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On January 8, following an outbreak of violence at the U.S. Capitol, AIHA, also known as the American Industrial Hygiene Association, called for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish a safety standard for workplace violence prevention.
Workplace violence can happen to any worker in any industry. The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) recently reaffirmed that violence in the workplace is a recognizable hazard, and employers are responsible for protecting employees from assaults and homicides.
Do you prefer to read rather than listen? If so, you won’t miss out on our latest episode of EHS on Tap! Read the transcript of our recent conversation with Patrick Prince, associate vice provost and chief threat assessment officer for the University of Southern California, on the intersection of workplace violence and substance abuse. […]
Remember the parable of the blind men and the elephant? Each man forms an incorrect conclusion about what the elephant is like, based on limited information. The man touching the elephant’s tail concludes that an elephant is like a rope. The man touching its tusk believed that the elephant was more like a spear. The […]
One of the most important tools for preventing workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities is a hazard assessment. Situations are analyzed to determine the risks they pose, and then employers decide how best to control those risks. Unfortunately, one increasingly common hazard has thus far defied our ability to predict and prevent it—mass shootings.
An OSHA standard to mitigate workplace violence in healthcare facilities does not appear to be on the horizon, but this is not because OSHA is not aware of the main provisions that would be included in such a standard. In fact, it is not uncommon for OSHA to issue citations against healthcare employers whose employees […]
In 2018, it’s becoming imperative that every employer develop a comprehensive and effective workplace violence action plan, especially because the average workplace is now 18 times more likely to experience an incident of workplace violence than a fire, and active shooters are becoming more likely.
In 2017, California became the first state in the nation to implement a regulation requiring health care employers to take steps to prevent workplace violence. That rule took effect in April 2018. Now, the state’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, better known as Cal/OSHA, is developing a similar standard for general industry.