Comply with California’s Workplace Violence Law — and Protect Your Team
We offer customized written WVPP services as well as convenient online and onsite training
options to helps you meet SB 553 requirements and keep your workplace safe.
❗ Why This Matters in 2025
Cal/OSHA’s mandatory Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP) requirement affects nearly all employers requiring the implementation of their Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP).
As of July 1, 2024 employers were required
to:
✅ Maintain a written WVPP
✅ Train all staff to recognize, report, and respond to violent behavior
✅ Involve employees in hazard identification and incident review
✅ Keep records of violent incidents and corrective actions
In 2025, Cal/OSHA has proposed expanded regulations that introduce:
✅ Trauma support protocols
✅Stronger documentation and worker participation standards
✅ More detailed hazard controls
✅ Potential audits and fines for noncompliance
If you haven’t started or aren’t sure if your current plan meets the standard –
Now is the time to act.
Customized Workplace Violence Prevention Training
Our training not only covers the basic information and topics required by the mandate but incorporates Company specific information pertaining to your company in particular. A customized WVPP handout covers information on company contacts, WVPP access, and more.
WVPP Training
Provides a customized WVPP handout designed specifically for your company
The full scope of SB 553 requirements
How to identify and de-escalate threatening behavior
Best practices for incident reporting, response, and follow-up
Your legal obligations as a California employer
Guidance on building or improving your WVPP
4 types of workplace violence
And more
ONLINE WVPP TRAINING
Understand the scope of workplace violence, the warning signs, and policies for minimizing or eliminating incidents.
Includes: Certificate of Completion
Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Language: English or Spanish
CERTIFIED COURSE
$35.00*
Per-person
Get Access to a Full Course
*Restrictions may apply. Promotional rates may be subject to minimum purchase requirements. Contact PCS for additional details.
ONSITE WVPP TRAINING
Understand the scope of workplace violence, the warning signs, and policies for minimizing or eliminating incidents.
Includes: Certificate of Completion
Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Language: English or Spanish
TRAINING STARTS AS LOW AS
$600.00*
(UP TO 20 PARTICIPANTS)
Get Access to a Full Course
*Restrictions may apply. Promotional rates may be subject to minimum purchase requirements. Contact PCS for additional details.
About this Course
Workplace violence is a complex and serious problem that affects the safety and harmony of modern work settings. Our course, which is carefully crafted and mobile-friendly, explores the various aspects of this problem in depth. It is essential to identify and deal with workplace violence for the sake of employees’ welfare and organizational performance.
This course aims to:
Examine the Extent of Workplace Violence: Learn about the wide range of behaviors that constitute workplace violence. From subtle to obvious, it’s important to spot warning signs and patterns.
Types and Detection: Analyze the different kinds of workplace violence. This will cover not only the visible cases but also the hidden, often ignored forms that can be equally harmful. Know the Consequences: Discover the direct and indirect impacts of unaddressed workplace violence. Besides the immediate physical or mental damage, there are considerable financial, legal, and reputational risks for businesses.
Preventive and Responsive Measures: Prepare yourself with effective methods and best practices to prevent and respond to workplace violence. This section will discuss both proactive steps and suitable reactions when incidents happen.
Real-life Scenarios and Examples: Interact with actual situations to better understand the subtleties of each case, enhancing your learning of the content. Building a Violence-Free Environment: Adopt strategies that not only deal with violence after it occurs but also work towards creating a culture where violence is less likely to happen in the first place.
What Is the Purpose of a Workplace Violence Prevention Program?
The main goal of workplace violence prevention training is to ensure a safe and peaceful work environment for everyone. This program aims to recognize the possible causes of violence, create clear rules and measures to prevent these dangers, and train all employees on how to deal with violent scenarios. By taking action before violence occurs, companies can safeguard their staff, avoid legal issues, and foster a culture of security and harmony.
How to Prepare Employees for Workplace Violence Prevention?
To prevent workplace violence, employees need to undergo a comprehensive training that covers the following aspects:
Awareness Training: Teaches employees how to recognize the signs and types of workplace violence, such as physical, verbal, and psychological threats. Enroll in a reputable online training provider for workplace violence prevention to get the best results.
