CA Employers Must Implement Workplace Violence Prevention Plan by July 2024

In October 2023, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 553 into law, which requires nearly all California employers, with very few exceptions, to create and implement a written workplace violence prevention plan by July 1, 2024. The plan must be either incorporated as a stand-alone section into an employer’s injury and illness prevention program (IIPP) or maintained as a separate document.

SB 553 defines “workplace violence” as any act of violence or threat of violence that occurs in a place of employment, and includes, but is not limited to, the threat or use of physical force against an employee that results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, psychological trauma or stress, regardless of whether the employee sustains an injury.

Plan Requirements under SB 553

• Designated person(s) responsible for the plan.
• Initial and annual training for all employees about the plan.
• Effective procedures detailed in the plan for the employer to do all of the following:

1. 1. Accept and respond to reports of workplace violence, and to prohibit retaliation against an employee who makes such a report.
   2. Communicate with employees regarding workplace violence, including how to report a violent incident, threat or other workplace violence concern; effective means to alert employees to the presence of a workplace violence emergency; and how to obtain help from staff assigned to respond and/or law enforcement.
   3. Identify and evaluate workplace violence hazards, including scheduled periodic inspections, and to correct any identified hazards.
   4. Respond and investigate workplace violence incidents.
   5. Obtain the active involvement of employees and authorized employee representatives in developing and implementing the plan, and then in reviewing and revising the plan, at least annually.

Recordkeeping

Employers must also keep various records specified in SB 553, including:

• Records of workplace violence hazard identification, evaluation and correction.
• Training records.
• A violent incident log for every workplace violence incident.
• Records of workplace violence incident investigation.

These records must be maintained for at least five years, except for training records which must be kept for at least one year. Note that the Dental Board of California requires documentation of continuing education to be maintained for six years.

For our OSHA Review subscribers… the March/April 2024 Training Document will cover California’s new workplace violence prevention requirements.

Since 1992, OSHA Review, Inc. has provided dental professionals with comprehensive programs to support regulatory compliance and infection control. We are a registered continuing education provider in the state of California, specializing in Dental Practice Act, infection control, and OSHA training.