HOSPITAL AND HEALTHCARE SECURITY CONSULTANT
California has recently passed a new law that requires employers to establish, implement and maintain an effective workplace violence prevention plan. The law, known as Senate Bill 553, aims to protect workers from various forms of violence, such as physical assaults, threats, harassment, intimidation, and coercion. The law applies to nearly all employers, regardless of size or industry, and covers both employees and independent contractors.
What are the main requirements of the law?
The law becomes effective on July 1, 2024, and employers should start taking steps to comply with its requirements as soon as possible. According to the law, employers must:
- Report any violent acts that occur in the workplace to the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) within eight hours, and maintain a system for documenting violent incidents.
- Provide regular training to employees on how to recognize, prevent and respond to workplace violence, and how to report and seek assistance for any incidents.
- Conduct periodic assessments of the workplace violence program to determine its effectiveness, and make any necessary changes or improvements.
- Consult with employees and their representatives on the development and implementation of the workplace violence prevention plan, and ensure their participation and feedback.
What is an “Effective Workplace Violence Prevention Plan”?
Senate Bill 553 does not define what constitutes an “effective workplace violence plan” for employers. It is up to the business to determine what security or safety measures are required at the workplace. This creates some subjectivity as each industry has a different set of standards, and possibly regulations, they are required to have in place to attain an effective workplace violence prevention strategy. Moreover, even in the same industry, safety and security standards can be impacted by a number of different variables, such as the size or location of the facility.
How can SSMC help you comply with the law?
Before spending money on costly security measures (you may not need), our suggested first step at Strategic Security Management Consulting (SSMC) would be an independent assessment of the organization’s current capabilities to determine what measures or processes are needed to comply with the new law. This independent approach is more cost-effective than contacting a vendor who may try to sell unnecessary security systems, services, or software.
We help employers develop and implement workplace violence prevention programs that are effective and cost-efficient by tailoring prevention and response strategies to the organization’s needs and requirements. Following the assessment, SSMC can provide ongoing assistance to the business with managing threats made to employees or the organization, and advice on safety and security.
We can also provide training on:
- Workplace violence prevention and response
- Leadership training on managing workplace violence
- Establishing a threat management team
- Active shooter / armed assailant response
Our consultants have legal expertise that adds value to risk assessments. We also assist law firms and their clients in developing workplace safety and security strategies and through litigation support or serving as an expert witness.
Comprehensive Workplace Violence Prevention: Our Skilled Team Can Help
SSMC is a team of experienced and qualified consultants who have extensive knowledge and skills in workplace violence prevention and response.
We have also published several articles covering workplace violence prevention and compliance. You can find some of them here:
- Effective visitor management: A key way to mitigate staff’s fear of workplace violence
- Empowering Safety: How Strategic Security Management and CDC’s FASTER Grants Drive Effective Gun Violence Prevention
- Laws And Regulations Safeguarding Health Workers From Workplace Violence
- Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence for Healthcare and Social Service Workers
- What the C-Suite needs to know about the strategic value of a comprehensive security program
- Understanding The Joint Commission’s new requirements for workplace violence prevention
- A legal lens on body cameras worn by hospital security officers
- How complying with cybersecurity certification demands can advance your physical security goals
HOSPITAL AND HEALTHCARE SECURITY EXPERT
Our experienced team at Strategic Security Management Consulting (SSMC) is here to help you create a safe and secure workplace through design and implementation of security & workplace violence prevention programs, training, assessments, and ongoing support. If you have any questions or need assistance complying with the new California law requirements, please feel free to contact us via our online contact form or reach out at 407-385-9167.
