American Pest CEUs Develops SB 553 Compliance Course

Senate Bill (SB) No. 553 – By: Shaun Reeves American Pest CEUs

As many of you in California may have heard, as of July 1, 2024, Senate Bill (SB) No. 553 will require virtually every California employer to implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan. Unfortunately, the new law does not have an implementation grace period.  This left many pest professionals seeking information to make sure they comply with the new law.

The new law applies to most California employers and employees, except corrections facilities, law enforcement agencies, teleworkers, places of employment that employ more than ten employees or less working at a place that is not accessible to the public, and healthcare facilities.  This means many pest control companies operating in California will need to comply. 

By July 1, 2024, California employers required to comply with SB 553 must implement their workplace violence prevention plans, assess and resolve workplace violence hazards, provide training to all employees, and implement investigation and recordkeeping procedures. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has issued a fact sheet, but since March 2024 there has been no further guidance or answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) on Cal/OSHA’s workplace violence prevention resources web page.

American Pest CEUs developed a course called “Safety Review and Posting Requirements” to help employers navigate these waters.  This course has models for injury and illness prevention programs, respiratory protection programs, workplace violence prevention programs and examples of documentation.  The course materials are printable in PDF format to assist you in getting your company up to the new compliance standards.  This course is available at Pestschool.com under the California tab.