By Joshua M. Henderson, Ilana R. Morady, Brent I. Clark, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) recently held an advisory meeting on the Agency’s draft rules for Workplace Violence Prevention in General Industry. It is seeking public comments.
The meeting was to seek input on the new draft proposal to address workplace violence in general industry. If adopted, California would become the first state to issue general industry workplace violence rules. Currently, Cal/OSHA can only regulate workplace violence hazards through its “general duty clause” which provides that employers have a general duty to keep their workplaces safe from recognized hazards.
The December 4, 2017 draft proposed rules defines “workplace violence” as “any act of violence or threat of violence that occurs at the work site.” Specifically under the proposal workplace violence includes:
- The threat or use of physical force against an employee that results in, or has a high likelihood of resulting in, injury, psychological trauma, or stress, regardless of whether the employee sustains an injury.
- An incident involving the threat or use of a firearm or other dangerous weapon, including the use of common objects as weapons, regardless of whether the employee sustains an injury.
- Four types of violence:
Type 1 violence means workplace violence committed by a person who has no legitimate business at the work site, and includes violent acts by anyone who enters the workplace with the intent to commit a crime.
Type 2 violence means workplace violence directed at employees by customers, clients, patients, students, inmates, or visitors.
Type 3 violence means workplace violence against an employee by a present or former employee, supervisor, or manager.
Type 4 violence means workplace violence committed in the workplace by someone who does not work there, but has or is known to have had a personal relationship with an employee.
The proposal would require covered employers to develop a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan that includes procedures for:
- Obtain the active involvement of employees and their representatives in developing and implementing the Plan, including their participation in identifying, evaluating, and correcting workplace violence hazards, designing and implementing training, and reporting and investigating workplace violence incidents.
- Methods the employer will use to coordinate implementation of the Plan with other employers whose employees work in same workplace, where applicable.
- Effective procedures for the employer to accept and respond to reports of workplace violence, including Type 3 violence, and to prohibit retaliation against an employee who makes such a report.
- Procedures to develop and provide the training.
- Procedures to identify and evaluate workplace violence hazards.
- Procedures to correct workplace violence hazards in a timely manner.
- Procedures for post-injury response and investigation.
The Cal/OSHA Advisory Committee is currently accepting comments on the topic.
Note also that California healthcare employers are currently regulated under the Violence Protection in Health Care standard, and will be required, by April 1, 2018, to comply with those provisions for implementing a Violence Prevention Plan and for training their employees.
For more information on this or any related topic please contact the author, your Seyfarth attorney, or any member of the OSHA Compliance, Enforcement & Litigation Team.