Workplace Violence Prevention – New and Revised Requirements

According to US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the incidence of violence–related health care worker injuries has steadily increased for at least a decade. Incidence data reveal that in 2018 health care and social service workers were five times more likely to experience workplace violence than all other workers — comprising 73 percent of all nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work.

Effective January 1, 2022, new and revised workplace violence prevention standards will apply to all Joint Commission-accredited hospitals and critical access hospitals. The new and revised standards provide a framework to guide hospitals in developing effective workplace violence prevention systems, including leadership oversight, policies and procedures, reporting systems, data collection and analysis, post-incident strategies, training, and education to decrease workplace violence.