Violence can occur in any workplace. With the passing of SB 553, you will be required to establish and implement a workplace violence prevention program.
Effective July 1, 2024, the program will require you to develop a strategy to avoid workplace violence. The strategy must include established standards for injury and sickness prevention programs, training for employees, a process to preserve accurate records of violent events, and more.
Key Points:
The Workplace Violence Prevention Program must be in writing and accessible to all team members.
The plan must adhere to all aspects of the state’s Injury and Illness Prevention Program [IIPP].
You will be expected to conduct employee training when the plan is first implemented and then annually thereafter.
Each violent occurrence must be documented.
You will be required to maintain records for a minimum of five years detailing every workplace hazard that presents a risk of violence.
There are additional details of this new law, so speak to an attorney or HR consultant before finalizing policies for your workplace.