Workplace Violence Prevention Procedures for Nerds on Call, Inc.

Our establishment’s Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP) addresses the hazards known to be associated with the four types of workplace violence as defined by Labor Code (LC) section 6401.9.

Date of Last Review: 12/2/2024

Date of Last Revision(s): 12/2/2024

DEFINITIONS

Emergency – Unanticipated circumstances that can be life threatening or pose a risk of significant injuries to employees or other persons.

Engineering controls – An aspect of the built space or a device that removes a hazard from the workplace or creates a barrier between the employee and the hazard.

Log – The violent incident log required by LC section 6401.9.

Plan – The workplace violence prevention plan required by LC section 6401.9.

Serious injury or illness – Any injury or illness occurring in a place of employment or in connection with any employment that requires inpatient hospitalization for other than medical observation or diagnostic testing, or in which an employee suffers an amputation, the loss of an eye, or any serious degree of permanent disfigurement, but does not include any injury or illness or death caused by an accident on a public street or highway, unless the accident occurred in a construction zone.

Threat of violence – Any verbal or written statement, including, but not limited to, texts, electronic messages, social media messages, or other online posts, or any behavioral or physical conduct, that conveys an intent, or that is reasonably perceived to convey an intent, to cause physical harm or to place someone in fear of physical harm, and that serves no legitimate purpose.

Workplace violence – Any act of violence or threat of violence that occurs in a place of employment.

Workplace violence includes, 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 the employee sustains an injury.
  • An incident involving a 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.
  • The following four workplace violence types:

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 or approaches employees with the intent to commit a crime.

Type 2 violence – Workplace violence directed at employees by customers, clients, patients, students, inmates, 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 an employee.

Workplace violence does not include lawful acts of self-defense or defense of others.

Work practice controls – Procedures and rules which are used to effectively reduce workplace violence hazard.

RESPONSIBILITY

The WVPP administrator, Jayme Rivers, Director of Human Resources, has the authority and responsibility for implementing the provisions of this plan for Nerds on Call. If there are multiple persons responsible for the plan, their roles will be clearly described.

Responsible
Persons 		Job Title/ Position WVPP Responsibility(ies) Phone # Email
Andrea Eldridge CEO Andrea approves the final plan and any major changes. Click for number Click to contact
Jayme Rivers HR
Manager 		Jayme updates training materials and handles any reports of workplace violence. Click for number Click to contact
Nick Bauder COO Responsible for emergency response, hazard identification, and coordination with other employers; Nick conducts safety inspections and coordinates emergency response procedures. Click for number Click to contact

All managers and supervisors are responsible for implementing and maintaining the WVPP in their work areas and for answering employee questions about the WVPP.

EMPLOYEE ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT

Nerds on Call ensures the following policies and procedures to obtain the active involvement of employees and authorized employee representatives in developing and implementing the plan:

  • Management will work with and allow employees and authorized employee representatives to participate in:
    • Identifying, evaluating, and determining corrective measures to prevent workplace violence.
    • Management will host annual safety meetings with employees and their representatives to discuss identification of workplace violence related concerns/hazards, evaluate those hazards and/or concerns, and how to correct them. These meetings will involve brainstorming sessions, discussions of recent incidents, and reviews of safety procedures.
  • Designing and implementing training
    • Employees are notified and encouraged to participate in designing and implementing training programs, and their suggestions are incorporated into the training materials. For example, an employee might suggest a new training scenario based on a recent incident.
  • Reporting and investigating workplace violence incidents.
    • Management will ensure that all workplace violence policies and procedures within this written plan are clearly communicated and understood by all employees. Managers and supervisors will enforce the rules fairly.
    • All employees will follow all workplace violence prevention plan directives, policies, and procedures, and assist in maintaining a safe work environment.
  • The plan shall be in effect at all times and in all work areas and be specific to the hazards and corrective measures for each work area and operation.

Do you have for suggestions for improving workplace safety at your location or updating employee training? Please submit them here. NOTE: Make sure to indicate the location you work out of in your message.

