We are glad to see MyMichigan Health, the Midland-based owner of the Alpena hospital and several other health care facilities around the state, attempt to tackle the serious problem of assaults against health care workers.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration says 75% of nearly 25,000 workplace assaults reported annually happen in health care and social service settings. MyMichigan Health officials told News staff writer Michael Gonzalez for a recent story that the risk is higher in health care settings because health care workers see people during stressful and emotional times.

In an attempt to combat that problem, MyMichigan Health in 2017 or 2018 formed a Workplace Violence Committee.

Among the committee’s efforts are new public service announcement signage around MyMichigan Health facilities, including the Alpena hospital, that attempt to raise awareness of the problem and discourage violence at the hospital.

The committee also has trained employees, especially those in some of the highest-risk areas of the hospital, on everything from deescalation to how to handle an active shooter. The committee also encourages employees to report incidents rather than just letting incidents slide.

Our health care workers are life-savers who work with enough stress on a normal day. Dealing with assaults or any kind of violence should not also be part of the job.

We commend the health care system for doing what it can to prevent violence in the workplace for its employees and for training its staff on how to handle things when it does come up.

We stand with you, health care workers, in saying violence has no place on the job.