Workplace Violence

Washington — Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and 12 other House Democrats have introduced legislation intended to curb workplace violence in health care facilities.

An active shooter situation is a scenario many people don’t want to think about – but it’s important to be prepared.

An active shooter situation is a worst-case scenario many people don’t want to think about, but it’s important to be prepared. The Department of Homeland Security notes that active shooter situations often evolve quickly. Would you know what to do?

Iowa City, IA – Companies with fewer than 5,000 employees assess their workplace violence programs less often than larger companies, and apply fewer training topics and external resources, according to a report from the University of Iowa.

East Lansing, MI – Hospitals that use unit-level data on violent events to create worksite interventions could help lower the risk of patient-to-worker violence and staff injuries, a recent study from Michigan State University suggests.

Washington – OSHA will pursue a federal standard aimed at preventing workplace violence among health care and social service workers, after receiving petitions from National Nurses United and a coalition of labor unions led by the AFL-CIO.

Is your workplace at risk of experiencing a violent incident? Probably not, you may believe. But consider the statistics: In 2013, 404 homicides occurred on the job, according to the 2016 edition of the National Safety Council chartbook “Injury Facts.” And, according to OSHA, roughly 2 million workers report having been victims of workplace violence each year. The agency notes that many additional cases likely go unreported. How can your workplace prepare?

Washington – OSHA has announced a Request for Information on whether the agency should propose a standard aimed at preventing workplace violence in the health care and social assistance sectors.

Oakbrook Terrace, IL – An online resource center developed by accreditation organization The Joint Commission is aimed at preventing workplace violence in the health care industry.

Albany, NY – New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) has signed legislation that will elevate assaults on the state’s utility workers, transit station and terminal cleaners, and process servers – formerly misdemeanors – to Class D felonies.