(323) 652-9451(805) 845-1752
(323) 652-9451| Senate Bill (SB) 553, signed into law last fall, requires employers to implement a written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP) on or before July 1, 2024. In addition to the WVPP, employers also must train employees on workplace violence hazards, maintain a violent incident log, and conduct periodic reviews of the WVPP. The new law will be enforced by California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA).
Codified at Labor Code Sec. 6401.9, the new law applies to most California employers, with exceptions for employers already covered by the Workplace Violence Prevention in Healthcare standard, employees teleworking from somewhere they choose that is not under the control of the employer, or workplaces inaccessible to the public and have less than 10 employees working at any given time. The new law mandates that employers establish, implement, and maintain a WVPP with specific required elements and procedures. The WVPP must be in writing and available to employees and authorized employee representatives at all times. The WVPP may appear as a stand-alone section in the employer’s existing Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) or as a separate document. In light of the extensive requirements under Section 6401.9, California employers should begin to take active steps to ensure compliance by July 1, 2024. These include: · Identify who will implement and administer the WVPP; · Assess potential workplace violence hazards; · Draft the WVPP; and · Prepare and conduct required training for supervisors and employees. We are here to guide employers through these new requirements. |
