Workplace violence bill would require hospitals to meet OSHA safety standards

A bill (H.R. 1309) that would require healthcare and social service employers to implement workplace violence prevention plans is currently being debating in Congress, according to an article on the Fierce Healthcare website.

The bill's requirements would be enforceable by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

"This would create a nationally-enforceable standard so that OSHA—as it does in so many other workplace areas of safety—can actually have a measuring stick," Courtney said. 

For instance, there would be design standards, such as using glass partitions at certain nurse stations, and staffing standards, such as the use of additional security guards, he said. 

Read the article.