Cal/OSHA Draft Would Require Weapons Screening at California Hospitals
The proposal also calls for written policies, trained screening personnel and procedures for detected weapons.
- By Danielle Naidu
- Sep 30, 2026
California hospitals could be required to screen people and personal belongings at every unrestricted entrance under a Cal/OSHA proposal open for comment through Oct. 12.
Released Sept. 14, the discussion draft would amend Title 8, Section 3342 to implement Assembly Bill 2975. It would cover general acute care, acute psychiatric and special hospitals.
The draft lists walk-through metal detectors, X-ray systems, millimeter-wave scanners, magnetic anomaly detection and AI-assisted weapons detection among the technologies hospitals could use. Screening would apply while an unrestricted entrance is open to the public, including main, emergency department and separately accessible labor and delivery entrances.
Employees assigned to screening duties would need at least eight hours of training, followed by annual refresher training. Subjects would include equipment operation, threat recognition, searches, de-escalation, implicit bias, disability awareness, emergency response and recordkeeping.
Handheld detector wands generally could not serve as the only screening equipment, although limited exceptions are included. Hospitals would also need procedures for responding to detected weapons and for screening people who decline the standard process, while continuing to provide medical care as required by federal law.
About the Author
Danielle Naidu is assistant editor for Security Today, Campus Security Today, Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Protection Online.