respondents reported witnessing patients being verbally harassed (80%) and colleagues being verbally harassed (81%).
Co-occurrence among those reporting assault/harassment
Of the 22% who had been violently assaulted, 77% (of those 26 individuals) had also been sexually assaulted or harassed; 100% had been threatened with violence and verbally harassed; and 70% had been stalked or intimidated.
Of the 50% who had been sexually assaulted or harassed (40% four or more times), 33% were also violently assaulted; 85% were also threatened with violence; 60% were stalked or intimidated; and 97% were verbally harassed.
Prevalence of violence, harassment, and intimidation
Among respondents (N=120): 22% reported being violently assaulted; 50% reported being sexually assaulted or harassed; 68% reported being threatened with violence; 46% reported being stalked or intimidated; and 87% reported being verbally harassed.
Endnotes
University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE) CWA Local 9119, “UCSF Workplace Safety Survey — UPTE-CWA 9119,” survey instrument.
UPTE CWA Local 9119, “UCSF Workplace Safety Survey — UPTE-CWA 9119,” survey instrument (purpose statement).
UPTE CWA Local 9119, “UCSF Workplace Safety Survey — UPTE-CWA 9119,” survey instrument (publication as summary statistics).
UPTE CWA Local 9119, “UCSF Campus Social Worker Survey: Summary of Results,” February 21, 2026 (survey header; N=190; respondents N=120; response rate 63.2%).