Hospital system acts to improve safety after OSHA probe into stabbing

A Maple Heights, Ohio, outpatient mental health treatment facility has agreed to numerous steps to improve workplace safety, including employing a weapons screening process, enhancing security and implementing staff training, after a patient attacked a nurse practitioner with a knife in April 2024, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced Thursday.

Following an investigation into the incident, in which a security guard was able to apprehend the patient, Signature Health Inc. received an OSHA citation involving a serious violation under the Occupational Safety and Health Act’s general duty clause for failing to protect employees against workplace violence.

Signature Health entered into a settlement agreement with OSHA, in which it has agreed to pay a penalty of $16,131 by Nov. 30, 2024. Since the incident, Signature Health has implemented corrective actions at its facility and will expand this program to all of its facilities corporate-wide, according to OSHA.