OSHA Health-Care Violence Rule Carries $1.2 Billion Yearly Cost

The price tag for a proposed federal rule protecting health-care workers from workplace violence would cost employers $1.2 billion annually, OSHA says.

The cost estimate is part of a detailed explanation of the proposed rule—seven years in the making—and options, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration released Monday in advance of a required small-business review set to begin March 13.

The standard would cover about 14 million workers and about 300,000 hospitals, residential mental health treatment centers, nursing homes, ambulance services, and many types of social services, OSHA says. General practice medical clinics and dentist offices wouldn’t be covered. ...