California’s legislative body recently passed an aggressive bill, mandating nearly every employer in the state to adhere to a workplace violence prevention standard, initially tailored for healthcare employers. This initiative compelled employers to enhance their strategies for violence prevention in the workplace, with an amplified focus on safety and security.
Originally, the bill, known as SB 553, was designed independent of parallel efforts by the Cal/OSHA, which was concurrently developing a standard that would apply to all sectors. However, at a late stage of the legislative session, the bill was altered to essentially codify the prevention standard that Cal/OSHA was crafting. More details on the amended bill’s features can be found in JD Supra’s reportage by Fisher Phillips.
The amended bill now requires employers to formulate a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan. While the standard was modeled with the healthcare sector at the forefront, all sectors are now bound by the requirement.
The following five steps compose a compliant program for workplace violence prevention:
- A thorough review of the workplace to identify potential hazards, security flaws, or high-risk interactions. Such a review could involve a variety of factors such as public access to the premises, employee interactions, working hours, local crime statistics, and other potential risks.
- The development of violence prevention procedures that are based on the analysis from the initial assessment. These procedures should be clearly documented and made readily available to all employees.
- Stipulating training and educational programs for employees to understand these preventive measures, including how to identify potential threats, reporting mechanisms, and what to do in the event of an incident.
- Record-keeping is an essential part of the program. Employers should keep track of any incidents of violence, threats, or assaults. These records can be used in future risk assessments and to measure the effectiveness of preventive measures.
- Finally, employers should conduct reviews regularly to assess the program’s effectiveness, looking for changes in workplace behavior, alterations to procedures, and improvements to the general productivity and positivity of the workforce.
This new legislation, whilst posing an initial challenge, provides a valuable opportunity for businesses across all sectors to ensure safer working conditions and contribute to a more positive working environment.