Recently, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued one serious and one other than serious violation to a residential health care facility for exposing employees to hazards related to workplace violence.
As a result, OSHA has proposed $12,000 in penalties for the facility (Integrated Life Choices Inc. Lincoln, Nebraska).
According to the announcement the citations follow an October 2015 OSHA investigation by the agency's Omaha Area Office that found agitated clients have bitten, scratched, kicked, and thrown objects at staff members. The client's aggression exceeded the threshold of training workers had received to deal with potentially violent clients and compromised their personal safety and ability to control the situation.
Workplace violence is any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the worksite. It ranges from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and even homicide. OSHA has guidelines for preventing workplace violence for health care and social workers.
Did you know?
Healthcare Compliance Pros offers a Workplace Violence course and a Harassment and Discrimination in the Workplace course. The Workplace Violence course includes an introduction to workplace violence, workplace violence policies and procedures, identifying characteristics of violent persons, and dealing with violent persons including de-escalating potentially violent situations all of which meet OSHA's recommendations for developing a written workplace violence prevention program. Our Harassment and Discrimination in the Workplace course includes the following sections and provides training on: types of harassment and unlawful discrimination, facts about sexual harassment, reporting harassment, management responsibilities, and workplace bullying.
If you would like more information about our Workplace Violence course and/or our Harassment and Discrimination in the Workplace course, or if you have any questions about OSHA's updated guidelines, please feel free to comment below or send us an email atsupport@hcp.mdor reach us by phone toll-free at 855-427-0427.