URGENT CA: Workplace Violence Prevention Model Plan

California has enacted a new workplace violence prevention law, SB 553/California Labor Code Section 6401.9, requiring nearly all California employers to develop and implement a written workplace violence prevention plan (which can be a part of an existing Illness and Injury Prevention Plan), provide annual training on the plan to employees, and maintain a log of incidents of workplace violence. In addition, every employer must immediately report to Cal/OSHA any serious injury or illness, or death, of an employee occurring in a place of employment or in connection with any employment, and this includes incidents resulting from workplace violence.

Employers have only until July 1, 2024, to develop and implement the plan as well as provide the first round of training.

Training needs to cover the following topics:

1. The employer’s Plan and how employees can obtain a free copy of the Plan
2. How to report workplace violence hazards and workplace violence incidents
3. Corrective measures the employer has implemented
4. How to seek assistance to prevent or respond to violence
5. Strategies to avoid physical harm
6. Information about the violent incident log and how employees can obtain a copy

• Additional training is required when new or previously unrecognized workplace violence hazards are identified, or when there are changes to the Plan.
• Employers must retain training records for at least 1 year.

Cal/OSHA Workplace Violence Prevention Model Plan

Cal/OSHA and the Department of Industrial Relations have provided the publications on their guidance including a model program for general industry (non-healthcare settings). The Guardian HR team has made these accessible in our Forms Library:

• Model Written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan for General Industry (Non-Health Care Settings)
• Workplace Violence Prevention in Agricultural Operations for Employers Fact Sheet
• Workplace Violence Prevention in Agricultural Operations for Workers Fact Sheet
• Workplace Violence Prevention for General Industry (Non-Health Care Settings) for Employers Fact Sheet
• Workplace Violence Prevention for General Industry (Non-Health Care Settings) for Workers Fact Sheet
• Workplace Violence Prevention in Health Care Fact Sheet

At this time, Cal/OSHA does not have a model program for workplace violence prevention in health care. Health care facilities may start with Cal/OSHA’s “Guide to Developing Your Workplace Injury and Illness Prevention Program”. Facilities can frame the questions in this guide around violence prevention to develop their workplace violence prevention plan. The following publications may also be useful for health care facilities:

• Cal/OSHA’s “Guidelines for Security and Safety of Health Care and Community Service Workers”
• Cal/OSHA’s “Injury & Illness Prevention Model Program for Workplace Security”
• Federal OSHA’s “Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence for Healthcare and Social Service Workers”
• Federal OSHA’s “Preventing Workplace Violence: A Road Map for Healthcare Facilities”