Workplace Violence Prevention: Following and Emulating California’s Mandates for a Safe Library

Workplace violence comes to libraries in many concerning forms, including threats or assaults on staff; patrons assaulting each other; and domestic violence involving patrons or even crossing over from home to work with staff. Sadly, we have seen shootings and homicides involving patrons in or around our public libraries move from quite rare to more common, and have seen police officers killed responding to calls with armed people inside libraries.

As of July 1, the legislators in California enacted Senate Bill 553, which now mandates workplace violence training, policies, incident logs, site security assessments, and demonstrated due diligence in recognizing and responding to threats made to public facilities and private organizations and their employees. This law covers every employer in California with 10 or more employees, which means most public libraries must follow the new guidelines, which will be enforced by OSHA. As with most new and required legislation of this type, its origin was based on a shooting incident in San Jose at a light rail facility in 2021, that ended with the death of nine employees at the hands of a co-worker.

While the legislation is specific to California, the principles and policies are worth considering by all libraries. This session will help library leaders and employees, not just in California but in every state, to better understand and respond to the potential for workplace violence in all its forms.

Dr. Albrecht will provide a template, based on the California requirements, that all libraries can follow to make their buildings safer, build awareness of the behavioral problems most likely to lead to violence, and for California libraries specifically demonstrate compliance with the national OSHA standard long known as “the duty of care,” which states: “All employers must provide a work environment free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm."

LEARNING AGENDA:

• Creating written operational plans and policies, supported by a “Workplace Violence Prevention Plan Administrator.”
• How to collect and maintain event and injury records.
• Employee training; threat reporting; restraining order education.
• Demonstrate due diligence on all reported threats.
• Domestic violence as a workplace issue.
• Site security assessments for hazards; how to make corrections.
  Post-incident response, including how to find trauma counseling.

This 60-minute session is another in our Safe Library Series. The presentation slides will be available to all who participate.

This event is presented by Library2.0.