Senate Bill 553 will require California employers to adopt a written workplace violence prevention plan (WVPP), among other requirements. It goes into effect on July 1, 2024,
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has released a face sheet and model plan to assist employers in complying with the requirement.
The Details:
Cal/OSHA’s model plan is intended to help employers develop their own stand-alone WVPP. The model plan was written for a diverse group of employers and may not meet every organization’s exact needs.
The model plan is a fillable template for employers to complete. The provided instructions indicate where employers should enter their worksite-specific information.
Employers are not required to use the model plan. They may:
- Create their own plan,
- Use another WVPP template, or
- Incorporate workplace violence prevention into their existing Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) as a separate section, as long as it includes all required elements.
Cal/OSHA also released fact sheets on workplace violence prevention for general industry and agricultural operations.
Note: Senate Bill 553 also has requirements for recording incidents, employee training, and recordkeeping that take effect July 1, 2024.
Next Steps:
Unless exempt, California employers should ensure compliance with Senate Bill 553 by July 1, 2024.
