Lawmakers introduce workplace violence bill
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Lawmakers are considering a bill that would prompt the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration to create a workplace safety standard addressing violence experienced by those working in health care and social services.
H.R. 1195, dubbed the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act and introduced Tuesday, would require employers within the health care and social service sectors to develop and implement a plan to protect their employees from workplace violence under the guidance of OSHA. The bill outlines specific requirements on risk identification and mitigation.
The regulations would cover hospitals, treatment facilities for physical and mental health, social service settings in correctional or detention facilities, substance abuse disorder centers, and community care settings such as group homes. The bill would not cover offices of individual physician offices or other medical providers located outside of covered facilities or covered services.
