Author: Courtney Hansen, Associate at NV5
On September 30th, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 553, a pivotal measure addressing workplace violence prevention. This legislation mandates that the majority of California employers integrate a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan into their Injury and Illness Prevention Plan (IIPP).
Before the enactment of this bill, the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) had been in the process of drafting a Workplace Violence Standard since 2017. With the signing of SB 553, Cal/OSHA is now obligated to finalize the General Industry Workplace Violence Standard by December 31, 2025. Nevertheless, employers are anticipated to implement a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan by July 1, 2024.
Key Components of the Workplace Violence Prevention Plan
Although not an exhaustive list, some of the required elements include:
- Employee involvement in the development of the Workplace Violence Prevention Plan
- Maintaining a Violent Incident Log and conducting post-incident investigation.
- Identifying, evaluating, and correcting potential workplace violence hazards.
- Creating procedures for responding to reports of workplace violence.
- Training employees on reporting violent incidents, how to seek assistance to prevent or respond to violence, and strategies to avoid physical harm.
Does it apply to my workplace?
While most California employers and employees will be required to implement and participate in a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan, there are a few exceptions:
- Employees teleworking in environments beyond the employer’s control.
- Work locations not open to the public with fewer than 10 employees present at any given time.
- Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and law enforcement agencies.
- Employers already subject to Cal/OSHA’s Violence Prevention in Health Care standard.
SB 553 goes beyond establishing a Violence Prevention Plan, it also puts in place new resources for employees to gain protections from credible threats of violence in the workplace through temporary restraining orders (TRO). Currently, employers can file a temporary restraining order on behalf of an employee or group of employees, SB 553 expands that authority to collective bargaining representatives. Employees can request to not be named and remain anonymous in a TRO filed on their behalf. This authorization for collective bargaining units goes into effect January 1, 2025.
While these new requirements may seem distant, it is best to start working on your Workplace Violence Prevention Plan now in order to be prepared. NV5 provide assistance in drafting a program and developing the essential training for employees, contact us at 562.495.5777 or reach out to Courtney Hansen, Associate at NV5, via email at Courtney.Hansen@NV5.com.