Is a Violence Incident Log the same as an OSHA 300 log?

No. SB 553 requires a Violence Incident Log (VIL) that is completely separate from your OSHA 300 log. The VIL must capture specific details about workplace violence incidents that the OSHA 300 log does not require.

What must be recorded in a Violence Incident Log?

Each entry must include the date, time, and location of the incident, the type of workplace violence, a detailed description of the incident, the consequences of the incident, and what response actions were taken.

Violence Incident Log (VIL): SB 553 Requirements Guide

SB 553 requires a Violence Incident Log separate from your OSHA 300. Learn what to record, how to maintain it, and download a free template.

Quick Answer: SB 553 requires every covered employer to maintain a Violence Incident Log (VIL) separate from the OSHA 300 log. The VIL must record all workplace violence incidents — including threats, harassment, and near-misses — regardless of whether injury occurred.

What Is a Violence Incident Log?

A Violence Incident Log (VIL) is a record of every workplace violence incident at your business. Unlike the OSHA 300 log which only records injuries and illnesses, the VIL must capture all workplace violence events — including verbal threats, intimidation, harassment, and near-misses that did not result in physical injury.

What Must Be Recorded

Each VIL entry must include: the date, time, and specific location of the incident within your workplace; the type of workplace violence (Type 1 through Type 4); a detailed narrative description of what happened; the classification of who was involved (stranger, client/customer, coworker, personal relationship); the consequences of the incident including any injuries, property damage, or psychological impact; what immediate response actions were taken; and what follow-up investigation or corrective actions were implemented.

The Four Types of Workplace Violence

Type 1 — Criminal Intent: The perpetrator has no legitimate relationship to the business. Examples include robbery, trespassing, and vandalism.

Type 2 — Customer/Client: The perpetrator is a customer, client, patient, or someone receiving services. This is the most common type in healthcare, retail, and social services.

Type 3 — Worker-on-Worker: The perpetrator is a current or former employee, supervisor, or manager. Includes bullying, harassment, and physical altercations.

Type 4 — Personal Relationship: The perpetrator has a personal relationship with an employee (domestic violence, stalking) that spills into the workplace.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most frequent VIL compliance errors include only recording incidents that result in physical injury (you must record all incidents including verbal threats), using your OSHA 300 log instead of a separate VIL, not recording incidents involving non-employees, waiting too long to document incidents (record within 24 hours), and not including enough detail in the narrative description.

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