How to Create a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan

Key Takeaways – California’s SB 553 requires most employers to have a written workplace violence prevention plan in place. – A strong plan includes hazard assessment, employee training, reporting procedures, incident response protocols, and post-incident follow-up. – Involving employees at every level — from leadership to front-line staff — is critical to the plan’s success. – Your plan must be reviewed and updated regularly to remain effective and compliant. – E3 Security Training Academy provides BSIS-certified Workplace Violence Prevention training to help organizations build and implement effective plans.

Why Every Business Needs a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan

Workplace violence costs U.S. employers billions of dollars each year in lost productivity, medical expenses, legal fees, and employee turnover. More importantly, it destroys lives and shatters the sense of safety that every worker deserves.

Yet many businesses still operate without a formal workplace violence prevention plan. Some assume “it won’t happen here.” Others know they need one but don’t know where to start.

If your business operates in California, the decision has been made for you. Under SB 553, which took effect on July 1, 2024, nearly all California employers are now legally required to establish, implement, and maintain a written workplace violence prevention plan. [INTERNAL LINK: /workplace-violence/]

This guide walks you through the process step by step — from initial assessment to ongoing maintenance — so you can build a plan that protects your people and keeps your organization compliant.

Step 1: Designate a Workplace Violence Prevention Coordinator

Every effective plan starts with clear ownership. Designate a person or team responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining the plan.

This coordinator should:

• Have authority to make decisions about workplace safety
• Understand your organization’s operations and workforce
• Be trained in workplace violence prevention principles
• Serve as the primary point of contact for employees with concerns

In smaller organizations, this may be the business owner or HR manager. Larger organizations may establish a dedicated workplace violence prevention committee with representatives from security, HR, operations, and employee groups.

Step 2: Conduct a Workplace Hazard Assessment

Before you can prevent workplace violence, you need to understand where your vulnerabilities lie. A thorough hazard assessment examines:

Physical Environment

• Are there areas with poor lighting, limited visibility, or restricted escape routes?
• Do employees work alone or in isolated locations?
• Are there adequate security measures (locks, cameras, alarms, access controls)?
• Is there a secure area where employees can shelter in an emergency?

Operational Factors

• Does your business handle cash, valuables, or controlled substances?
• Do employees interact with the public, patients, or clients who may be agitated?
• Are there late-night or early-morning shifts with minimal staffing?
• Has your organization experienced prior incidents or threats?

Workforce Factors

• Are there unresolved employee conflicts or grievances?
• Has there been recent organizational change (layoffs, restructuring, leadership changes)?
• Do employees feel comfortable reporting concerns?

Document your findings thoroughly. This assessment forms the foundation of your entire workplace violence prevention plan.

Step 3: Develop Your Written Plan

California’s SB 553 specifies several elements that must be included in your written plan. At minimum, your plan should address:

Responsible Persons

Identify by name or title who is responsible for implementing and maintaining the plan. Employees need to know who to turn to.

Reporting Procedures

Establish clear, accessible procedures for employees to report:

• Threats or acts of violence
• Warning signs and behavioral concerns
• Hazards in the physical environment

Your reporting system should include multiple channels — verbal reports to supervisors, written incident reports, anonymous hotlines, and digital reporting options.

Critically, employees must be assured that reporting will not result in retaliation.

Emergency Response Procedures

Detail what employees should do during an active violent incident:

• Evacuation routes and procedures — Where to go and how to get there
• Shelter-in-place protocols — When and where to shelter
• Communication systems — How employees will be notified of an emergency
• Law enforcement coordination — How to contact 911 and what information to provide
• Active shooter response — Run, Hide, Fight protocols [INTERNAL LINK: /workplace-violence/]

Investigation and Follow-Up

Describe how reported incidents and threats will be investigated, including:

• Who conducts the investigation
• How evidence is collected and preserved
• How affected employees are supported
• What corrective actions may be taken

Violent Incident Log

SB 553 requires employers to maintain a log of all workplace violence incidents. Your plan should specify:

• What information is recorded (date, time, location, type of violence, description, response)
• Who is responsible for maintaining the log
• How the log is used to identify trends and improve the plan

Step 4: Implement Engineering and Administrative Controls

Your plan shouldn’t just be a document — it should drive real changes in how your workplace operates.

