California SB 553 Workplace Violence Prevention Law: All States Listen Up!

California employers are not the only ones who should be focusing on the California SB 553 Bill that has turned into the Workplace Violence Prevention Law!

As of July 1, 2024, California employers are required to implement a workplace violence prevention plan. This is a step in the right direction, as statistics show.

You may have seen this as “CA SB-553” (the bill) or “CA Labor Code 6401.9” (the law CalOSHA will reference to enforce) or “CA WVPP” (California Workplace Violence Prevention Plan.) No matter how you're learning about it, it matters... and to more than just California.

April is Workplace Violence Prevention Awareness Month, but shouldn’t every month be? And shouldn’t all employers provide workplace violence prevention training? There’s a high likelihood you’re nodding your head, YES!

Luckily, you’re talking to the right folks! We’re HSI, a single-source partner for EHS, Compliance, and L&D solutions to help you build a safer and smarter workplace. We provide integrated eLearning content, training solutions, and cloud-based EHS software through an easy-to-use online solution for you to train and support your employees anywhere and on any device.

Ok, back to our topic at hand.

What Exactly is Workplace Violence?

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), workplace violence is defined as an act or threat of violence, ranging from verbal abuse to physical assaults or any other disruptive behavior, including domestic violence and stalking, when it impacts a workplace.

Examples of workplace violence include employees facing shoplifters, someone coming into work areas with a dangerous weapon, and employees making a threat or an act of violence to one another.

Workplace violence does not include lawful acts of self-defense or defense of others.

What Is this New Law for California Employers?

The California SB 553 bill, turned into law, sets a precedent for ensuring workplace safety across various industries. Nearly all California employers must develop, implement, and maintain a detailed Workplace Violence Prevention Plan.

This workplace violence prevention plan must include:

• Prohibiting employee retaliation.
• Accepting and responding to reports of workplace violence.
• Workplace violence employee training and communication.
• Emergency response.
• Workplace violence hazard assessments.
• Other new requirements, such as maintaining a Violent Incident Log.

Several things to ponder (seriously consider!) regarding the plan:

• Making the written workplace violence prevention plan a living document so updates can be easily made. (Remember, laws evolve, and unfortunately, unlawful violence may occur, so policies may change.)
• Providing ongoing effective training in workplace safety and prevention and handling potential workplace violence emergencies is key. (Keep in mind external subject matter expert support is critical to the training’s success. This is where HSI comes into play!)
• Adhering to the plan along with yearly assessments.
• Offering behavioral health support. (Guess what? HSI has a host of training topics on health and wellness.)

To learn more, please watch our free training video. This training provides an overview of the new requirements to help your organization establish internal policies and effective procedures.

What Employee Training is Required?

The law requires that California employers train employees after establishing a workplace violence prevention plan. The plan must encompass annual training, violent incident logging, and specific procedures for mitigating workplace violence hazards.

Employee training must cover the following:

• Acclimating employees to their employer’s plan, how to obtain a free copy, and how to participate in the development and implementation of the plan
• How to report workplace violence hazards and workplace violence incidents without fear of retaliation
• Understanding job-specific violence hazards and the employer’s corrective measures
• How to seek assistance to prevent or respond to violence
• Strategies to avoid physical harm
• Details of the violent incident log and how employees can obtain their personal records

Besides the initial and annual training, additional training is required when new workplace violence hazards are identified or the plan changes. Further, California employers, by this new law, must retain training records for at least one year. As you can see, this training needs to be specific to your company’s risks and plans.

Questions About the Violent Incident Log Requirement?

California SB 553 requires keeping a violent incident log. Employers must maintain a log of all incidents of workplace violence, even if the incident did not result in injury. This log must include information on every workplace violence incident based on employee statements, witness statements, and investigation findings. (And, btw... HSI can help you meet this incident log requirement to comply with SB 553!)

Why Should ALL States Listen Up?

Workplace safety is a must. Employees should feel safe and secure in their place of employment. A workplace violence prevention plan should not just be nice to have. Employees put their trust in you. They provide their expertise to your organization and affect your business’ success. A violence prevention plan to protect their safety should be a given. We’re talking about your own safety and security, too, you know!

We at HSI recommend employers in ALL states commit to ongoing employee training as part of your company’s overall violence prevention plan. Organizations nationwide should commit to workplace safety and the well-being of their employees.

So, besides just being a good human, why should other states follow California’s lead? California tends to lead the way in making a new law because of its large and diverse population, with a lot of cultural sway, so when they pass laws, other states often think, "Hey, that’s a good idea!" and follow suit. Workplace safety training is a good idea, wouldn’t you say? So, let’s get started putting a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan in place in a timely manner!

HSI Can Help!

Effective training programs encourage a proactive approach to safety at all levels of your organization. Start with an effective workplace violence prevention plan.

Calling ALL Californian employers! The July 1, 2024, compliance deadline has come and gone. HSI can assist in seamlessly integrating ongoing violence prevention training into your prevention program. As mentioned earlier, we provide solutions to the new requirements, like the violent incident log. We’re your partner and will see your organization is kept up to speed as the new law evolves.

Did You Know...

HSI is the only partner to help organizations meet the following needs of SB 553 for a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan through a single provider:

• Online employee training courses for violence prevention, conflict management, risk management, de-escalation, and more
• Violent Incident Log software with corrective actions and triggered training
• Active shooter, active violence, and bleeding control in-person training
• CPR, AED, and First Aid training

HSI’s compliance team works with organizations to meet your custom or specific requirements outlined under the new California law for workplace violence prevention.

To learn more about how HSI can recommend employee training and workplace violence incident documentation software that aligns with California’s new law requirements as part of your company’s overall comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan, please contact us.

Calling employers in ALL states including California! The following programs help to prevent violence by teaching employees violence awareness and initial conflict resolution. HSI offers more than 15 video-based, micro-learning courses, all just 4-10 minutes long.

• California Workplace Violence Prevention Plan Get this course for FREE!
• De-Escalation in the Workplace: Phases of Escalation
• The EASY Conflict Management Process
• The Realities of Conflict Management
• See Something, Say Something
• Maintaining Self-Control

Did You Know...

• HSI is one of the only providers in the U.S. with this level of Active Shooter training. HSI's Active Violence Emergency Response Training (AVERT) in-person training gives your employees the tools to recognize warning signs, react quickly in an active shooter situation, and learn how to control bleeding in life-threatening situations.
• HSI is one of only three providers of nationally recognized CPR training.
• HSI is an accredited AED training provider, including being the only provider with Remote Skills Verification for this training.
• CPR, AED, and First Aid training are often required as part of state laws. Of course, HSI offers First Aid Training, too!

Start Empowering a Collaborative Workplace Safety Culture

A comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan should be a best practice. It’s also simply smart business. Effective training provides strategies and skills to identify and mitigate potential workplace violence issues – before they happen. In the era of workplace violence escalating, it’s critical to take workplace violence training a step further. Effective response training should also be included in your training program.

If you would like to initiate a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan for your company or are interested in violence prevention training, active shooter training, and more, let’s talk.

Additional Resources

Laws are always evolving and changing. Our experts are here to help! In the meantime, check out some great resources:

• California SB 553 Violence Prevention Training & Violent Incident Log
• Active Shooter Training: Safety and Compliance for California SB 553 Workplace Violence Prevention Law
• Workplace Violence Prevention in General Industry (Non-Health Care Settings) – Information for Employer California Department of Industrial Relations Division of Occupational Safety & Health Publications Unit Fact Sheet