Cal-OSHA Proposes Regulations To Prevent Workplace Violence

The California Department of Occupational Safety and Health has proposed new regulations that aim to prevent workplace violence in the health care industry, Safety+Health Magazine reports.

In a statement, Cal-OSHA noted that workplace violence-related injuries occur three times more in the health and social assistance sectors than in the overall private sector (Safety+Health Magazine, 11/4).

Background

Health care and social assistance workers are nearly five times more likely than average employees in other sectors to experience a nonfatal assault or violent act by another person, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For example, nearly 60% of nonfatal assaults and violence acts in 2007 occurred in the health care and social assistance sectors (California Nurses Association/National Nurses United release, 11/3).

Details of Regulations

The proposed regulations would implement a state bill (SB 1299) passed last year.

The regulations would cover workplace safety for workers in home health, home-based hospice, outpatient medical offices, paramedic and emergency medical services, and other health facilities (Safety+Health Magazine, 11/4).

The proposal would define workplace violence to include threats of violence (CNA/NNU release, 11/3).

Under the regulations, employers would be required to implement:

• Ways to identify risk factors;
• Investigation and response procedures; and
• Procedures for correcting violence hazards.

Employees also would have to be involved in the development, implementation and review of the workplace violence prevention plans (Safety+Health Magazine, 11/4). In addition, employers must provide violence-prevention training for all employees (CNA/NNU release, 11/3).

Cal-OSHA will hold a public hearing on the proposed regulations on Dec. 17. Comments on the proposal are due by the hearing date (Safety+Health Magazine, 11/4).

CNA Response

In a release, the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United -- which sponsored SB 1299 -- said it is "very pleased" with the proposal.

Deborah Burger, co-president of CNA/NNU, said, "The proposed regulations will serve as a national model, and we are very proud of the part we have played to bring them to fruition" (CNA/NNU release, 11/3).