OSHA does not have a specific rule that addresses workplace violence in general industry or health care, although it has long discussed the need for such rules. During the Biden Administration some progress was made to advance a workplace violence rule in health care. However, such a proposed rule, “Workplace Violence in Health Care and Social Assistance,” was moved to the Long-Term Action item in the Spring 2025 regulatory agenda. This effectively means that nothing will happen for at least a year and, given the current deregulatory efforts, likely much longer than that.
OSHA can cite health care (or general industry) employers for workplace violence hazards under the General Duty clause. A recent case in the 10th Circuit affirming such a citation against a psychiatric hospital for failing to protect employees from patient violence illustrates OSHA’s enforcement commitment particularly in health care. In UHS of Delaware v. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, the Court found on February 13, 2026 that the employer failed to adopt reasonable safety measures, such as limiting patient access to work areas and potential weapons, and did not provide adequate security staff or communication methods to address incidents of violent behavior. The Court also opined that the employers’ own written workplace violence policies can help establish feasibility, i.e., OSHA can point to employers failing to follow the protections they have identified internally to support citations.
In the absence of an imminent federal rule governing workplace violence in health care, many states have moved forward to fill the vacuum. New York is one recent example. On December 12, 2025, Governor Hochul signed a bill that will require hospitals and nursing homes in New York to establish workplace violence prevention programs, conduct annual workplace safety and security assessments beginning in 2027, and update their plans to address new risks. These annual reviews must be tailored to each individual facility and should consider items including: workplace violence incident reports and logs; complaints raised by employees, patients, unions, and visitors; the hospital’s layout and access points; engineering controls and communication systems; and employee training policies and security procedures.
Other states have implemented similar laws, with many others planning to do so, particularly in the health care sector. Some states, notably California, have already implemented general industry workplace violence laws. Employers need to be diligent about ensuring they are monitoring these developments where they do business.