EMPLOYEE COMPLIANCE

Our system to ensure that employees comply with the rules and work practices that are designed to make the workplace more secure, and do not engage in threats or physical actions which create a security hazard for others in the workplace, include at a minimum:

  • Training employees, supervisors, and managers in the provisions of Nerds on Call Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP)
  • Effective procedures to ensure that supervisory and nonsupervisory employees comply with the WVPP by ensuring that all employees complete training annually at a minimum.
  • Provide retraining to employees whose safety performance is deficient with the WVPP.
  • Recognizing employees who demonstrate safe work practices that promote the WVPP in the workplace by sending email or memos thanking them for participation and adherence.
  • Discipline employees for failure to comply with the WVPP using Nerds on Call disciplinary action procedure will include verbal and written corrective action up to and including termination.

COMMUNICATION WITH EMPLOYEES

We recognize that open, two-way communication between our management team, staff, and other employers, about workplace violence issues is essential to a safe and productive workplace. The following communication system is designed to facilitate a continuous flow of workplace violence prevention information between management and staff in a form that is readily understandable by all employees, and consists of one or more of the following:

  • New employee orientation includes workplace violence prevention policies
  • Workplace violence prevention training
  • Regularly scheduled meetings that address security issues and potential workplace violence hazards
  • Effective communication between employees and supervisors about workplace violence prevention and violence concerns.
    • Nerds on Call will ensure that supervisors and employees can communicate effectively and in the employees’ first language.
  • Posted or distributed workplace violence prevention information.
  • Employees can report a violent incident, threat, or other workplace violence concern to employer or law enforcement without fear of reprisal or adverse action.

    • Examples of how to report an incident, threat or other workplace violence concern include:

      • Employees can report a violent incident via email to HR by clicking here. To remain anonymous, you can use the online form to submit without including your name.

      • Employees can call 911 directly if immediate help is necessary.

    • Employees will not be prevented from accessing their mobile or other communication devices to seek emergency assistance, assess the safety of a situation, or communicate with a person to verify their safety.
    • Employees’ concerns will be investigated in a timely manner, and they will be informed of the results of the investigation and any corrective actions to be taken if they have provided their name and contact info when contacting their supervisor or HR.
      • Updates on the status of investigations and corrective actions are provided to employees through email and at safety meetings. These updates could include information about the progress of investigations, the results of investigations, and any corrective actions taken.
      • Managers receiving reports of workplace violence and/or safety update suggestions may share training materials and incident reports with other staff members to ensure a coordinated response to any incidents.

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE INCIDENT REPORTING PROCEDURE

Responsible
Persons 		Job Title/ Position WVPP Responsibility(ies) Phone # Email
Nick Bauder COO Responsible for emergency response, hazard identification; Nick conducts safety inspections and coordinates emergency response procedures. Click for number Click to contact

Nerds on Call will implement the following effective procedures to ensure that:

  • All threats or acts of workplace violence are reported to an employee’s supervisor or manager, who will inform the WVPP administrator. This will be accomplished by calling or emailing the WVPP administrator. If that’s not possible, employees will report incidents directly to the WVPP administrator, Jayme Rivers by clicking here
  • Employees can report incidents to their supervisor or HR by clicking here
  • The Workplace Violence Reporting form is available here

A strict non-retaliation policy is in place, and any instances of retaliation are dealt with swiftly and decisively.

  • Any employee who retaliates against a coworker for reporting an incident will receive disciplinary action up to and including termination.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES

Nerds on Call has in place the following specific measures to handle actual or potential workplace violence emergencies:

  • Effective means to alert employees of the presence, location, and nature of workplace violence emergencies by the following:
    • Text messages, phone calls and emails to employees.
  • Nerds on Call will have evacuation or sheltering plans.
    • Employees located in a Nerds on Call office will shelter under desks or exit the building via the closest, safest exit.
  • How to obtain help from staff or law enforcement.

