In fact, providing a safe workplace for employees is a duty every employer has under the law.
Recent legislation broadens requirements for certain businesses.
Employers in Washington state must develop a formal, written Accident Prevention Program that is to be tailored to the needs of the business and the types of hazards involved. For certain industries, such as police and security services, workplace violence is a known hazard assumed as part of the job. Not surprisingly, a basic component of an APP for these employers involves measures to protect workers from violence that may erupt or be encountered as part of job performance. For other industries, like retailers who operate establishments between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., analysis of workers' compensation claim information has resulted in passage of safety requirements that mandate workplace violence planning and precautions as part of APPs. Reacting to workers compensation data and national trends of escalating violence, the state Legislature imposed new prevention of workplace violence requirements on certain health-care employers.