AIHA Supports the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act

AIHA has announced its support for H.R. 1309, the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, which was recently introduced by Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn. The bill, which is supported by more than 30 members of Congress, would call on OSHA to create a national standard requiring healthcare and social service employers to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan.

“Data show that healthcare and social service workers are nearly six times more likely to experience workplace violence,” said Cynthia Ostrowski, CIH, president of AIHA. “Strategies to prevent violence against this category of workers are urgently needed because we cannot expect them to care about our health and safety if we can't guarantee theirs.”

Last week, a subcommittee of the House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor heard testimony about this possible government action.

Preventing workplace violence is part of AIHA's Public Policy Agenda, which focuses on 15 critical issues that play an important role in creating a healthy and safe work environment. Please contact Mark Ames, AIHA's director of Government Relations, for additional information.

Related: The cover article of the December 2018 Synergist, “Preventing Workplace Violence,” describes strategies for keeping work sites safe.