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND EVALUATION

The following policies and procedures are established and required to be conducted by Nerds on Call to ensure that workplace violence hazards are identified and evaluated:

Inspections shall be conducted when the plan is first established, after each workplace violence incident, and whenever the employer is made aware of a new or previously unrecognized hazard. 

 Review all submitted/reported concerns of potential hazards:

  • Immediate review of all submitted and reported concerns.
  • Anonymous incident and suggestion submission available by clicking here
  • Online form for reporting workplace violence hazards
  • Jayme Rivers will promptly review and respond to any Voicemail/email/text messages received reporting a workplace violence incident.

Periodic Inspections 

Periodic inspections of workplace violence hazards will identify unsafe conditions and work practices. This may require assessment for more than one type of workplace violence. Periodic Inspections shall be conducted annually.

Periodic inspections to identify and evaluate workplace violence and hazards will be performed by the following designated personnel in the following areas of the workplace:

Specific Person Name/Job Title Area/Department/Specific location
Nick Bauder Call Center and all store locations

Inspections for workplace violence hazards include assessing:

  • The exterior and interior of the workplace for its attractiveness to thieves.
  • The need for violence surveillance measures, such as mirrors and cameras.
  • Procedures for employee response during a robbery or other criminal activity.
  • Procedures for reporting suspicious persons or activities.
  • Posting of emergency telephone numbers for law enforcement, fire, and medical services.
  • Whether employees have effective escape routes from the workplace.
  • Whether employees have a designated safe area where they can go to in an emergency.
  • Adequacy of workplace security systems, such as door locks and entry codes.
  • Frequency and severity of threatening or hostile situations that may lead to violent acts by persons who are service recipients of our establishment.
  • Access to and freedom of movement within the workplace by non-employees, including recently discharged employees or persons with whom one of our employees is having a dispute.
  • Frequency and severity of employees’ reports of threats of physical or verbal abuse by managers, supervisors, or other employees.
  • Any prior violent acts, threats of physical violence, verbal abuse, property damage or other signs of strain or pressure in the workplace.

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE HAZARD CORRECTION

Workplace violence hazards will be evaluated and corrected in a timely manner. Nerds on Call will implement the following effective procedures to correct workplace violence hazards that are identified:

  • All corrective actions taken will be documented and dated on the appropriate form. Employees will work with HR to complete and administer the plans.
  • Corrective measures for workplace violence hazards will be specific to a given work area. Some examples might include:
    • Make the workplace unattractive to robbers by:
      • Improve lighting around and at the workplace as permitted by property management.
      • Post of signs notifying the public that no cash is kept on the premises and that cameras are monitoring the facility.
      • Utilize surveillance measures, such as cameras and mirrors, to provide information as to what is going on outside and inside the workplace and to dissuade criminal activity.
    • Post emergency telephone numbers for law enforcement, fire, and medical services
    • Control access to and freedom of movement within the workplace by non-employees, including recently discharged employees or persons with whom an employee may be having a dispute.
    • Provide employee training/re-training(refreshers) on the WVPP, which could include but not limited to the following:
      • Recognizing and handling threatening or hostile situations that may lead to violent acts by persons who are service recipients of our establishment.
      • Ensure that all reports of violent acts, threats of physical violence, verbal abuse, property damage or other signs of strain or pressure in the workplace are handled effectively by management and that the person making the report is not subject to retaliation by the person making the threat.
      • Evaluate how well our establishment’s management and employees communicate with each other.
      • Procedures for reporting suspicious persons, activities, and packages.
      • Provide/review employee, supervisor, and management training on emergency action
    • Ensure adequate employee escape paths
    • Increase awareness by employees, supervisors, and managers of the warning signs of potential workplace violence by requiring annual and new start training.
    • Ensure that employee disciplinary and discharge procedures address the potential for workplace violence by requiring annual and new start training.
    • Ensure that employees are aware of our weapon free workplace policy.

