Workplace Violence Prevention Training: New Laws and Updates for California Employers
While most businesses have some form of workplace violence prevention training in place, it’s important to ask yourself: When was the last time it was updated? For many businesses in California, having an outdated plan isn’t only dangerous, it’s a direct violation of state laws. These violations can lead to severe regulatory penalties, increase turnover, and most importantly, leave your team vulnerable.
While compliance is important, the cost of inaction is much higher than fines and citations. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 95 people died in California from violent acts at work in 2023 alone. Although no single measure can eliminate every threat, up-to-date workplace violence prevention training is the most effective step an employer can take to protect their team.
What Happens If You Do Not Update Your Workplace Violence Prevention Training?
While there are numerous reasons to regularly update your workplace violence prevention training, an outdated plan can directly impact three foundational areas of your business. These include:
1. Compliance and Liability
In California, Senate Bill 553 (SB 553) created new, mandatory standards for nearly all employers. As of July 1st, 2024, this bill requires businesses to implement a comprehensive Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP) and provide impactful, ongoing training.
Outdated or non-compliant training can lead to significant Cal/OSHA citations. A failure to implement an effective plan is considered a “Serious” violation. According to California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 336, this can result in a penalty of $18,000 to $25,000 per violation. Consistently updating your plan is the best way to avoid these penalties and remain audit-ready.
2. Employee Trust and Safety
An up-to-date training program demonstrates a tangible investment in your employees’ personal safety. When your team is equipped with practical de-escalation skills and clear protocols for modern risks like online harassment, it builds their confidence and creates a foundation of trust. This sense of security can improve morale and productivity while also empowering employees to report concerns early without fear of retaliation. Proactive reporting is key, as it can often allow for de-escalation, stopping potential violent incidents before they start.
3. Workplace Culture
Effective workplace violence education shouldn’t feel like a compliance checklist, but rather a central part of the structure of your overall work culture. When safety is communicated as a true company value—not just a compliance checkbox—you foster shared responsibility instead of cynicism, and build a culture where people take safety seriously. A cynical view can damage morale and employee retention, as valued employees may seek opportunities at companies that demonstrate a genuine commitment to their well-being.
Before you can meaningfully update your prevention training, you must first verify that you have a comprehensive Workplace Violence Prevention Plan. Once you’ve confirmed that your plan is accurate and compliant, you can focus on improving and modernizing employee training procedures.
What is a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan?
A Workplace Violence Prevention Plan is a formal, written program designed to protect employees from violence at work. Under California’s SB 553, employers are required to establish a WVPP, which can either be a standalone document or incorporated into their Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP).
For your WVPP to be compliant, it must contain the following:
Employee Training and Communication: As previously mentioned, a formal training process is required by SB 553. These programs must teach employees how to recognize potential threats and respond to them using the protocols outlined in your WVPP.
Procedures for Reporting Concerns: Employers must implement a confidential and easy-to-use system that allows employees to report incidents or concerns without any fear of retaliation.
Workplace Violence Hazard Assessments: Your plan must include a process for regularly identifying and evaluating potential violence hazards to prevent incidents before they occur. These assessments must be conducted when the plan is first created, annually, and after any incident.
Emergency Response Protocols: In the event of a workplace violence emergency, your business must have an action plan in place. This includes setting up an incident alert system, creating visible evacuation and shelter plans, and establishing procedures to contact first responders.
Post-Incident Investigations and Recording Logs: Following any incident, a formal investigation must be conducted to determine its cause and prevent recurrence. Every incident must also be recorded in a detailed log specifying the date, time, location, a description of the event, and the type of violence that occurred. These types include violence with criminal intent (Type 1), violence involving a customer or client (Type 2) worker-on-worker violence (Type 3), and violence relating to a personal relationship (Type 4).
Creating an overall plan that includes these elements is essential. This process is often done through the use of a professional WVPP template. But the plan itself is just a document. For your WVPP to be effective, your team must be thoroughly trained on its protocols, and that training must be regularly updated.
When Should You Update Your Workplace Violence Prevention Training?
While California law requires an annual review of your WVPP and training for all employees, certain events should trigger an immediate reassessment of your materials and protocols. These include:
Regulatory Changes: The passage of a new law like California’s SB 553 is one of the most immediate triggers for a mandatory review. Any change in federal, state, or local regulations necessitates an immediate update to your training content, reporting procedures, and record-keeping practices to align with the new legal requirements.
Workplace Incidents or Threats: An incident of workplace violence, or even a close call, is a painful indicator that your current prevention strategies may not be working. A post-incident review is a necessary step to identify vulnerabilities and make critical improvements to your prevention program.
