Ontario takes action to better protect health-care workers
Ontario is establishing a workplace violence prevention leadership table in health care to better protect professionals on the job.
They face a number of hazards in the workplace including exposure to infectious diseases, ergonomic hazards, slips, trips and falls, as well as violence.
Workplace violence in the health-care sector costs the health-care system about $23.8 million annually for hospitals alone and violence claims make up 10 per cent of the lost-time injuries in hospitals, said the government.
The leadership table will bring together key stakeholders and experts, including patient advocates, to provide advice on how to reduce and prevent workplace violence.
Based on the advice of the leadership table, Ontario will develop a plan to:
• make hospitals safer
• reduce incidents of workplace violence in hospitals and the broader health-care sector
• change attitudes toward workplace violence and improve workplace safety culture regarding violence.