PROCEDURES FOR POST INCIDENT RESPONSE AND INVESTIGATION

After a workplace incident, the WVPP administrator or their designee will implement the following post-incident procedures:

  • Visit the scene of an incident as soon as safe and practicable.
  • Interview involved parties, such as employees, witnesses, law enforcement, and/or security personnel
  • Review security footage of existing security cameras if applicable.
  • Examine the workplace for security risk factors associated with the incident, including any previous reports of inappropriate behavior by the perpetrator.
  • Determine the cause of the incident.
  • Take corrective action to prevent similar incidents from occurring.
  • Record the findings and take corrective actions if necessary.
  • Obtain any reports completed by law enforcement.
  • The violent incident log will be used for every workplace violence incident and will include information, such as: (See attached Violent Incident Log)
    • The date, time, and location of the incident.
    • The workplace violence type or types involved in the incident.
    • A detailed description of the incident.
    • A classification of who committed the violence, including whether the perpetrator was a client or customer, family or friend of a client or customer, stranger with criminal intent, coworker, supervisor or manager, partner or spouse, parent or relative, or other perpetrator.
    • A classification of circumstances at the time of the incident, including, but not limited to, whether the employee was completing usual job duties, working in poorly lit areas, rushed, working during a low staffing level, isolated or alone, unable to get help or assistance, working in a community setting, or working in an unfamiliar or new location.
    • A classification of where the incident occurred, such as in the workplace, parking lot or other area outside the workplace, or other area.
    • The type of incident, including, but not limited to, whether it involved any of the following:
      • Physical attack without a weapon, including, but not limited to, biting, choking, grabbing, hair pulling, kicking, punching, slapping, pushing, pulling, scratching, or spitting.
      • Attack with a weapon or object, including, but not limited to, a firearm, knife, or other object.
      • Threat of physical force or threat of the use of a weapon or other object.
      • Sexual assault or threat, including, but not limited to, rape, attempted rape, physical display, or unwanted verbal or physical sexual contact.
      • Animal attack.
      • Other.
    • Consequences of the incident, including, but not limited to:
      • Whether law enforcement was contacted and their response.
      • Actions taken to protect employees from a continuing threat or from any other hazards identified because of the incident.
      • Information about the person completing the log, including their name, job title, and the date completed.
  • Reviewing all previous incidents.
  • Support and resources, such as counseling services, are provided to affected employees by contacting Jayme Rivers by clicking here.
  • Ensure that no personal identifying information is recorded or documented in the written investigation report. This includes information which would reveal identification of any person involved in a violent incident, such as the person’s name, address, electronic mail address, telephone number, social security number, or other information that, alone or in combination with other publicly available information, reveals the person’s identity.

TRAINING AND INSTRUCTION

All employees, including managers and supervisors, will have training and instruction on general and job-specific workplace violence practices. These sessions could involve presentations, discussions, and practical exercises. Training and instruction will be provided as follows:

  • When the WVPP is first implemented
  • Annually to monitor compliance with the plan.
  • Whenever a new or previously unrecognized workplace violence hazard has been identified and when changes are made to the plan. The additional training may be limited to addressing the new workplace violence hazard or changes to the plan.

 Nerds on Call will provide its employees with training and instruction on the definitions found on this page via video training (see video at top of page), as well as the requirements listed below:

  • The employer’s WVPP, how to obtain a copy of the employer’s plan at no cost, and how to participate in development and implementation of the employer’s plan.
  • How to report workplace violence incidents or concerns to the employer or law enforcement without fear of reprisal.
  • Workplace violence hazards specific to the employees’ jobs, the corrective measures Nerds on Call has implemented, how to seek assistance to prevent or respond to violence, and strategies to avoid physical harm.
  • The violent incident log and how to obtain copies of records pertaining to hazard identification, evaluation and correction, training records, and violent incident logs.
  • Opportunities Nerds on Call has for interactive questions and answers with a person knowledgeable about the Nerds on Call plan.
  • Strategies to avoid/prevent workplace violence and physical harm, such as:
    • How to recognize workplace violence hazards including the risk factors associated with the four types of workplace violence.
    • Ways to defuse hostile or threatening situations.
  • How to recognize alerts, alarms, or other warnings about emergency conditions and how to use identified escape routes or locations for sheltering.
  • Employee routes of escape
  • Emergency medical care provided in the event of any violent act upon an employee.
  • Post-event trauma counseling for employees desiring such.

