Stat Facts: House Democrats Reintroduce Legislation to Protect Health Care Workers

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives last week introduced legislation directed at curbing rates of workplace violence against health care and social service workers. 

The Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act directs the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue a standard requiring employers in these industries to protect workers from violence in the workplace, including creating and instituting workplace violence prevention plans.

The bill, spearheaded by Rep. Joe Courtney, mirrors one with the same name that was introduced late last year. 

“We applaud the introduction of this bill requiring OSHA to finally address the epidemic of workplace violence against health care and social service workers,” said USW International President Leo W. Gerard. 

“For too long, our members working across health care settings and job classifications have lived with the knowledge that they could fall victim to violence just by doing their jobs. Workplace violence is preventable, and our union supports this bill.”

Health care workers suffer one of the highest rates of workplace violence of any occupation, with a marked increase in serious injuries as a result of this violence last year, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

To read more about the bill, click here.

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