Workplace violence prevention is an ongoing and organic process. Federal and state regulations change frequently, so employers may consider regularly reviewing and updating their prevention plans and training programs on a scheduled timeline.
By Karen Tynan
California’s SB553, the nation’s first comprehensive and multi-industry workplace violence prevention law, has been in effect for almost a year. Many other states are following suit with their own workplace violence prevention laws or regulations, including New York’s Retail Worker Safety Act, taking effect this year. California’s workplace violence regulation for healthcare facilities went into effect in 2017, and many other states have since enacted regulations to protect healthcare workers from workplace violence.
Currently, there is no federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation addressing workplace violence in healthcare, although there is a patchwork of state laws and regulations.
For healthcare employers nationwide, tracking the new state and federal legislation is at least a part-time job for risk managers, safety professionals, and HR leaders. From what we continue to see today, there is no reason to expect the trend of new legislation or safety regulations related to workplace violence to slow down. Thus, healthcare leaders may need to really consider focusing on trackable, verifiable prevention plans and effective training sessions to stay ahead of legal trends.
Develop a comprehensive prevention plan
Depending on individual state requirements or local regulations, most healthcare employers consider their first assignment in addressing workplace violence prevention to be the risk assessment. Employee involvement in the risk assessment process is critical for stakeholders working to create a plan, as this typically provides the essential data and input needed to identify problem areas and work towards solutions.
When working to create an initial plan to address these issues, employers can start by creating clear definitions of what constitutes violence in the workplace. Then, outline the policies that must be implemented to mitigate the risk of these scenarios.
As the team works together to refine and improve these policies, it’s important to establish a single person or group who is responsible for the planned policies. It’s a good idea to have this person or group be charged with communicating and enforcing these policies within the larger organization as well, with zero tolerance for any infractions. Reviews of all policies and procedures may need to be conducted regularly — ideally on a schedule — to ensure ongoing improvement.
Effective and compliant plans include reporting and response protocols so that there are well-defined and well-understood procedures for reporting incidents of workplace violence. Employers can use varied reporting methods, including 1-800 hotlines, designated employees, e-mail or text methods, as well as verbal and written methods.
Employers may also consider developing response protocols to address incidents effectively and support affected employees. Response protocols are customized and can vary depending on the size and location of a facility, the type of clientele or patients, as well as the type of services provided. They also typically include a procedure for confidentially investigating workplace violence threats and incidents. Depending on the provider’s culture and structure, response and investigation duties can lie with risk management, human resources, safety, or operations departments. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach for response and investigations.
Ideally, each workplace violence prevention plan is tailored to a particular facility’s work sites, work locations, and work environment. A plan that is effective for a small rural clinic may not necessarily be appropriate for a large hospital with campuses across a city block. Engineering and administrative controls to address workplace violence will vary and may need to be adapted to address the risks and hazards clearly identified in the initial assessment.
Engineering controls to enhance safety measures may include improved lighting, security cameras and systems, and ID badges to ensure only privileged individuals can access certain facilities.
From what is included in recent New York, California, and other state laws and guidelines, additional administrative controls can also include panic buttons, personal alarms, open communication channels (hand radios), and schedule changes to mitigate risk from problematic actors. In some specific cases, these may even be required.
Facilitate effective training sessions
Training is an essential part of any workplace violence prevention program, and it’s best to host sessions on an ongoing basis at regular intervals. Plans to prevent and address workplace violence can only be effective if they are robustly implemented. In addition, it helps to track how employees receive and participate in training. While training requirements vary depending on state laws and regulations, there are some commonalities.
First, consider training employees on all aspects of the employer’s workplace violence prevention plan, including definitions, reporting threats and violence, investigations, and the controls that address or seek to minimize the hazard of workplace violence.
Depending on the workplace and workforce, effective training can also include guidance on how to recognize the warning signs of potential violence, such as changes in behavior, verbal threats, escalation, and signs of distress. Based on what the healthcare industry is seeing today, some employers find that de-escalation training, including communication techniques and conflict resolution, is a foundational part of effective training as it gives employees confidence in addressing irate patients or angry visitors.
Interested in learning more? Email Amber Bradley
Final thoughts
Workplace violence prevention is an ongoing and organic process. Federal and state regulations change frequently, so employers may consider regularly reviewing and updating their prevention plans and training programs on a scheduled timeline. Conducting regular or annual audits, soliciting employee feedback, and staying informed about best practices and emerging trends in workplace violence prevention will be essential for continuous improvement in 2025 and beyond.
Photo: okanmetin, Getty Images
