House staffers report that HR 1195, the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act will come up for discussion in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, April 15. The hearing is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. CT and will be broadcast live on C-SPAN.

HR 1195 would require the secretary of labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard to require employers within the healthcare and social services industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan.

ASSP recently reaffirmed its original position of support based on a statement issued in 2019, when similar bills (HR 1309 and S 851) were introduced. In response to upcoming floor debate, the Society reached out to the offices of several U.S. representatives to express the organization's support of this bill.

“ASSP condemns all forms of violence in the workplace and is particularly concerned with the rise of injuries associated with violence in the healthcare and social service industry sectors, targeted by the pending federal legislation,” the statement says. “ASSP supports congressional efforts to eliminate workplace violence and encourages OSHA to continue with its rulemaking to promulgate an enforceable and effective standard, accompanied by comprehensive education and outreach.”

ASSP also addresses issues related to workplace violence in ASSP TR-Z590.5-2019, a technical report on active shooters that provides guidance from safety experts on proactive steps businesses can take to reduce risks and respond to events. In addition, the Society's “Women and Safety in the Modern Workplace” report addresses the fact that violence is a leading cause of workplace fatalities among women.