SB 553 Starts July 1st: Key Info on California's New Workplace Safety Plan

Workplace violence can be a frightening thing for workers, whether it is bullying, harassment, or other violent acts. Companies should always seek to prevent violence in the workplace, but for those in California, it will soon be a legal requirement thanks to Senate Bill 553 (SB 553).  

As of July 1, 2024, nearly all companies in California will be required to develop and implement a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP), either in conjunction with their Injury and Illness Prevention Plan or as its own document. The plan must also be specific to each of their worksites, meaning it must be different for each location where workers are required to perform their jobs.  

To comply with SB 553, the WVPP must: 

• Designate the person(s) responsible for the plan. 

• Include effective procedures for the company to accept and respond to reports of workplace violence. 

• Prohibit retaliation against workers that report workplace violence. 

• Provide workers with: 

• Procedures to identify, evaluate, and correct workplace violence hazards 

• Procedures for the post-incident response and investigation 

• Emergency response protocols 

• In developing and implementing this plan, companies must consult with their workers. 

• In addition to this plan, companies must adhere to the recordkeeping and training requirements of SB553.  

Companies must maintain a Violent Incident Log for all incidents of workplace violence, even if no injuries resulted from the violence. Think of it like an OSHA300 log, but instead of tracking injuries, it’s tracking incidents. These logs must be kept for five years. Any hazard identifications, evaluations, and corrective actions must also be tracked and maintained for a period of five years. Additionally, companies must provide training to all workers by July 1, 2024, and annually thereafter. Records of this training must be maintained for the year.  

There are limited exceptions to SB553, so companies with worksites within California should be prepared to implement their individualized plan in July.  

TCWGlobal’s goal is to help keep you compliant and up to date with all state and federal regulations. If you need assistance with this, contact us at hello@tcwglobal.com or 858-810-3000. We can help guide you in the right direction for preventing violence at your worksite.  

For more information on SB553 please visit:  

http://dir.ca.gov/dosh/Workplace-Violence/General-Industry.html 

https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/dosh_publications/WPV-General-Industry-for-employers-fs.pdf