Accepting violence invites it

By LENORE BORIS
Health-care workers face a significant risk of job-related violence. Almost every nurse has been struck by a patient or knows a coworker who was.

The recent murder of PEF member Judi Scanlon, a nurse working in the title of intensive case manager at the state Office of Mental Health, is a dramatic reminder of the tragedy that can result from unsafe working conditions.

But such tragedies don't have to happen. PEF leaders believe safety on the job is every worker's right. Health-care workers should be able to return home in the same condition they were in when they left for work. And the union is committed to identifying and resolving any threats to their health or safety on the job.

Not part of your job
A very dangerous notion persists within the health-care community that assaults are just part of the job and you might as well accept it.

Too often, nurses don't report isolated bites, slaps, kicks and punches they receive. But professionals dedicated to furthering the health of others should place an equal value on their own health and be just as rigorous in protecting it.

Who's responsible?
The death or serious injury of a health-care worker cries out for answers. How did this happen? Who is responsible? How can this be prevented?

Employees fear the employer may blame an attack on employee negligence or poor job performance. Training programs available to nurses include topics such as assessing potential assaultiveness, verbal calming, self defense and restraint procedures.

While valuable, such courses contribute to the idea that being safe in the workplace is strictly a matter of your own preparedness. But the law doesn't see it that way. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) places the responsibility for a safe workplace on the employer.

It requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees.

How safe are you?
Preventing workplace violence requires a commitment from the employer. This commitment is demonstrated with a concern for each employee's safety and an allocation of resources to ensure that safety.

Look around your workplace. Do you see signs your employer is committed to protecting your safety? Is there a clear policy that absolutely no violence will be tolerated in your workplace? What is your employer doing to prevent or remove hazards? Do you have adequate lighting, security alarms, closed-circuit TV security, or other measures to stop assaults?

Are administrative controls in place, such as policies for reporting assaults, established relations with local police, adequate staffing, and controlled access?
Has your employer trained you and other staff on how to prevent and respond to workplace violence?
Is there an active health-and-safety committee at your worksite?

Don't settle for less
If you or your coworkers are getting hurt on the job, make up your mind that it's not acceptable. Contact your PEF representative and start demanding safety, not danger, on the job.

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