Oregon Launches Workplace Violence Law for Healthcare Settings
Oregon is implementing SB 537, mandating violence prevention in healthcare workplaces.
Why it matters: Healthcare employers and legal teams must now comply with new safety and training mandates, reflecting growing regulatory focus on workplace violence. This law impacts risk management and labor relations in healthcare.
- SB 537 was signed July 17, 2025, and took effect January 1, 2026.
- Healthcare employers must conduct safety assessments and implement assault prevention programs.
- The law expands violence definitions and applies to hospitals, surgical centers, home health, and hospice agencies.
- Oregon OSHA proposed a related rule with public comment ending August 31, 2026, and adoption expected October 2026.
Oregon's Senate Bill 537 (SB 537) marks a new chapter in healthcare workplace safety. Signed into law by Governor Tina Kotek on July 17, 2025, it became effective January 1, 2026, imposing strict obligations on healthcare employers to address workplace violence risks (IntelliSee).
Under SB 537, healthcare employers must conduct recurring security and safety assessments to identify hazards that could lead to assaults or threats against employees. Based on these findings, they must develop and implement assault prevention and protection programs. In addition, ongoing assault prevention training is required for all healthcare workers (IntelliSee).
The law broadens the definition of workplace violence to include physical violence, harassment, intimidation, assault, homicide, and other threatening acts occurring at work. It also expands regulatory coverage beyond hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to licensed home health agencies and home hospice programs (Littler) (HomeCare Magazine).
Oregon OSHA has proposed the new standard OAR 437-002-0150 to implement SB 537. The public comment period closes on August 31, 2026, with tentative adoption slated for October 2026. This rule will require healthcare employers to consult safety committees on investigating, collecting, and reporting workplace violence incidents (Littler).
More than 90% of nurses in the Oregon Nurses Association reported experiencing workplace violence in the past year, underscoring the urgency behind this legislation. Richard Botterill, a Providence Portland Medical Center nurse, highlighted this by stating, "This bill is another critical contribution to promoting safety for all of us on the frontlines of healthcare and will go a long way to maintaining a safe workplace for the people who care for Oregonians" (KPTV).
The law also directs hospitals to establish workplace safety committees comprising hospital administrators and healthcare workers to foster collaboration in violence prevention efforts (KPTV).
By the numbers:
- 90% — Nurses experiencing workplace violence in Oregon last year
- 62 — Hospitals covered under the proposed Oregon OSHA rule
- 91 — Ambulatory surgical centers included in SB 537
- 65 — Licensed home health agencies subject to the standards
- 74 — Home hospice programs regulated by the new law
What's next: Public comment on Oregon OSHA's proposed rule ends August 31, 2026, with adoption expected in October 2026.