St. Louis Healthcare Workers Exposed to Workplace Violence

Assault, battery, and other forms of violence are a leading cause of work-related injuries among healthcare workers.

Healthcare workers do the important work of caring for people’s health. It is unfortunate that they have to face violent behavior at the hands of patients. Assault, battery and other forms of violent attacks are one of the leading causes of work-related injuries among healthcare workers.

Healthcare Workers at Risk

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited a medical facility after nurses and other health care employees faced violent attacks by patients eight times in a period of three months. Health care workers in this east coast facility reported that they were bitten, kicked, and punched by patients. Recounting one such attack, a nurse reported that she suffered cuts and bruises while trying to stop an attack by a patient. Other health care employees reported events wherein they were locked in a room, verbally threatened, and exposed to pathogens contained in blood and other body fluids.

OSHA Investigations

After conducting an inspection of the facility, OSHA proposed a penalty of $13,000 for a repeat violation of the facility’s improper recording of work-related injuries. A repeat violation is said to have occurred when an employer is cited for committing the same or similar health and safety regulation more than once in a period of 5 years.

Additionally, OSHA cited the medical facility for violation of the employer’s duty to maintain a workplace that is free of dangerous hazards. It was also found that the medical center failed to put in place appropriate safety measures to protect the workers’ health and safety. OSHA reported that the number of violent attacks on the facility’s health care workers shows that their prevention program was inadequate and ineffective.