Health care work violence

AN ACT Relating to preventing workplace violence in health care 1
settings; amending RCW 49.19.020; and adding a new section to chapter 2
49.19 RCW. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
Sec. 1. RCW 49.19.020 and 2019 c 430 s 2 are each amended to 5
read as follows: 6
(1) ((Every three years, each )) (a) Each health care setting 7
shall develop and implement a workplace violence prevention plan ((to 8
prevent and protect )) for the purposes of preventing violence and 9
protecting employees from violence ((at)) in the setting.10
(b) In a health care setting with a safety committee established 11
pursuant to RCW 49.17.050 and related rules, or workplace violence 12
committee that is comprised of employee-elected and employer-selected 13
members where the number of employee-elected members equal or exceed 14
the number of employer-selected members, ((that)) the committee shall 15
develop, implement, and monitor progress on the workplace violence 16
prevention plan. 17
(2) The workplace violence prevention plan ((developed under 18
subsection (1) of this section shall )) must outline strategies aimed 19
at addressing security considerations and factors that may contribute 20
H-0373.1
HOUSE BILL 1162
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Leavitt, Schmidt, Berry, Ryu, Macri, Bronoske,
Pollet, Nance, Timmons, Ormsby, and Hill
Prefiled 01/06/25. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee
on Labor & Workplace Standards.
p. 1 HB 1162
to or prevent the risk of violence, including but not limited to the 1
following: 2
(a) The physical attributes of the health care setting, including 3
security systems, alarms, emergency response, and security personnel 4
available; 5
(b) Staffing, including staffing patterns, patient 6
classifications, and procedures to mitigate employees time spent 7
alone working in areas at high risk for workplace violence;8
(c) Job design, equipment, and facilities; 9
(d) First aid and emergency procedures; 10
(e) The reporting of violent acts; 11
(f) Employee education and training requirements and 12
implementation strategy; 13
(g) Security risks associated with specific units, areas of the 14
facility with uncontrolled access, late night or early morning 15
shifts, and employee security in areas surrounding the facility such 16
as employee parking areas; and 17
(h) Processes and expected interventions to provide assistance to 18
an employee directly affected by a violent act. 19
(((2) [(3)] Each health care setting shall annually review the 20
frequency of incidents of workplace violence including identification 21
of the causes for and consequences of, violent acts at the setting 22
and any emerging issues that contribute to workplace violence. The 23
health care setting shall adjust the plan developed under subsection 24
(1) of this section as necessary based on this annual review.))25
(3) (([(4)])) In developing ((the plan required by subsection (1) 26
of this section )) and updating the workplace violence prevention 27
plan, the health care setting shall consider ((any)):28
(a) Any guidelines on violence in the workplace or in health care 29
settings issued by the department of health, the department of social 30
and health services, the department of labor and industries, the 31
federal occupational safety and health administration, medicare, and 32
health care setting accrediting organizations; and33
(b) The findings and recommendations in the reports required by 34
section 2(2) of this act.35
(4) The health care setting or, if applicable, the committee 36
under subsection (1) of this section must conduct a comprehensive 37
review and update of the workplace violence prevention plan at least 38
once per calendar year. 39
p. 2 HB 1162
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 49.19 1
RCW to read as follows: 2
(1) Every health care setting must conduct a timely investigation 3
of every workplace violence incident. 4
(2) In each investigation required by this section, the health 5
care setting must review the incident for purposes of identifying 6
factors contributing to or causing workplace violence, including but 7
not limited to an assessment of: 8
(a) The details of the incident, such as the date, time, 9
location, and nature of the conduct and harm; 10
(b) The details of any response and related remediation to 11
prevent future incidents; and 12
(c) If applicable, a comparison of the actual staffing levels to 13
the planned staffing levels at the time of incident.14
(3) The health care setting must submit a report to the committee 15
identified under RCW 49.19.020(1)(b) at least quarterly, unless the 16
health care setting is a critical access hospital under 42 U.S.C. 17
Sec. 1395i-4, in which case it must submit a report at least twice 18
per year, with the following: 19
(a) A summary of the data required by RCW 49.19.040 and the 20
findings of investigations required by subsection (1) of this section 21
during the relevant time period, with any personal information 22
deidentified in compliance with the federal health insurance 23
portability and accountability act of 1996; 24
(b) A summary and analysis of any systemic and common causes of 25
the workplace violence incidents; and 26
(c) Recommendations for modifying the plan under RCW 49.19.020 27
and other practices in order to prevent future incidents of workplace 28
violence. 29
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p. 3 HB 1162