California Department of Industrial Relations
Division of Occupational Safety & Health
Publications Unit
SAFETY & HEALTH | FACT SHEET
Workplace Violence Prevention in General Industry
(Non-Health Care Settings) – Information for Employers
According to the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA), workplace violence
aects nearly 2 million American workers
annually. SB 553 addresses workplace violence
by requiring employers to implement basic
protections to protect employees while at work.
This fact sheet is an overview of the California
Senate Bill 553 (SB 553), which was signed into
law on September 30, 2023. SB 553 amended
Labor Code section 6401.7 to require employers
to develop and implement a workplace violence
prevention plan in accordance with newly
codied Labor Code section 6401.9, which sets
out the requirements for the plan. Starting July 1,
2024, the majority of employers in California
must establish, implement, and maintain a
Workplace Violence Prevention Plan that
includes:
• Prohibiting employee retaliation.
• Accepting and responding to reports of
workplace violence.
• Employee workplace violence training and
communication.
• Emergency response.
• Workplace violence hazard assessments.
• Other requirements, such as maintaining a
Violent Incident Log.
What must employers know?
All employers, employees, places of
employment, and employer-provided housing
must comply with the new Labor Code
requirements, except those listed in subsection
(b) of Labor Code 6401.9.
This fact sheet only provides an overview.
Employers should review the full requirements
of California Senate Bill 553 (SB 553), which
includes Labor Code section 6401.9.
Creating a workplace violence
prevention plan
Labor Code section 6401.9 outlines the elements
of a workplace violence prevention plan required
by section 6401.7:
• Every covered employer is required to
establish, implement, and maintain an
eective workplace violence prevention plan.
• The plan needs to include the following:
○ The names of persons responsible for its
implementation.
○ Eective procedures for employee
involvement in developing and
implementing the plan.
○ Methods to coordinate implementation
of the plan with other employers, when
applicable.
○ Procedures for employers to handle and
respond to reports of workplace violence,
while ensuring no retaliation against the
reporting employee.
○ Procedures to ensure compliance from
employees, including supervisors.
○ Procedures to communicate with
employees regarding workplace violence
matters.
(continued on next page)
○ Emergency response protocols.
○ Training provisions.
○ Procedures to identify and evaluate
workplace violence hazards that include
inspections with the following frequency:
▪ When the plan is rst set up.
▪ Periodically scheduled.
▪ After violent incidents.
▪ Whenever a new hazard becomes
known.
○ Procedures to timely correct workplace
violence hazards identied and evaluated.
○ Procedures for post-incident response
and investigation.
○ Procedures that allow for plan review
▪ Annually.
▪ When a deciency is observed or
becomes apparent.
▪ After a workplace violence incident.
○ Any other procedure necessary for
employee health and safety as required
by the Division and Standards Board.
• The plan must be in eect at all times and in
all work areas and be specic to the hazards
and corrective measures for each work area
and operation.
• The written plan may be incorporated as
a stand-alone section in the written injury
and illness prevention program required by
section 3203 of title 8 of the California Code
of Regulations or maintained as a separate
document.
Violent incident log
requirements
Employers must maintain a log of all incidents of
workplace violence even if the incident did not
result in injury. This log must include information
on every workplace violence incident, based on
employee statements, witness statements, and
investigation ndings. Incident information must
include at least the following:
• Incident date, time, location.
• Workplace violence “Type” (1, 2, 3, and/or 4).
• Detailed description of the incident.
• Classication of who committed the violence.
• The circumstances at the time of the incident.
• Where the incident occurred.
• Specic incident characteristics, such as
physical attacks, weapon involvement,
threats, sexual assault, animal incidents, or
other events.
• What the consequences of the incident were,
including any involvement law enforcement.
• What steps were taken to protect employees
from further threat or hazards.
• Who completed the log, including their name,
job title, and the date completed.
Note: Employers must exclude personal
identifying information that would identify any
person involved in a violent incident.
Training employees on
workplace violence
• Employers must provide eective training
and ensure that training materials are easy
to understand and match the workers’
education, reading skills, and language.
• Employers must provide employees with an
initial training and annually thereafter.
• The training is required to cover various
aspects, including the following:
○ Familiarizing employees with the
plan, how to obtain a copy, and how
to participate in the development and
implementation of the employer’s plan.
(continued on next page)
This document is available with active links at www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/dosh_publications
For assistance regarding this subject matter, employers may contact
Cal/OSHA Consultation Services at 1-800-963-9424 or InfoCons@dir.ca.gov
www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/consultation.html
© 2024 California Department of Industrial Relations
○ Denitions and requirements of Labor
Code section 6401.9.
○ How to report workplace violence
incidents without fear of retaliation.
○ Understanding of job-specic violence
hazards and preventive measures.
○ Purpose of the violent incident log and
how to obtain related records.
○ Opportunities for interactive discussions
with someone knowledgeable about the
employer’s plan.
• When new or previously unidentied
workplace violence hazards are discovered,
or changes are made to the plan, the
employer must provide additional training
that focuses on the specic hazard or plan
modications.
Employer responsibilities
with workplace violence
recordkeeping requirements
• The plan must be in writing and easily
accessible to employees, authorized
employee representatives, and Cal/OSHA
representatives.
• Records of workplace violence hazard
identication, evaluation, and correction must
be created and maintained for a minimum of
ve years.
• Training records must be created and
maintained for a minimum of one year.
• Violent incident logs must be maintained for a
minimum of ve years.
• Records of workplace violence incident
investigations under must be maintained for a
minimum of ve years.
June 2024
Additional information and
resources
As required by title 8, section 342(a).
Reporting Work-Connected Fatalities and
Serious Injuries, Employers have a legal
responsibility to immediately report to
Cal/OSHA any serious injury or illness, or death
(including any due to workplace violence) of an
employee occurring in a place of employment or
in connection with any employment.
Additional regulations that may apply to
workplace violence and exposure can be found
in the following title 8 sections:
• Section 342 (Reporting Work-Connected
Fatalities and Serious Injuries).
○ For instructions on reporting, go to Report
a Work-Related Accident – Employers.
• Section 3203 (Injury and Illness Prevention).
• Section 14300 (Employer Records-Log 300).
○ For information on The Log of Work-
Related Injuries and Illnesses
(Cal/OSHA Form 300), go to Brief Guide
to Recordkeeping Requirements.
