119-hr2647

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2647 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2647

 To direct the Secretary of Labor to issue nonmandatory guidance on 
 reducing the threat of violence in the workplace, and for other 
 purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 April 3, 2025

 Mr. Neguse introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To direct the Secretary of Labor to issue nonmandatory guidance on 
 reducing the threat of violence in the workplace, and for other 
 purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Safe Workplaces Act''.

SEC. 2. OSHA GUIDANCE ON REDUCING THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE IN THE 
 WORKPLACE.

    (a) Study.--The Director of the National Institute for Occupational 
Safety and Health shall conduct a study on reducing the threat of 
violence in the workplace.

    (b) Report.--Not later than 15 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to the Secretary of 
Labor, the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
Representatives, and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions of the Senate a report on the results of the study conducted 
under subsection

    (a) , which shall include recommendations that the 
Secretary of Labor shall consider when issuing the guidance described 
in subsection
            (c) .
            (c) Guidance.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than 4 years after the date of 
 enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor, acting through 
 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, shall issue 
 nonmandatory guidance on activities and work practice controls 
 that can be implemented by workplaces to reduce workplace 
 violence. Such guidance shall be differentiated to the extent 
 necessary to account for the unique characteristics of, and the 
 potential for threats of violence at, of each variety of 
 workplace, including grocery stores, retail stores, movie 
 theatres, hospitals, office buildings, restaurants and bars, 
 religious facilities, manufacturing facilities, mail 
 distribution centers, community centers, child care centers, 
 and schools.

    (2) Consideration.--In issuing the guidance required under 
 paragraph

    (1) , the Secretary shall--
        (A) consider the recommendations included in the 
 report required under subsection

    (b) ; and
        (B) take into account engineering controls, 
 dangerous weapons, and environmental risk factors that 
 may impact a workplace.
            (d) === Definitions. ===
-In this Act:

    (1) Dangerous weapon.--The term ``dangerous weapon'' means 
 an instrument capable of inflicting death or serious bodily 
 injury, without regard to whether such instrument was designed 
 for that purpose.

    (2) Engineering controls.--
        (A) In general.--The term ``engineering controls'' 
 means an aspect of the built space or a device that 
 removes a hazard from the workplace or creates a 
 barrier between an employee and the hazard.
        (B) Inclusions.--For purposes of reducing workplace 
 violence hazards, the term ``engineering controls'' 
 includes electronic access controls to employee 
 occupied areas, weapon detectors (installed or 
 handheld), enclosed workstations with shatter-resistant 
 glass, deep service counters, locks on doors, removing 
 access to or securing items that could be used as 
 weapons, furniture affixed to the floor, opaque glass, 
 closed-circuit television monitoring and video 
 recording, sight-aids, and personal alarm devices.

    (3) Environmental risk factors.--
        (A) In general.--The term ``environmental risk 
 factors'' means factors in the facility or area in 
 which a service is performed that may contribute to the 
 likelihood or severity of a workplace violence 
 incident.
        (B) Clarification.--Environmental risk factors may 
 be associated with the specific task being performed or 
 the work area, such as working in an isolated area, 
 poor illumination or blocked visibility, and lack of 
 physical barriers between individuals and persons at 
 risk of committing workplace violence.

    (4) Threat of violence.--The term ``threat of violence'' 
 means a statement or conduct that--
        (A) causes an individual to fear for such 
 individual's safety because there is a reasonable 
 possibility the individual might be physically injured; 
 and
        (B) serves no legitimate purpose.

    (5) Work practice controls.--
        (A) In general.--The term ``work practice 
 controls'' means procedures and rules that are used to 
 effectively reduce workplace violence hazards.
        (B) Inclusions.--The term ``work practice 
 controls'' includes--
            (i) assigning and placing sufficient 
 numbers of staff to reduce workplace violence 
 directed at employees by customers, clients, 
 patients, students, inmates, or any individual 
 for whom the workplace provides services or for 
 whom the employee performs services;
            (ii) a provision of dedicated and available 
 safety personnel such as security guards;
            (iii) employee training on workplace 
 violence prevention methods and techniques to 
 de-escalate and minimize violent behavior; and
            (iv) employee training on procedures for 
 response in the event of a workplace violence 
 incident and for post-incident response.

    (6) Workplace violence.--
        (A) In general.--The term ``workplace violence'' 
 means any act of violence or threat of violence, 
 without regard to intent, that occurs at a workplace or 
 while an employee performs a service.
        (B) Exclusions.--The term ``workplace violence'' 
 does not include lawful acts of self-defense or lawful 
 acts of defense of others.
            (C) Inclusions.--The term ``workplace violence'' 
 includes--
            (i) the threat or use of physical force 
 against a employee that results in or has a 
 high likelihood of resulting in injury, 
 psychological trauma, or stress, without regard 
 to whether the employee sustains an injury, 
 psychological trauma, or stress; and
            (ii) an incident involving the threat or 
 use of a firearm or a dangerous weapon, 
 including the use of common objects as weapons, 
 without regard to whether the employee sustains 
 an injury, psychological trauma, or stress.
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