EMPLOYEE ACCESS TO THE WRITTEN WVPP

Nerds on Call ensures that the WVPP plan shall be in writing and shall be available and easily accessible to employees, authorized employee representatives, and representatives of Cal/OSHA at all times. This will be accomplished by providing all details on this webpage and and giving access to this page to all employees.

  • Whenever an employee or designated representative requests a copy of the written WVPP, we will provide the requester with a printed copy of the WVPP, unless the employee or designated representative agrees to receive an electronic copy.
  • We will provide unobstructed access through a company server or website, which allows an employee to review, print, and email the current version of the written WVPP.

RECORDKEEPING

Nerds on Call will:

  • Create and maintain records of workplace violence hazard identification, evaluation, and correction, for a minimum of five (5) years.
  • Create and maintain training records for a minimum of one (1) year and include the following:
    • Training dates.
    • Contents or a summary of the training sessions.
    • Names and job titles of all persons attending the training sessions.
  • Maintain violent incident logs for minimum of five (5) years.
  • Maintain records of workplace violence incident investigations for a minimum of five (5) years.
    • The records shall not contain medical information per subdivision (j) of section 56.05 of the Civil Code.
  • All records of workplace violence hazard identification, evaluation, and correction; training, incident logs and workplace violence incident investigations required by LC section 6401.9(f), shall be made available to Cal/OSHA upon request for examination and copying.

EMPLOYEE ACCESS TO RECORDS

The following records shall be made available to employees and their representatives, upon request and without cost, for examination and copying within 15 calendar days of a request:

  • Records of workplace violence hazard identification, evaluation, and correction.
  • Training records.
  • Violent incident logs.

REVIEW AND REVISION OF THE WVPP

The Nerds on Call WVPP will be reviewed for effectiveness:

  • At least annually.
  • When a deficiency is observed or becomes apparent.
  • After a workplace violence incident.
  • As needed.

Review and revision of the WVPP will include the procedures listed in the EMPLOYEE ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT section of this WVPP, as well as the following procedures to obtain the active involvement of employees and authorized employee representatives in reviewing the plan’s effectiveness:

  • Review of Nerds on Call’s WVPP should include, but is not limited to:
    • Review of incident investigations and the violent incident log.
    • Assessment of the effectiveness of security systems, including alarms, emergency response, and security personnel availability (if applicable).
  • Review that violence risks are being properly identified, evaluated, and corrected. Any necessary revisions are made promptly and communicated to all employees. [These revisions could involve changes to procedures, updates to contact information, and additions to training materials.]

EMPLOYER REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES

As required by California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 8, Section 342(a). Reporting Work-Connected Fatalities and Serious Injuries, Nerds on Call will immediately report to Cal/OSHA any serious injury or illness (as defined by CCR, Title 8, Section 330(h)), or death (including any due to Workplace Violence) of an employee occurring in a place of employment or in connection with any employment.

I, Andrea Eldridge, CEO of Nerds on Call, Inc, hereby authorize and ensure, the establishment, implementation, and maintenance of this written workplace violence prevention plan and the documents/forms within this written plan. I believe that these policies and procedures will bring positive changes to the workflow, business operations, and overall health and safety as it relates to workplace violence prevention.

Andrea signature
Links

Addendum A – Violent Incident Report

Addendum B – Violent Incident Investigation

Addendum C – Violent Incident Log – Sacramento

Addendum C – Violent Incident Log – Redding

Addendum C – Violent Incident Log – Fresno

Addendum C – Violent Incident Log – Chico