Universal Health Services: 182 Incidents of Workplace Violence in 2022 at Wekiva Springs Psych Facility

June 27, 2023

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A federal workplace safety investigation has found that a Jacksonville treatment facility failed to improve worker safety procedures, resulting in dozens of incidents involving workers being assaulted.

U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says employees at Wekiva Springs Center, located on Salisbury Road, endured regular and often intense incidents of workplace violence.

The center functions as both a behavioral health and substance disorder facility.

OSHA reports there have been 182 alleged incidents in 2022, nearly 70 percent of which required police response in a six-month period, and 10 alleged violent incidents in less than two months in late 2022.

The agency learned that workers reported the following:

• A patient threw a chair at a mental health associate and three nurses in an attempt to leave the facility
• A nurse on duty suffered a patient's kick to their stomach
• A mental health associate had their head smashed into an air conditioning unit repeatedly and suffered a concussion at the hands of a patient who refused to be escorted to their room

In addition, OSHA determined the facility allowed behavioral mental health associates and nurses to be exposed to physical threats and assaults, such as being bitten, punched, kicked, scratched and spat upon by patients during routine interactions, daily activities and while providing care. Many of these alleged assaults led to sprains, contusions, lacerations, fractures and concussions.

OSHA issued Wekiva Springs Center, LLC a citation for a serious violation for its failure to provide a workplace free from recognized health and safety hazards which caused, or were likely to cause, serious physical harm or death. The agency has proposed $15,625 in penalties.

Wekiva Springs Center LLC employs about 218 workers in Jacksonville.

Source: “Investigation reveals nearly 200 violent incidents at Jacksonville behavioral health facility,” First Coast News, June 22, 2023, URL: https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/hundreds-of-violent-incidents-jacksonville-health-facility/77-6cc130e8-4f68-4fcf-8ef2-591b5a3adef5