SB 553 — Field Services
Your employees work at client sites you do not control.
California Labor Code Section 6401.9 requires every employer to conduct a site-specific hazard assessment for each location where employees work — including client premises. Field-service businesses face the same mandate as office-based employers, with the added complexity that hazard conditions change with every job.
Get your WVPPWhy field-service WVPP compliance is different
Most SB 553 guidance is written for businesses with a fixed workplace. Field-service employers face a different challenge: the hazard profile changes with every client address. A house-cleaning employee arriving at a new address may encounter a client with no prior interaction history. An HVAC technician may enter a residence during an active domestic dispute. A locksmith may be dispatched to an address where the caller has no legal authority to access the property.
Under Section 6401.9(c)(2), employers must identify workplace violence hazards through a site-specific assessment. For field-service employers, that assessment must account for the conditions employees encounter at client locations — not just the employer office or dispatch center.
Under Section 6401.9(c)(2), the hazard assessment must cover all locations where employees perform work. For field-service businesses, that means every client address where employees are dispatched — including locations the employer does not own or control.
Requirements by field-service industry
Select your industry to see the specific hazards, required WVPP elements, and what inspectors check for.
House Cleaning
Solo workers in client homes without employer-controlled worksites. SB 553 requires a site-specific hazard assessment for each client location.
See requirements →HVAC Services
Field technicians at client premises face client-controlled hazards. Type 1 robbery risk when handling cash and equipment.
See requirements →In-Home Care
Solo caregivers in client homes face behavioral escalation and family dispute spillover. Type 2 and Type 4 violence risk.
See requirements →Locksmith Services
Authorization disputes and domestic-dispute calls create confrontation risk at client sites. Cash and tools are robbery targets.
See requirements →Mobile Auto Services
Parts inventory, cash, and solo work at customer locations. Type 1 robbery risk during roadside calls.
See requirements →Outside Sales
Reps on the road with product samples and cash face solo territory risk and client-site confrontation.
See requirements →Pest Control
Solo technicians in client properties, including confined spaces and locked areas. Client-controlled hazard rules apply.
See requirements →Plumbing & Electrical
Emergency calls, solo dispatch, and invoice disputes at client sites. Hazardous conditions compounded by confrontation risk.
See requirements →What every field-service WVPP must include
- 1A written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan identifying the employer responsible person by name or title.
- 2A site-specific hazard assessment procedure that covers client locations, not just the employer office.
- 3Documented employee training on recognizing and responding to workplace violence — completed before solo field work begins.
- 4An incident log maintained for every workplace violence incident, threat, or near-miss.
- 5A reporting procedure employees can use without fear of retaliation, including anonymous options.
- 6An annual review cycle with documented updates when hazard conditions change.
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