UPMC says it is committed to workplace safety for health care workers
REDUCE WORKPLACE VIOLENCE. NEARLY TWO WEEKS AGO, INSIDE THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT UPMC ALTOONA, A PATIENT SEVERELY BEAT A HEALTH CARE WORKER UNTIL HE WAS UNCONSCIOUS. TRAVIS DUNN SUFFERED A FRACTURED SKULL, A BRAIN BLEED, A FRACTURED EYE SOCKET AND OTHER INJURIES. HIS FAMILY TELLS PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR TRAVIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN DEEPLY DEDICATED TO PROVIDING CARE TO HIS COMMUNITY. WE URGE UPMC AND ALL HEALTH SYSTEMS TO INVEST IN THE SAFE STAFFING AND SECURITY MEASURES THAT HEALTH CARE WORKERS ARE URGENTLY CALLING FOR, UPMC NURSE CLAIRE DUFFUS IS A MEMBER OF THE SEIU HEALTH CARE PA, THE UNION ASKING UPMC TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND STAFFING. THE NURSES AT ALTOONA HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR YEARS FOR FOR SAFETY MEASURES AND ADEQUATE STAFFING, AND THOSE ASKS HAVE BEEN HAVE BEEN DENIED OVER AND OVER AGAIN, UPMC CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER DOCTOR DONALD YEARLEY RESPONDS TO THOSE CLAIMS. WE’VE BEEN ADDRESSING BOTH OF THOSE, BOTH AT UPMC ALTOONA AND ACROSS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM, AND WE HAVE HAD ENHANCED SECURITY ACTIONS, BOTH WITH PEOPLE WITH DEVICES AND WITH THE TRAINING OF OUR PEOPLE WHO WORK AT THE FACILITIES. EVEN IN LIGHT OF THAT RESPONSE, SEIU HEALTH CARE PA SAYS MORE CAN BE DONE. THAT INCLUDES EMPLOYING SECURITY AND WEAPON DETECTORS AT UPMC ALTOONA. UPMC SAYS ADVANCED SECURITY FEATURES ARE ALREADY IN PLACE. THE ISSUE ISN’T AT UPMC ALONE. THIS IS A BROADER HEALTHCARE ISSUE. THERE’S WORKPLACE VIOLENCE THROUGHOUT ALL HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS. WE WILL CONSTANTLY SUPPORT OUR WORKERS, PROTECT OUR WORKERS, AND DO THE THINGS THAT HELP MITIGATE THOSE THREATS. ALSO TONIGHT, UPMC SAYS IT IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING DONE THROUGHOUT HIS RECOVERY WITH WAGES AND WORKER’S COMPENSATION COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNT
UPMC says it is committed to workplace safety for health care workers
Updated: 7:00 PM EST Nov 14, 2025
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UPMC reiterated its position on maintaining workplace safety in an interview with Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Friday.This follows the release from hospital care of UPMC emergency room technician Travis Dunn, who was severely beaten at UPMC Altoona two weeks ago, suffering a fractured skull and other serious injuries.Since then, SEIU Healthcare PA has called on UPMC and other health care providers to increase security staffing and enhance safety measures in the workplace across the state.Dr. Donald Yealy, UPMC chief medical officer, says enhanced security features and training are used and evaluated regularly at all facilities across the state.”And we have had enhanced security actions, both with people, with devices and with the training of our people who work at the facilities,” Yealy said. SEIU Healthcare PA has maintained that UPMC Altoona lacks weapon detectors and staffed security at the main entrance, but Yealy says enhanced security features are already in place at the main entrance and the emergency room, and detectors would not have prevented the violent attack on Dunn.However, he says UPMC places heavy emphasis on the safety of employees and patients, while staying dedicated to improving security measures regularly.”We will constantly support our workers, protect our workers and do the things that help mitigate those threats,” Yealy said.
UPMC reiterated its position on maintaining workplace safety in an interview with Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Friday.
This follows the release from hospital care of UPMC emergency room technician Travis Dunn, who was severely beaten at UPMC Altoona two weeks ago, suffering a fractured skull and other serious injuries.
Since then, SEIU Healthcare PA has called on UPMC and other health care providers to increase security staffing and enhance safety measures in the workplace across the state.
Dr. Donald Yealy, UPMC chief medical officer, says enhanced security features and training are used and evaluated regularly at all facilities across the state.
“And we have had enhanced security actions, both with people, with devices and with the training of our people who work at the facilities,” Yealy said.
SEIU Healthcare PA has maintained that UPMC Altoona lacks weapon detectors and staffed security at the main entrance, but Yealy says enhanced security features are already in place at the main entrance and the emergency room, and detectors would not have prevented the violent attack on Dunn.
However, he says UPMC places heavy emphasis on the safety of employees and patients, while staying dedicated to improving security measures regularly.
“We will constantly support our workers, protect our workers and do the things that help mitigate those threats,” Yealy said.
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