What Is California SB 553? The Complete Employer Guide (2025)
California SB 553 requires all employers to maintain a written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan. Learn what the law requires, who must comply, and how to get compliant.
What Does SB 553 Actually Require?
Senate Bill 553, codified as California Labor Code Section 6401.9, is the most comprehensive workplace violence prevention law in the United States. Unlike OSHA's general duty clause which provides broad guidance, SB 553 prescribes specific, enforceable requirements that Cal/OSHA can cite during any workplace inspection.
The law creates three core obligations for every covered California employer:
1. Written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP): This is the centerpiece of SB 553. Your WVPP must be a standalone document — separate from your Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP). It must contain 12 specific sections covering everything from responsible persons to post-incident investigation procedures. The plan must be tailored to your specific workplace hazards and reviewed annually.
2. Violence Incident Log (VIL): You must maintain a Violence Incident Log that is completely separate from your OSHA 300 log. The VIL must record every workplace violence incident regardless of whether it resulted in injury, including the date, time, location, type of violence, detailed description, consequences, and what actions were taken.
3. Employee Training: All employees must receive training on your WVPP when the plan is first established, when new hazards are identified, and at least annually thereafter. Training must cover how to report incidents, the specific hazards in your workplace, and how to use the protective measures in your plan.
The 12 Required Sections of Your WVPP
Cal/OSHA requires your Workplace Violence Prevention Plan to address each of these sections specifically:
Section 1 — Names of Responsible Persons: Identify by name or title the person(s) responsible for implementing your WVPP. These individuals must have authority to make changes and commit resources.
Section 2 — Employee Involvement: Describe how employees participate in developing, implementing, and reviewing the plan. This is not optional — the law specifically requires meaningful employee involvement.
Section 3 — Coordination with Other Employers: If your workplace is shared with other employers (multi-tenant buildings, staffing agencies), describe how you coordinate violence prevention efforts.
Section 4 — Report Acceptance Procedures: Establish clear procedures for accepting and responding to reports of workplace violence. Employees must know exactly how and where to report concerns without fear of retaliation.
Section 5 — Employee Compliance: Describe how you ensure employees follow the prevention procedures in your plan, including any corrective measures for non-compliance.
Section 6 — Communication Procedures: Detail how you communicate workplace violence hazards and prevention information to employees, including how employees can report concerns.
Section 7 — Emergency Response: Outline specific procedures for responding to workplace violence emergencies, including evacuation plans, shelter-in-place protocols, and coordination with law enforcement.
Section 8 — Training: Describe your training program including content, frequency, and documentation methods.
Section 9 — Hazard Identification and Evaluation: Document your process for identifying and evaluating workplace violence hazards specific to your industry and workplace.
Section 10 — Hazard Correction: Describe procedures for correcting identified hazards in a timely manner and tracking the correction to completion.
Section 11 — Post-Incident Response and Investigation: Detail your procedures for responding to and investigating incidents of workplace violence, including support for affected employees.
Section 12 — Plan Review: Describe your process for reviewing the plan annually and after any workplace violence incident, including how findings are incorporated into plan updates.
Who Is Exempt from SB 553?
The exemptions are narrow. SB 553 does not apply to:
Healthcare facilities already subject to Cal/OSHA's workplace violence prevention standard (Section 3342). However, non-clinical healthcare workers may still be covered under SB 553. Employees teleworking from a location of their choosing — but only while they are working from that remote location. If they ever come on-site, they must be covered. Workplaces with fewer than 10 employees that are not accessible to the public. Facilities operated by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and law enforcement agencies.
Important: Even if some of your employees are exempt (like remote workers), you still need a WVPP covering your on-site operations and non-exempt employees.
What Are the Penalties?
Cal/OSHA can cite employers for SB 553 violations during any workplace inspection — including inspections triggered by employee complaints, incidents at nearby businesses, or random selection. The penalties are significant:
General violations carry fines of $18,000 to $25,000. Serious violations — where the employer knew or should have known of the hazard — range from $18,000 to $25,000. Willful or repeat violations can reach $150,000 per citation. Failure to abate a violation adds $15,000 per day until corrected. In extreme cases involving willful violations that result in death, criminal penalties include fines up to $250,000 and up to 6 months in jail.
SB 553 vs. Your Existing IIPP
One of the most common mistakes employers make is assuming their existing Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) covers workplace violence. It doesn't — at least not to the standard SB 553 requires. Your WVPP must be a separate, standalone document. While your IIPP addresses general workplace hazards, your WVPP must specifically address workplace violence prevention with the 12 required sections listed above.
For a detailed comparison, see our guide: WVPP vs IIPP: What's the Difference?
How to Get Compliant
Getting compliant with SB 553 involves five key steps: First, determine if your business is covered (most are). Second, create your written WVPP with all 12 required sections tailored to your specific workplace. Third, set up a separate Violence Incident Log. Fourth, train all covered employees on your plan. Fifth, establish a schedule for annual plan review and updates.
The free Cal/OSHA template provides a starting framework, but it requires significant customization and doesn't include a Violence Incident Log, training tracking, or multi-site management.