Business Growth or Restructuring: Have you recently hired new employees, merged with another company, or reorganized departments? Any major organizational change requires a training update. That way, everyone from new hires to veteran staff can understand their roles and the specific risks associated with your current business environment.
Turnover in Leadership or HR: A change in management or human resources can create gaps in safety knowledge and procedural consistency. This transition period is a critical moment to review safety protocols and materials, brief new leaders, and confirm that all employees are held to the same safety standards.
Outdated Scenarios or Expired Materials: If your program doesn’t account for modern scenarios like remote work, it’s obsolete. Your program must evolve to address current threats, including cyber harassment, online stalking, and menacing behavior over messaging platforms in hybrid and remote environments.
What an Updated Training Program Should Include
An effective, modern training program goes beyond simply listing the legal requirements. It must be interactive and equip employees with practical skills to handle real-world situations. To be truly comprehensive, your updated program should include:
De-escalation Techniques: Your program must actively teach verbal and non-verbal skills to defuse tense situations before they become violent. These skills can vary, but may include learning how to manage personal space, what it means to use a neutral and respectful tone, and the best ways to apply active listening techniques.
Emergency Scenario Planning: Training programs should cover specific, actionable steps for different types of workplace violence emergencies, such as an active assailant versus a bomb threat. In these situations, every second counts, and employees must have no doubt about the evacuation routes, shelter-in-place protocols, and emergency contact procedures in each distinct scenario.
Effective Reporting Mechanisms: Employees must understand how to report threats, and that those reports will not negatively impact their career or well-being. For a reporting mechanism to function properly, it must be confidential and established alongside strong non-retaliation policies. Without these, employees may not report the warning signs that could prevent serious incidents.
Remote and Hybrid-Specific Protocols: Training programs must address violence and harassment that occurs in digital spaces, such as during video calls or through online messaging. Employees should understand not only how to spot and report these incidents, but also what the different procedures are when they are at home, in the office, or in the field.
How Can I Stay Compliant With Workplace Violence Prevention Training Laws?
For many businesses, especially those without a full-time safety manager or with tight budgets, meeting these extensive requirements can seem daunting. This is understandably stressful, considering the consequences of non-compliance can range from minor violations to heavy fines and operational shutdowns.
Training is one of the most important parts of your overall WVPP, and to stay compliant, you’ll need to show your employees have been properly and consistently instructed. There are typically three ways to handle this:
Create Your Own Program from Scratch: Establishing your own training program means creating all of the materials in-house, scheduling sessions, and internally tracking employee completion. To do this properly, those who design the program will need to be experts on the subject matter, and management will need to confirm that all content meets the specific requirements of SB 553 and Cal/OSHA. The risks of error are high, and accidentally missing even a single detail can leave you exposed to violations.
Hire Outside Consultants: To reduce the risk of noncompliance, some companies choose to bring in outside consultants to conduct live training. While this may yield positive results, it represents a significant financial investment. With premium hourly rates and logistical challenges, the final cost can easily run into thousands of dollars, placing it outside the budget for many businesses.
Utilize a Guided Online Training Program: This option provides the most efficient balance of expert-led content, cost, and compliance assurance. Online workplace violence prevention training delivers the state-mandated knowledge your employees need through a flexible, self-paced system.
A high-quality online training program minimizes the burden of developing and administering your own program. Finding time for training can be difficult, and if employees feel rushed, they are unlikely to fully retain critical information. Self-paced courses can allow employees to learn on their own schedule, receiving an official certificate upon completion that simplifies record-keeping and can be easily provided to regulatory agencies. By using an online course, you can not only be certain that every employee receives consistent, accurate information, but that your business fulfills all Cal/OSHA requirements without exceeding your budget.
Takeaway
Workplace violence is a serious issue, but one that can be mitigated with an up-to-date workplace violence prevention training program. These programs are typically included in a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP), which is mandated by law for many employers in California. An outdated WVPP can lead to serious consequences, including regulatory penalties, a loss of employee trust, and damage to reputation and overall work culture.
A core component of any effective WVPP is its training program. Without these, employees will not understand your WVPP or how to effectively use it when a workplace violence incident occurs. Creating and administering these programs can require a significant time and monetary investment, and you must verify that the program complies with Cal/OSHA regulations. With online workplace violence training, you can ensure your employees are properly trained and achieve compliance at a fraction of the time and cost.
For assistance implementing compliant workplace violence prevention training or for questions about SB 553, contact People415 today.