House passes workplace violence in health care bill

The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed a bill that would require the U.S. Department of Labor to issue an interim standard to address workplace violence in health care, social services and other sectors.

The Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, introduced by Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Connecticut, passed the House in a 254-166 vote largely on party lines. The legislation would require certain employers to develop and implement comprehensive workplace violence prevention plans at the direction of the DOL to protect workers and other personnel from violence.

The bill stipulates the guidelines would be, at a minimum, based on the workplace violence prevention guidelines published by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 2015.

The interim standard would apply to employers in the health care and social services sectors, as well as sectors that conduct activities similar to those sectors.

The bill will now go to the Senate for consideration.