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OSHA Guidelines on the Employer Responsibility: Covid-19 Course
This section highlights OSHA standards and directives and other related information that may apply to worker exposure to novel coronavirus, COVID-19.
Some OSHA requirements may apply to preventing occupational exposure to COVID-19. Among the most relevant are:
- OSHA`s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) standards which require using gloves, eye and face protection, and respiratory protection.
- When respirators are necessary to protect workers, employers must implement a comprehensive respiratory protection program in accordance with the Respiratory Protection standard.
- OSHA requires employers to furnish to each worker "employment and a place of employment, which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm."
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) Aerosol Transmissible Diseases (ATD) standard is aimed at preventing worker illness from infectious diseases that can be transmitted by inhaling air that contains viruses (including COVID-19), bacteria or other disease-causing organisms.
Employers must also protect their workers from exposure to hazardous chemicals used for cleaning and disinfection. Employers should be aware that common sanitizers and sterilizers could contain hazardous chemicals. Where workers are exposed to hazardous chemicals, employers must comply with OSHA`s Hazard Communication standard, Personal Protective Equipment standards, and other applicable OSHA chemical standards.
Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illness
COVID-19 is a recordable illness when a worker is infected on the job, and must be recorded in your Injury and Illness recordkeeping and reporting.
PPE must be provided to employees at risk of injury at no cost to employees, including eye and face protection, such as goggles and face shields, respiratory protection, such as masks, and hand protection, such as gloves.
Employee work areas must be kept clean to prevent to minimize occupational hazards. This may mean additional cleaning and sanitizing as needed to prevent the transmission of Covid-19.
Since cleaning agents are used to control the spread of Covid-19, you must ensure full compliance with; access to employee exposure and medical records, Occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals, and Hazard Communications training.
At this time, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasizes that, while the novel coronavirus, COVID-19 poses a potentially serious public health threat, the risk to individuals is dependent on exposure. For most people in the United States, including most types of workers, the risk of infection with COVID-19 is currently low.
OSHA standards, including those for personal protective equipment (PPE, 29 CFR 1910.132) and respiratory protection (29 CFR 1910.134), require employers to assess the hazards to which their workers may be exposed.
Patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
Alert your healthcare provider immediately if you think you may be infected with COVID-19, including if you have been exposed to someone with the virus and have signs/symptoms of infection. If you are experiencing symptoms, you should tell your healthcare provider about any recent travel to areas where COVID-19 is spreading. If you believe you have been exposed on the job, alert your supervisor or occupational health clinic immediately.
No vaccine or specific treatment for COVID-19 infection is available. Hospitals can provide supportive care for infected people.
Measures for protecting workers from exposure to, and infection with, COVID-19 depend on the type of work being performed and exposure risk, including potential for interaction with infectious people and contamination of the work environment.
- Frequently wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. When soap and running water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand rub with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands that are visibly soiled.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.