Compliance Briefing — July 1, 2024
California employers must implement written workplace violence prevention plans, train employees, and maintain violent-incident logs as Senate Bill 553 takes effect statewide.
Executive briefing: California Senate Bill 553 amends Labor Code sections 6401.9 and 6401.10, requiring most employers to maintain workplace violence prevention plans starting July 1, 2024. Covered organisations must train workers annually, retain violent-incident logs, and coordinate with employee representatives on risk assessments.
Key compliance checkpoints
- Written plan. Employers must document roles, communication protocols, hazard identification, correction procedures, and post-incident response steps accessible to employees.
- Training cadence. Annual training must cover plan contents, how to report threats, and response tactics. Refresher sessions are required after incidents or plan updates.
- Recordkeeping. Incident logs must capture the date, location, perpetrator type, response actions, and corrective measures and be retained for five years.
Control alignment
- Coordinate with OSHA programs. Align SB 553 plans with Cal/OSHA Injury and Illness Prevention Programs (IIPP) and OSHA general duty clause hazard controls.
- Leverage security operations. Integrate access control logs, visitor management, and guard force patrol data to inform hazard assessments.
- Union engagement. Document consultation with collective bargaining representatives and joint safety committees to comply with worker participation requirements.
Enablement moves
- Run scenario-based drills with HR, security, and frontline staff to validate escalation pathways and de-escalation tactics.
- Deploy incident management platforms or secure spreadsheets for logging events, corrective actions, and follow-up deadlines.
- Update vendor contracts for security services to include SB 553 response expectations and reporting obligations.
Sources
Zeph Tech integrates SB 553 plans with security operations and HR workflows so California employers can demonstrate proactive workplace violence controls.