Workplace Violence

The potential for workplace violence exists across organizations of all sizes, in all industries and in all geographic locations. What do safety professionals need to know? How can they increase awareness and preparedness without fostering anxiety?

Washington – OSHA has created a webpage intended to help health care workers and employers prevent workplace violence.

Sacramento, CA – The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board has proposed a new regulation that aims to protect health care industry employees from workplace violence.

Morgantown, WV – Despite robbery-related violence being the leading cause of death in the retail industry, many Texas convenience store owners fail to take precautions that could prevent robberies and protect workers from violence, according to a new NIOSH study.

Washington – Was OSHA right to cite an employer for a violation of the General Duty Clause after a health care worker was killed by a patient?

Menlo Park, CA – More than 35 percent of people have worked with a bully, and 27 percent of human resources managers say workplace bullying occurs “at least somewhat often” at their company, according to research from staffing firm OfficeTeam.

Silver Spring, MD – Declaring that the nursing profession will “no longer tolerate” workplace violence, the American Nurses Association has issued a position statement urging employers and workers to create a culture of respect.

According to the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety, workplace bullying generally involves repeated incidents intended to “intimidate, offend, degrade or humiliate a particular person or group of people.”

Washington – April is National Workplace Violence Prevention Month, and OSHA hopes to raise awareness by releasing updated guidance for health care and social service workers.

More than 4 in 10 workers would worry about safety if a colleague reported having a mental illness, according to a study from Canada’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.