OSHA Labels Health Care & Social Service Settings As High-Risk For Employee Violence

On September 8, 2011, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) instructed its investigators to consider health care and social service workplaces at high-risk for employee injury or assault. In 2000, 48% of all non-fatal injuries from occupational assaults and violent acts occurred in health care and social services, and most of the incidents involved nurses, aides, orderlies, and attendants. Federal workplace injury data indicates that among all occupations, mental health workers have the second highest rate of workplace injury or assault, directly after those in law enforcement. The high risk of violence for health care and . . .