Although globally it may be commercial comopany employees and tourists who are most at risk of being killed or kidnapped, in recent years the security of aid agency staff has become a concern for aid agency managers and their donors. The fact that increasingly they find themselves working in violent environments, together with the perception that they are being targeted have spawned a range of internal measures in a number of aid agencies, and some inter-agency initiatives. This paper offers a comparative overview of recent aid agency attempts to strengthen the management of safety and security. It is based on consultation with 20 organisations, including NGOs, the Red Cross Movement and UN agencies.