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Protect Workers from Violence

Workplace violence is a serious and growing problem. It’s time to act.

Working people deserve to go to work without the risk of violence on the job but too many workers are exposed to unsafe working conditions. Nurses, medical assistants, emergency responders and social workers face some of the greatest threats. A federal workplace violence standard is needed to protect workers in health care and social service settings from unnecessary injuries and deaths.

 

 

Workplace violence is foreseeable and preventable.

A workplace violence standard would require employers in the health care and social service sectors to develop and implement a plan to help protect their employees from workplace violence. Keeping workers safe on the job also will protect patients.

450
The number of homicides attributed to workplace violence in 2017.
22
The percent of work-related deaths among women which were workplace homicides.
80
The percent increase in the past decade in serious workplace violence injuries for workers in health care and social assistance.
4.7
Times more likely for health care and social service workers to suffer a workplace violence injury than other occupations.


With your help, we can protect workers from violence on the job.

Recently introduced legislation—The Workplace Violence prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act (H.R. 1309, S. 851)—would mandate an enforceable Occupational Safety and Health Administration standard to reduce and prevent foreseeable, serious and life-altering violence against workers in hospitals, nursing homes and social service settings.


RESOURCES

AFL-CIO: Workplace Violence Fact Sheet
AFL-CIO: A Video Message from Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler
AFL-CIO: Letter to the House of Representatives in Support of H.R. 1309
AFL-CIO: Shareable Graphics on Workplace Violence Prevention

AFSCME: Workplace Violence Fact Sheet
AFSCME: Preventing Workplace Violence: A Union Representative's Guidebook

AFT Voices: I Lost My Career to Workplace Violence
AFT: Workplace Violence
AFT: Workplace Violence Prevention Toolkit

ATU: Preventing Violence Against Bus Operators

National Nurses United: Workplace Violence

Video: "Caring for Our Caregivers: Protecting Health Care and Social Service Workers from Workplace Violence" (House of Representatives Hearing, Feb. 27, 2019)

Did You Know

Workplace violence is the third-leading cause of job death and causes more than 30,000 serious lost-time injuries each year.

Legislative Alert

Letter Supporting Legislation that Would Protect Health Care and Social Services Workers from Violence

March 22, 2021
Legislative Alert

Letter Supporting Legislation That Would Reduce Workplace Violence

November 20, 2019

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