By Richard Negri Health & Safety Director SEIU Local 121RN

Since 2009, SEIU Nurse Alliance of California and SEIU Local 121RN have addressed workplace violence prevention through legislation, training, and advocacy. In 2012, it became clear that the current legislation and regulations could not adequately protect healthcare workers. The culmination of these efforts led to the determination that the most effective course of action would be to petition Cal/OSHA for a Workplace Violence Prevention Standard for Healthcare Workers.

Healthcare workers are tragically familiar with the violence that occurs within their workplaces and this reality is often compounded by the culture that violence “comes with the territory.” SEIU Nurse Alliance of California and SEIU Local 121RN know that this cannot be farther from the truth. Violence in healthcare is both predictable and preventable and – through the standard we are developing– we hope to change this culture and help to save and protect the lives of healthcare workers.

California workers have model workplace violence prevention protections in place, put there through the passage of Assembly Bill 1083 (Perez) in 2009. While the language of this bill is superb, it is difficult to implement and enforce due to not being within labor code and thus out of Cal/OSHA’s jurisdiction.

SEIU Nurse Alliance of California and SEIU Local 121RN understand that the process of ratifying a comprehensive Cal/OSHA standard is a long one.  To that end, we are educating, organizing, and mobilizing members around workplace violence prevention.  We are also reaching out to allies.  On Sept. 23, 2013, we received this letter in support of the campaign from Jon Youngdahl, Executive Director of SEIU California, writing on behalf of the state’s 700,000 SEIU-represented workers.

But we cannot finalize this standard without your support. There are many ways you can help. You can tell your story in person at the Cal/OSHA Standards Advisory Committee meetings (see meeting schedule below), we can record your story and play it at the Advisory Committee meetings and on our website, or you can write your story in the electronic form found here.

Cal/OSHA Standards Board Meeting Schedule

Feb. 20 @ 10 a.m. State Resources Building Auditorium 1416 9th Street Sacramento, CA 95814

March 20 @ 10 a.m. Harris State Building Auditorium 1515 Clay Street Oakland, CA 94612

April 17 @ 10 a.m. State Resources Building Auditorium 1416 9th Street Sacramento, CA 95814

May 15 @ 10 a.m. Walnut Creek City Hall / Council Chambers 1666 N. Main Street Walnut Creek, CA 94596

June 19 @ 10 a.m. State Resources Building Auditorium 1416 9th Street Sacramento, CA 95814

July 17 @ 10 a.m. Harris State Building Auditorium 1515 Clay Street Oakland, CA 94612

August 21 @ 10 a.m. State Resources Building Auditorium 1416 9th Street Sacramento, CA 95814

Sept. 18 @ 10 a.m. County Administration Center, Room 310 1600 Pacific Highway San Diego, CA 92101

Oct. 16 @ 10 a.m. Walnut Creek City Hall / Council Chambers 1666 N. Main Street Walnut Creek, CA 94596

Nov. 20 @ 10 a.m. State Resources Building Auditorium 1416 9th Street Sacramento, CA 95814

Dec. 18 @ 10 a.m. State Resources Building Auditorium 1416 9th Street Sacramento, CA 95814

If you plan to attend to tell your story of workplace violence, please contact either Richard Negri at (626) 375-6426 or Kathy Hughes at (951) 236-7125 prior to the meeting you plan to attend.