New Safe Workplaces Act Mandates Study and Non-Binding Guidance to Tackle Workplace Violence

The new Safe Workplaces Act is taking aim at workplace violence, but it’s doing it through research and guidance, not immediate mandates. Essentially, this section sets up a multi-year process for the government to study and then issue recommendations on how businesses can better protect their employees from threats and actual violence.

The Research Phase: What’s the Problem?

First up, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has been tasked with conducting a deep-dive study on how to reduce violence threats across different work environments. Think of it as a massive fact-finding mission. NIOSH has 15 months from the law’s enactment to finish this study and send its findings—including specific recommendations—to the Department of Labor and Congress. This is the foundation: getting concrete data on what works in places ranging from hospitals to grocery stores.

The OSHA Guidance: Recommendations, Not Rules

Once the research is done, the Secretary of Labor, acting through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), has up to four years to issue official guidance. This is the key detail: the guidance is explicitly nonmandatory. This means employers aren't legally required to follow it, but it provides a detailed, research-backed blueprint for managing risk. Crucially, this guidance must be tailored. A manufacturing plant has different risks than a movie theater, so the recommendations will reflect that reality.

For example, the guidance will cover Engineering Controls—physical barriers like shatter-resistant glass or key card access—and Work Practice Controls—like having enough staff on the floor or training employees on de-escalation. If you work retail, this could mean recommendations for better lighting in the parking lot or specific training on handling aggressive customers. If you're a nurse, it might suggest electronic access controls for certain wings or better staffing ratios. The bill also provides clear definitions for terms like "Workplace Violence" and "Dangerous Weapon" to keep everyone on the same page.

What This Means for Everyday Workers and Employers

For the busy person, this bill is a long-term play. It won't change your workplace safety protocols tomorrow, but it kickstarts a process that should eventually lead to clearer, better-informed best practices. The good news for employees is that the resulting guidance will be based on solid research, offering employers a free, detailed roadmap to improve safety.

For employers, especially small business owners, this means free, expert-level consultation on risk management is coming down the pipe. Since the guidance is nonmandatory, it avoids adding immediate regulatory burdens, but it does mean that if a business chooses to ignore these recommendations, they might face tougher questions later if an incident occurs. The four-year timeline for OSHA to issue the final guidance is a bit of a stretch, meaning it could be a while before these official recommendations hit the streets. Still, establishing a formal, research-driven approach to a growing problem is a solid first step.