July 7, 2025
California’s new SB 553 law requires all employers establish a compliant workplace violence prevention strategy and initiate training by July 1, 2024.
Similarly, New York's recent Retail Worker Safety Act requires that all retailers, with more than 10 employees, provide a violence prevention plan and train retail employees. Emtrain’s Workplace Violence Prevention Training is specifically designed to meet all CA SB 553 and NY Retail Worker Safety Act training mandates.
This workplace violence prevention training course provides important protection for employees by showing how they can spot classic red flag situations and to minimize the potential for violent episodes in the workplace. It also walks employees through an action plan of how to respond if and when workplace violence happens
What's new?
The transition from Workplace Violence version 4.2 to version 5 shifts the course from a purely reactionary safety training to a broader cultural commitment focused on psychological safety, proactive hazard identification, and management accountability.
1. Structural Efficiency
Version 5 expands the curriculum to provide a more comprehensive and legally robust training experience, specifically addressing emerging regulatory requirements.
Increased Module Depth: The course has grown from 8 lessons to 10, adding a dedicated strategic module on "The Manager's Role" and a concluding "Commitment to Safety".
Segmented Risk Identification: While v4.2 grouped all "Case Studies" together, v5 separates the conceptual framework of "Identifying Hazards" from "Warning Signs", allowing learners to distinguish between environmental risks and individual behavioral risks.
Revised Lesson Hierarchy: The new structure moves from universal definitions directly into proactive hazard assessment before discussing active incidents, creating a more logical "Prevention First" flow.
Enhanced Feedback Integration: The final feedback module in v5 is more streamlined (5 cards vs 7 in v4.2), focusing on interface and technical performance to ensure a smoother learner exit.
2. Video Scenarios
The video content has transitioned from "case study retrospectives" to "active interpersonal dynamics" and observational skill-building.
From Narrative to Visual Observation: v4.2 relied heavily on retrospective narratives where characters described past events. v5 introduces more active, observational scenarios like "A Little Dicey," where a seasoned worker guides a new hire through specific onsite safety features like panic buttons .
Focus on Domestic Abuse in the Workplace: A new, high-impact video scenario involves a manager noticing subtle physical and behavioral signs of domestic abuse in an employee and navigating that sensitive conversation with empathy.
Intervention Tactics: The "No One Was Doing Anything" video provides a practical example of "nonchalant" intervention, showing how an employee can use a fake "client emergency" to safely pull a manager out of a demeaning or escalating confrontation.
Mental Preparedness: The introductory video in v5 shifts from a somber reflection on a tragedy to a more empowering message about being prepared, knowing the signs, and following communication protocols.
3. Content & Terminology Shifts
Version 5 introduces more professionalized, industry-standard terminology and emphasizes the "Upstander" culture.
Proactive Terminology: v5 introduces the specific distinction between "Hazards" (potential sources of harm like unlocked doors) and "Risks" (the likelihood and severity of those hazards causing an incident).
Emphasis on Psychological Impact: v5 adds significant content regarding the "Climate of Fear" and the erosion of trust, moving the conversation beyond physical injury to include the mental health and productivity of the entire team.
The "Buddy System" and "Presence": New content highlights the "Power of Presence" (how a third party can increase accountability) and practical tactics like the "Buddy System" for walking to vehicles at night.
Expanded Active Shooter Protocol: While both versions use "Run, Hide, Fight," v5 provides a much more granular breakdown of each step, including specific instructions on improvising weapons and the "Aggregation Effect" of coordinating as a team.
Management as "Mandated Reporters": v5 explicitly defines managers as "Mandated Reporters," clarifying that they must report all incidents and concerns to HR even if the manager believes the issue has been resolved.
This course teaches:
- The legal definition of workplace violence and its various types.
- How to identify potential hazards and assess the risks in your work environment.
- What warning signs and red flags in behavior that may indicate potential violence.
- Emergency response protocols, including de-escalation techniques.
- Policies, procedures, and resources for preventing and responding to workplace violence.
If you have an LMS-connected account, you can download the SCORM file for Workplace Violence. For more information, please refer to the Workplace Violence (v5) content article for additional information.