Environmental Health and Safety

Workplace Violence Prevention

This Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (“WVPP” or “Plan”) addresses and implements corrective measures for workplace violence hazards specific to California State Polytechnic University, Pomona’s (the “University” or “Cal Poly Pomona”) work areas and operations. The purpose of this Plan is to: identify the names and job titles of the persons responsible for the implementation and maintenance of the WVPP, highlight how employees can report violent workplace incidents, threats, or other workplace violence concerns, and how to respond to reports, reinforce against unlawful retaliation for reporting violent incidents, threats, or other workplace violence concerns, and participating in any related investigations of such reports, outline procedures to respond to actual or potential workplace violence emergencies, detail training requirements about this Plan, including the frequency of training, outline procedures to identify and evaluate workplace violence hazards, and communicate post-incident response and investigation processes. 

The WVPP can be found in Workplace Violence Prevention Plan.

*Cal Poly Pomona’s WVPP is currently undergoing the meet and confer process with the unions.

What is Workplace Violence: 

Any act or threat of violence that occurs in a place of employment. This term encompasses, but is not limited to, the following:  

  • 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 an injury is sustained. 
  • An incident involving the threat or use of a firearm or other dangerous weapon, including the use of common objects such as weapons, regardless of whether an injury is sustained.
  • Workplace violence falls into four categories, depending on the status of the person(s) committing the act:
  • Type 1 Violence: Workplace violence committed by a person who has no legitimate business at the worksite and includes violent acts by anyone who enters the workplace with the intent to commit a crime.
  • Type 2 Violence: Workplace violence directed at employees by students or visitors.
  • Type 3 Violence: Workplace violence against an employee by a present or former employee, supervisor, or manager.
  • Type 4 Violence: Workplace violence committed in the workplace by a person who does not work there but has or is known to have had a personal relationship with a University employee.
  • The term “workplace violence” does not include lawful acts of self-defense or defense of others. 

How to Report Workplace Violence: 

  • University employees who witness or perceive an act of workplace violence or a threat of workplace violence on campus are encouraged to report such incidents of workplace violence through one or more of the following channels: a) dial 9-1-1 (when safe to do so); b) use the Emergency Blue Phones on campus; c) report to their appropriate administrator.   
  • University employees who witness or perceive an act of workplace violence or a threat of workplace violence on campus can also report such incidents of workplace violence to the Cal Poly Pomona Police Department (UPD) at (909) 869-3070. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling Cal/OSHA at (800) 963-9424 or emailing them at InfoCons@dir.ca.gov and/or DOSHEnforcement@dir.ca.gov.  
  • For situations that do not involve an actual or imminent act of workplace violence or threat of workplace violence, the incident should be reported promptly by submitting a report to EHS (https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/298ecb99ad3f44eca8afd6659264757d). Employees may also report non-imminent acts to their departmental HEERA manager, Employee/Labor Relations and Compliance at elr@cpp.edu or Faculty Affairs at avpfa@cpp.edu.  
  • Individuals can report incidents verbally or in writing; however, a written report containing details about the incident is recommended.  Individuals may also report incidents anonymously and Cal Poly Pomona will investigate anonymous reports to the extent possible given the level of detail contained or not contained in the report.  

As part of the requirement, the University will make the following records, subject to redaction of personally identifiable information (“PII”), available to employees, employee representatives, and students, upon request and without cost, for examination and copying within fifteen (15) calendar days of a request: a) records of workplace violence hazard identification, evaluation, and correction; b) training records; and c) violent incident logs. 

A Violent Incident Log can be requested through a public records act request by emailing: publicrecords@cpp.edu 

California Senate Bill 553 (SB 553) amended California Labor Code section 6401.7 and created section 6401.9. The new requirements (Workplace Violence Prevention) found in those Labor Code sections will be in effect and enforceable on July 1, 2024*. 

*Cal Poly Pomona’s WVPP is currently undergoing the meet and confer process with the unions.

The WVPP applies to all University employees, including faculty and staff, as well as volunteers and persons present in University worksites. The WVPP does not apply to University employees when telecommuting from a location of the employee’s choice, not under the control of the University.

Training Requirements: 

CSU-Workplace Violence Prevention is available on SumTotal and is required to be completed annually by all employees. 

More information to be updated

More information to be updated