California Employers Required to Adopt New Workplace Violence Plans Under Senate Bill 553
Understanding Senate Bill 553: California Workplace Violence Prevention Plan
Recently, workplace violence has become a growing concern across many industries. To address this issue, the state of California has implemented Senate Bill 553, which mandates the establishment of comprehensive workplace violence prevention plans.
What is SB 553?
Senate Bill 553, which is also known as the California Workplace Violence Prevention Plan, is a legislative bill created to address the rising incidents of violence in the workplace. It requires employers to develop and implement specific strategies and protocols to prevent and respond to workplace violence effectively.
Workplace Violence Prevention Plan Overview:
Risk Assessment:
Employers required to conduct a complete risk assessment of their workplace to identify potential hazards and risks related to workplace violence.
Factors such as the kind of the work, previous incidents, locations and employee feedback should be considered during the assessment process.
Written Policy:
Employers create a written violence prevention policy that outlines the organization's commitment to providing a safe work environment.
The policy should include what constitutes workplace violence, provide examples, and specify prohibited behaviors.
Training and Education:
Employers are responsible for providing comprehensive training to employees on recognizing, preventing, & responding to workplace violence.
Training sessions need to cover topics like conflict resolution, de-escalation techniques, and reporting procedures.
Incident Reporting and Response to Incidents:
The bill requires employers to establish procedures for reporting incidents of workplace violence.
Employees should feel empowered to report any incidents or threats without fear of retaliation.
Employers must also have a structured response plan in place to address incidents quickly and effectively.
Collaborating with Law Enforcement:
Employers are encouraged to collaborate with local law enforcement agencies to enhance workplace security and response capabilities.
Evaluation and Review:
The effectiveness of the workplace violence prevention plan should be regularly evaluated and reviewed.
Employers should ask for input from employees and make adjustments to improve the plan over time.
Benefits of Senate Bill 553:
Enhanced Employee Safety: By implementing comprehensive workplace violence prevention plans, employers can significantly reduce the risk of harm to employees.
Improved Work Environment: A proactive approach to addressing workplace violence fosters a safer and more supportive work environment, promoting employee well-being and morale.
Legal Compliance: Compliance with Senate Bill 553 ensures that employers meet their legal obligations to provide a safe workplace under California law.
The State Senate passed a new bill this week that supporters say would help keep employees safer from workplace violence. One aspect of the bill would prohibit companies from forcing their employees to confront shoplifters and require more training for workers.
Specific Information Regarding SB 553 Workplace Violence Plans:
The names or job titles of the individuals responsible for implementing and maintaining the workplace violence prevention plan.
Procedures to obtain the active involvement of employees in developing, implementing, and reviewing the workplace violence prevention plan, including their participation in identifying, evaluating, and correcting workplace violence hazards, designing and implementing training, and reporting and investigating workplace violence incidents.
Methods the employer will use to coordinate the implementation of the workplace violation prevention plan among employees in the same facility or department.
Procedures for the employer to respond to workplace violence and to prohibit retaliation against employees who make reports of workplace violence.
Procedures for ensuring compliance with the workplace violence prevention plan.
Procedures for communicating with employees regarding workplace violence matters.
Procedures for developing and providing training on the employer’s workplace violence prevention plan.
Assessment procedures to identify and evaluate workplace violence hazards.
Procedures for correcting workplace violence hazards in a timely manner.
Procedures for post-incident response and investigation.
In addition to developing and implementing a workplace violence prevention plan, covered employers must also “record information in a violent incident log about every incident, post-incident, response, and workplace violation injury investigation” performed in accordance with the workplace violence prevention plan. The log must include information, including, but not limited to: (1) the date, time, and location of the incident; (2) a detailed description of the incident; (3) a classification of who committed the violence; (4) a classification of the circumstances at the time of the incident, including whether the employee was completing usual job duties; (5) a classification of the location of the violence incident; (6) the type of incident, including whether it involved physical, verbal, sexual, or animal attacks; (7) consequences of the incident, such as medical treatment needed and whether security or law enforcement was contacted; and (8) contact information for the individual completing the violent incident log.
The law covers all California employers except health care facilities, service categories, and operations covered by Section 3342 of Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations, facilities operated by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation that are in compliance with Section 3203 of Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations, law enforcement agencies that are a “department or participating department” as defined in Section 1001 of Title 11 of the California Code of Regulations and in compliance with Section 3203, employees teleworking from a location of the employee’s choice which is not under the control of the employer, and places of employment with less than 10 employees working at any given time and that are not accessible to the public and in compliance with Section 3203.
California employers subject to the law must also review and update their workplace violence prevention plans on an annual basis and provide an evaluation of the incidents that occurred and maintain records of workplace violence hazards previously identified.
Training and Compliance
Safety Services Management provides comprehensive SB 553 compliance support, including addressing the controversies surrounding the bill. We specialize in Customized Workplace Violence Prevention Plans (WVPP) and Hybrid Training Programs for all employees, focusing on risk mitigation, early violence detection, and employee rights. Our services extend to Incident Reporting, Expert Consultation, and Continuous Compliance Monitoring, ensuring your policies stay updated. By choosing us, you opt for expertise, customization, and a proactive approach to workplace safety, directly addressing SB 553's controversies to protect your team effectively.
