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In a historic move to ensure the safety and well-being of employees in California, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 553 into law on September 30, 2023. This landmark legislation has set a new standard for workplace violence prevention in California, applicable across all industries (including employer-provided housing) and to nearly every employer operating within the state. This law marks a significant
milestone in addressing workplace violence concerns, as it encompasses a wide range of workplaces and mandates several requirements to combat workplace violence effectively. Covered employers must have written plans (IIPP), training, and more in place by July 1, 2024.
Here are some high level points:
Cal/OSHA will enforce these obligations.
The written plans must be customized for each workplace and job site and must address the specific hazards for every work area and identify appropriate corrective actions to address those hazards.
Employers will be required to maintain a violence incident log for every occurrence of workplace violence.
Employers must train all employees when the plan is implemented in July 2024 and annually thereafter.
Employers will be required to maintain records on the different aspects mentioned above.
The law imposes a range of responsibilities, from developing comprehensive written plans to conducting assessments and crafting investigation protocols. Employers must also commit to retaining and disclosing records related to sensitive issues.
The clock is ticking, as the deadline for implementation is July 1, 2024. This date may seem far off, but in the world of compliance, time tends to slip away faster than we realize. Employers with operations in California are strongly encouraged to start developing their plans immediately.
To read more about this, please click on the button below (I suggest subscribing to their newsletter to stay up-to-date).
If you have questions about this information, please do not hesitate to contact me at kpierce@truckeehr.com.
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