OSHA has released standards and directives that apply to worker exposure and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. By following OSHA’s standards, accurately identifying your workplace’s hazards, and taking proper control and prevention steps, you can ensure you are keeping your workers safe from possible exposure to COVID-19. Keep in mind that OSHA might consider COVID-19 to be a recordable illness in some instances.
OSHA’s Standards
Following these recommended OSHA standards can help your business control exposure to COVID-19:
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) standards, which require gloves, eye and face protection, and respiratory protection when job hazards warrant it.
- When respirators are necessary, employers must implement a comprehensive respiratory protection program.
- Employers are required to provide a workplace that is free from hazards that may cause death or physical harm.
- The Bloodborne Pathogens standard provides a framework that may help control body fluid exposure to the virus from respiratory secretions.
- There are 28 OSHA approved State Plans. Learn more about state plans here.
Depending on your industry, there are additional standards that might apply to your operation. Consult with your insurance and risk management advisor to ensure you are following all applicable OSHA standards to provide as safe of an environment as possible for your employees.
Hazard Recognition
Worker exposure to COVID-19 is unique to the industry as well as the type of tasks completed by a worker. OSHA has divided job tasks into four risk exposure levels: very high, high, medium, and lower risk. The four exposure risk levels represent the distribution of risk. By understanding the risk of your workers, you can best identify the hazards to develop a plan to help control exposure. The CDC’s Risk Assessment summary can help employers identify their unique risks.
Control and Prevention
Measures for protecting workers from exposure to COVID-19 depend on the type of work and exposure risk. Employers should adopt control strategies based on their unique risks. Keep thorough documentation of all steps taken and make sure to communicate all your prevention plans.
For all workplaces, it is always a good practice to instruct your employees to:
- Frequently wash hands with soap. When unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand rub with at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Cover coughs and sneezes.
- Stay home if sick.
- Avoid close contact and keep a distance of at least 6’ between workers.
- Thoroughly and frequently, clean of all commonly touched surfaces.
- Use recommended PPE.
Additionally, many workplaces have implemented precautions that are tailored to their operation. These include:
- Building in time between shifts to allow for cleaning.
- Installing partitions on assembly lines to reduce contact between workers.
- Increasing the number of shifts while reducing the number of employees on any single shift.
- Staggering break times to reduce likelihood of employees congregating.
- Prohibiting the sharing of tools.
- Eliminating any paperwork that could require multiple people to touch a single surface.
Importance of Insurance and Risk Management Partner
During this time of uncertainty, you can count on RBN to be there for you and your company. In addition to securing insurance programs, RBN is a resource for you and your organization for risk management procedures and protocols. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as necessary.