OSHA Seeks to Protect Against Workplace Violence in Healthcare

When you think of jobs and industries with a high risk of violence in the workplace, healthcare probably isn't the first to come to mind. After all, why would doctors, nurses and physicians be the target of workplace violence? Well, it may sound strange, but healthcare is among the leading industries for workplace violence -- a trend the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is hoping to reverse.

According to a statement by OSHA, more violent incidents occur in healthcare than any other industry. In fact, the rate of violence incidents from 2002 to 2013 was four times higher than the national average for all private industries. OSHA says that healthcare violence accounts for roughly the same amount of violent incidents across all industries combined, attesting to the problematic nature of healthcare.

So, what's causing this disturbing increase of violence in the healthcare industry? OSHA cites several different factors, including healthcare workers who must work directly with patients whom have a history of violence, as well as patients who are intoxicated and/or under the influence of drugs. While neither OSHA nor any other government entity has specific laws regarding the prevention of violence in the healthcare industry, healthcare employers must still abide by all OSHA standards, which includes providing their employees with a safe working environment.

The good news is that a large majority of these violent incidents in healthcare can be prevented. OSHA says that healthcare employers should build "comprehensive" workplace violence programs to educate their workforce on how to avoid conflicts and reduce the risk of violent acts. OSHA has even launched a new website specifically for this purpose. "Preventing Workplace Violence in Healthcare"contains a plethora of helpful guides, how-to articles and other tools that healthcare employers may access to better protect their workers from violence incidents. The website is completely free to access with no strings attached, so check it out if you currently work in the healthcare industry.

What do you think of OSHA's new Preventing Workplace Violence in Healthcare website?