The free SB 553 Workplace Violence Prevention Plan template

What the template covers

Every section SB 553 requires in your written plan, mapped to its statute

SB 553 (effective July 1, 2024) added Labor Code §6401.9 and Title 8 §3343, requiring nearly every California employer to maintain a written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan with specific elements. The template is organized section by section so the document you complete is the document Cal/OSHA asks to see during an inspection. Each section names its statutory anchor.

1. Section 1

   Plan administration and responsibility

   Names the person or persons responsible for implementing the plan, the scope of the plan, and how it is communicated to employees. Establishes who owns the WVP program day to day.

   Statute: Labor Code §6401.9 · Title 8 §3343 (responsibility and scope)

2. Section 2

   Employee involvement

   Documents how front-line employees and their representatives are actively involved in developing and implementing the plan, including identifying hazards and reviewing controls. SB 553 makes employee involvement a required element, not optional.

   Statute: Labor Code §6401.9 · Title 8 §3343 (employee involvement)

3. Section 3

   Multi-employer coordination

   Covers how the plan coordinates with other employers who share the workplace, so temporary, contract, and host-employer staff are protected by, and accountable to, a single coherent plan rather than overlapping or conflicting ones.

   Statute: Labor Code §6401.9 · Title 8 §3343 (coordination with other employers)

4. Section 4

   Hazard identification, evaluation, and correction

   Defines the procedures to identify and evaluate workplace violence hazards, including scheduled inspections, evaluation when new hazards are recognized, and after a violent incident, plus the methods used to correct hazards in a timely way.

   Statute: Labor Code §6401.9 · Title 8 §3343 (hazard identification, evaluation, correction)

5. Section 5

   Incident reporting and response

   Establishes how employees report workplace violence incidents and threats without fear of reprisal, and how the employer responds to and investigates each report.

   Statute: Labor Code §6401.9 · Title 8 §3343 (reporting and response procedures)

6. Section 6

   Emergency response

   Documents how the employer alerts employees to the presence, location, and nature of a workplace violence emergency, the evacuation or shelter plans, and how employees obtain help from staff, security, or law enforcement.

   Statute: Labor Code §6401.9 · Title 8 §3343 (emergency response)

7. Section 7

   Training

   Sets the training employees receive initially and whenever a new or previously unrecognized hazard is identified, covering the plan, how to report, hazards specific to their jobs, and the corrective measures the employer has implemented. SB 553 requires initial and ongoing training.

   Statute: Labor Code §6401.9 · Title 8 §3343 (training requirements)

8. Section 8

   Violent incident log

   Provides the structured log for recording information about every workplace violence incident, based on information from employees involved, with personal identifying information omitted as the statute requires.

   Statute: Labor Code §6401.9 · Title 8 §3343 (violent incident log)

9. Section 9

   Records and retention

   Specifies the records to keep and for how long: hazard identification, evaluation, and correction records, training records, and the violent incident log, retained for the periods the statute requires and made available to employees and their representatives on request.

   Statute: Labor Code §6401.9 · Title 8 §3343 (records and retention)

10. Section 10

    Plan review cadence

    Sets the schedule for reviewing the plan, at least annually, when a deficiency becomes apparent, and after a workplace violence incident, so the document stays current rather than going stale on a shelf.

    Statute: Labor Code §6401.9 · Title 8 §3343 (periodic review)

Statutory anchors per California SB 553, Labor Code §6401.9, and Title 8 §3343 (effective July 1, 2024). Confirm applicability and any sector exceptions with your own counsel.