Emergency medical services: workplace violence prevention.

Existing law, the Emergency Ambulance Employee Safety and Preparedness Act, added by initiative measure enacted by the voters by Proposition 11 at the November 6, 2018, statewide general election, requires every emergency ambulance employee, such as emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics, to receive employer-paid training in specified areas, including preventing violence against emergency ambulance employees and patients. Existing law, the California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973, imposes safety responsibilities on employers and employees, including maintaining an effective injury prevention program. Existing law also requires the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to adopt standards developed by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health that require specified types of hospitals to adopt a workplace violence prevention plan as part of the hospital's injury and illness prevention plan to protect health care workers and other facility personnel from aggressive and violent behavior. Existing law also requires the division to annually post a report on its internet website containing specified information regarding violent incidents at hospitals. This bill would require the division, upon appropriation of funds, to develop educational materials about the regulation of workplace violence in health care in the context of emergency medical services and medical transport, to educate workers on their protections under the law, and to promote employer compliance. The bill would require the educational materials to be posted on the division's internet website. The bill would also require the division, upon appropriation of funds, to commission a study to determine best practices to address and mitigate workplace violence against emergency medical services and medical transport, as specified.