Policy and Procedure Review: Makes sure all employees know the company’s policies on violence, including the rules of zero-tolerance and the outcomes of violent behavior.
De-escalation Techniques: Shows staff how to handle potentially violent situations in a calm and effective manner.
Reporting Protocols: Guides employees on the right ways to report incidents or concerns, ensuring they feel safe and supported when raising safety issues.
Emergency Response Planning: Trains staff on how to react to emergencies, including escape routes, secure areas, and communication methods.
The law mandates that employers create, implement, and maintain an effective workplace violence prevention plan that:
• Establishes workplace violence-specific policies and procedures
• Establishes systems for reporting violent incidents and threats
• Provides interactive annual training on the prevention plan
• Maintains a violent incident log
• Files workplace violence restraining orders
•Keeps records related to the plan
On September 30, 2023, SB 553 was signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom, introducing an additional requirement to the existing injury and illness prevention programs (IIPP) for employers in the state. This law obligates employers to put in place a workplace violence prevention plan (WVPP) by no later than July 1, 2024, conduct employee training related to the WVPP, and keep a record of workplace violence incidents.
Q1. Is there any grace period with respect to the implementation of the new law?
The new law does not have any built-in grace period. The new law takes effect on July 1, 2024.
Q2. What is the timing on the training?
Employers are required to provide training when their workplace violence prevention plans are first established and annually thereafter. Therefore, employers are expected to ensure that employees are trained by July 1, 2024.
Q3. Is there an interactive training requirement?
Employers are required to provide training when their workplace violence prevention plans are first established and annually thereafter. Therefore, employers are expected to ensure that employees are trained by July 1, 2024.
Q3. Is there an interactive training requirement?
The training must have “[a]n opportunity for interactive questions and answers with a person knowledgeable about the employer’s plan.”
Q5. How does an employer handle multiemployer worksites, such as construction sites, vendor situations, or sites with temporary staff, where there are employees from other employers?
An employer must coordinate the implementation of the plan with other employers on a multiemployer worksite.
Q6. Does an employer’s workplace violence prevention plan have to identify who is responsible for the plan?
Yes. An employer must identify the “[n]ames or job titles of the persons responsible for implementing the plan.”
Q7. Are employers required to have active shooter preparedness training as part of their workplace violence prevention plans?
The law does not explicitly mention active shooter preparedness training. As part of a workplace violence hazard assessment, employers may want to consider whether they need to conduct active shooter preparedness training.
Q8. Are there any potential exceptions to the law, such as for small employers or teleworkers?
Yes. Employees teleworking from locations of their choice that are not under the employer’s control may be exempt from the law. Worksites with fewer than ten employees present “at any given time” and not “accessible to the public” may be exempt from the new law’s requirements.
Q9. Does each worksite have to have a customized plan or is one general workplace violence plan acceptable?
If different worksites present different hazards, then the workplace violence plan would need to be tailored to the different worksites. Conversely, if worksites share similar hazards, the plan can likely be more uniform across a larger footprint. For example, a retail employer might have stores and distribution centers—and the plans would have some similar elements—but having different workplace violence hazards would likely require plan customization for each location.
Q10. Under the new law, are employers required to implement workplace violence prevention plans for locations outside California?
No. SB 553 only applies to California worksites and California employees.
Source: Ogletree Deakins
Workplace Violence Prevention Training | Get Access to a Full Course
Injury and Illness Prevention Custom Manual
We offer a comprehensive Injury and Illness Prevention Program that fully adheres to OSHA standards, ensuring it will meet all OSHA Inspection/Review criteria. This personalized safety guide also incorporates a detailed Safety Training Program and associated Safety Forms.
In 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported approximately 3.3 million severe work-related injuries and around 4,300 fatalities. The human toll of these preventable workplace injuries and deaths is beyond measure.
OSHA Compliance The 2010 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index revealed that the direct expenses of the most debilitating workplace injuries and illnesses in 2008 totaled $53.42 billion in U.S. workers compensation costs, exceeding one billion dollars per week. These funds could be more effectively utilized for job growth and innovation. Programs for preventing injuries and illnesses are beneficial for employees, advantageous for businesses, and contribute positively to the nation.
