OSHA Updates Guidelines on Preventing Workplace Violence in Healthcare, Social Services Settings

Author: Ashley Shaw, XpertHR Legal Editor

April 10, 2015

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently updated its guidelines on preventing workplace violence against healthcare and social service workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were more than 23,000 significant workplace assaults in 2013, and more than 70% (16,100 plus) of those assaults were in healthcare and social services environments. As a result of this information, OSHA updated its guidelines in order to help lower the number.

"It is unacceptable that the people who dedicate their lives to caring for our loved ones often work in fear of injury or death," Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, said. The new guidelines incorporate research that has been conducted examining workplace violence in healthcare and social work surroundings.

Along with the new guidelines, OSHA again stresses the importance of creating a written workplace violence prevention program, which should include plans for management of the program and training for workers, among other considerations.

Workers who are more likely to be the victims of a workplace assault include those who:

  • Work with patients who have histories of violence, drug abuse and gang participation;
  • Work alone in a facility or patient's home;
  • Have no means of emergency communication;
  • Have inadequate security and mental health support on site;
  • Lack training and policies on dealing with escalating hostile and assaultive situations;
  • Work late at night or early in the morning;
  • Deal with people who are made to wait long periods in overcrowded, uncomfortable waiting rooms before being seen; and
  • Work in areas with easy access to firearms and other weapons.

This is not the first time in recent months that OSHA has issued guidelines focused on protecting a particular subset of workers. In 2014, it issued recommendations for protecting temporary and seasonal employees.

The updated guidelines revise recommendations published in 1996 and 2004.