In the Courts: Workplace Violence: OSHA and Teaching Hospital Reach Accord on Violence Prevention Measures

​A New York university hospital and medical center entered into a settlement agreement with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) agreeing to implement and maintain a comprehensive program to better safeguard its employees against assaults and other on-the-job violence.

Following an inspection that commenced in response to a complaint, OSHA concluded that the facility's employees were exposed to head, eye, face, and groin injuries as well as intimidation and threats during routine interactions with patients and visitors. OSHA found approximately 40 incidents of workplace violence reported between February 7 and April 12, 2014. The incidents involved employees who were threatened or physically or verbally assaulted by patients (including when they were trying to break up altercations between patients) or visitors. The most serious incident involved an assault of a nurse,...