As promised, Cal/OSHA has posted a Model Written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan for General Industry (Non-Health Care Settings) on its website. The model program may be accessed at https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/PubOrder.asp
By no later than July 1, 2024, you must adopt and implement your Workplace Violence Prevention Program.
In the opinion of this firm, there is no reason for any employer to re-invent the wheel. We recommend that you adopt the model program.
- Prepare a draft model program using Cal/OSHA’s template (which includes instructions and allows you to type into the template);
- Provide the company’s employees, and their union representatives, an opportunity to comment and suggest additions/revisions;
- Determine whether an appendix may be necessary at any particular worksite which may include particular or unusual workplace violence hazards;
- Personalize and finalize your program based on the input you receive;
- Use your new program to provide training (documented) to your employees; and
- Provide your employees with access to a paper or digital copy of the program.
After you adopt and implement your Workplace Violence Prevention Program, you may move on to more important issues, such as protecting your employees from the hazards they actually encounter on a daily basis.