Status: Long-Term Action — Rulemaking Stalled (Spring 2026 Unified Agenda)
Citation: RIN 1218-AD08; 29 U.S.C. § 655 (OSH Act Section 6(b))
Jurisdiction: Federal (all states; does not preempt stricter state plans)
Category: Workplace Violence Prevention, Occupational Safety
Industries: Healthcare, Social Assistance, Education, Retail, All General Industry
Enacted Date: Not yet enacted (rulemaking in progress since 2016)
Effective Date: TBD — NPRM publication date now listed as "To Be Determined" in Spring 2026 Unified Regulatory Agenda
Summary: OSHA's proposed Workplace Violence Prevention Standard (RIN 1218-AD08) would establish the first federal general-industry rule requiring employers to develop, implement, and maintain a written workplace violence prevention program. Originally advanced under the Obama and Biden administrations, the rule was moved to "Long-Term Action" on the Spring 2026 Unified Regulatory Agenda, signaling it is no longer on an active rulemaking track under the current administration. A proposed rule is not expected in the foreseeable future. State-plan states (including California, which enacted Cal/OSHA WPV regulations effective 2024) are not affected and may maintain stricter requirements independently.
Key Provisions (Proposed):
- Written WPV Prevention Program: Employers would be required to develop and implement a site-specific workplace violence prevention program tailored to identified hazards.
- Hazard Assessment and Reporting: Mandatory processes for identifying, evaluating, and responding to workplace violence hazards, including employee incident reporting systems.
- Training Requirements: Annual employee and supervisor training on WPV prevention, recognition, and response procedures.
- Recordkeeping: Documentation of violent incidents, near-misses, and corrective actions; records retained for five years.
- Anti-Retaliation: Prohibition on retaliating against employees who report workplace violence incidents or hazards.
Affected Entities: All employers covered by OSHA's general industry standards. Healthcare and social assistance sector employers are the primary focus, though the rule as proposed would apply broadly. State-plan states may enforce their own equivalent or stricter standards regardless of federal action.
IntelliSee Relevance: Direct. IntelliSee's Workplace Violence Prevention AI detection platform is directly aligned with the operational intent of this standard. Organizations proactively complying with state-level WPV mandates (California, New Jersey, New York, Illinois) or preparing for future federal rulemaking can deploy IntelliSee's non-identifying video analytics to satisfy hazard assessment, real-time threat detection, and incident documentation requirements. IntelliSee does not use facial recognition or biometric identification.
Compliance Timeline
- 2016 — OSHA initiates stakeholder meetings and Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act review for healthcare WPV rule
- January 2017 — Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking published for healthcare sector
- 2021–2024 — Biden administration expands scope to general industry; rule advances on regulatory agenda
- December 2024 — NPRM publication previously targeted for this date
- Spring 2026 — Rule moved to "Long-Term Action" on OSHA's Unified Regulatory Agenda; NPRM date now listed as "To Be Determined" — active rulemaking effectively paused under current administration
- Ongoing — State-plan states (CA, NJ, NY, IL, WA, and others) continue enforcing their own WPV prevention mandates independently of federal action
Related Legislation & Resources
- California Workplace Violence Prevention – General Industry Standard (Cal/OSHA)
- Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act (H.R. 2531)
- Washington Healthcare Workplace Violence Prevention (HB 1162)
Sources: OSHA Unified Regulatory Agenda RIN 1218-AD08 (Spring 2026); U.S. Department of Labor Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA); Congressional Research Service; OSHA WPV rulemaking docket.