Engineering Controls

Physical changes to the work environment that reduce risk:

• Improved lighting in parking areas, stairwells, and isolated spaces
• Security cameras and alarm systems
• Controlled access entry systems (key cards, buzzer entry)
• Bullet-resistant barriers for high-risk reception areas
• Panic buttons at workstations
• Safe rooms or shelter-in-place areas

Administrative Controls

Policy and procedural changes that reduce risk:

• Visitor management and sign-in policies
• Employee identification badge requirements
• Prohibition of weapons on company property
• Policies addressing domestic violence that may spill into the workplace
• Procedures for handling terminations and disciplinary actions safely
• Staffing adjustments for high-risk times and locations

Step 5: Train Your Employees

A plan is only as good as the people who execute it. Training is the engine that turns your written document into real-world preparedness.

Under SB 553, employers must provide training that covers:

• The employer’s workplace violence prevention plan
• How to report workplace violence incidents, threats, and concerns
• How to recognize warning signs of potential violence
• Strategies for avoiding or minimizing exposure to violence
• The violent incident log and how it is used

Who Should Be Trained?

Everyone. From the CEO to the newest hire, every employee should receive workplace violence prevention training. Additionally, security officers and designated responders need advanced, role-specific training.

E3 Security Training Academy offers BSIS-certified Workplace Violence Prevention courses that meet California’s training mandates. Our programs are designed for both security professionals and corporate teams, providing practical skills that go beyond checking a compliance box. [INTERNAL LINK: /securitycourses/]

Training should be provided:

• When the plan is first established
• When new employees are hired
• When the plan is updated or revised
• At least annually thereafter

Step 6: Establish a Threat Assessment Process

Not every concerning behavior is an imminent threat, and not every threat requires the same response. A formal threat assessment process helps your organization evaluate the severity and credibility of potential threats.

Key components include:

• Threat Assessment Team — A multidisciplinary group (HR, security, legal, management) trained to evaluate threats
• Assessment criteria — Standardized factors for evaluating risk level (low, medium, high)
• Intervention strategies — Graduated responses ranging from monitoring to disciplinary action to law enforcement involvement
• Documentation — Thorough records of assessments and decisions

Your threat assessment process should be proactive, not reactive. The goal is to identify and manage potential threats before they escalate to violence.

Step 7: Plan for Post-Incident Response

Even with the best prevention plan, incidents can still occur. Your plan must include procedures for what happens after a workplace violence event:

Immediate Response

• Secure the scene and ensure all employees are safe
• Provide first aid and call emergency services as needed
• Account for all employees and visitors
• Preserve evidence for investigation

Employee Support

• Offer crisis counseling and mental health resources
• Allow time off for affected employees
• Communicate transparently with the workforce
• Address rumors and misinformation promptly

Investigation and Review

• Conduct a thorough post-incident investigation
• Update the violent incident log
• Identify what worked and what didn’t in the response
• Revise the plan as needed based on lessons learned

Step 8: Review and Update Regularly

A workplace violence prevention plan is a living document. California law requires periodic review, and best practices call for updates:

• Annually at minimum
• After any workplace violence incident
• When there are significant changes to operations, staffing, or the physical environment
• When new hazards are identified
• When there are changes to applicable laws or regulations

Involve employees in the review process. They often have the most direct insight into current risks and the effectiveness of existing controls.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Building a workplace violence prevention plan is complex. Here are pitfalls to watch for:

• Creating a plan but never training on it — A document in a binder does nothing without education and practice.
• Treating it as a one-time project — Prevention is an ongoing process, not a checkbox.
• Ignoring employee input — Workers on the front lines see risks that leadership often misses.
• Failing to address domestic violence — Violence from personal relationships frequently enters the workplace.
• Relying solely on security hardware — Technology supports prevention, but culture and training are the foundation.

Get Expert Help Building Your Plan

Creating a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan can be overwhelming, especially for small and mid-sized businesses. You don’t have to do it alone.

E3 Security Training Academy in Manteca, CA helps organizations across the Central Valley — including Stockton, Modesto, Tracy, and Lodi — develop and implement workplace violence prevention programs that meet California’s SB 553 requirements.

Our BSIS-certified training courses prepare security teams and employees with the practical skills they need to prevent, recognize, and respond to workplace violence.

👉 Explore our Workplace Violence Prevention training or contact us today to discuss a customized training program for your organization.

Your employees deserve a safe workplace. Start building that safety today.