There’s new federal guidance for employers on how to improve indoor air quality to combat COVID-19 exposure. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released new guidance March 24 called the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge, which advises employers to “engage experts, facilities managers, and others who are skilled, trained, and/or certified in HVAC work to […]
COVID-19 is no longer considered an airborne infectious disease under New York’s HERO Act, so most employers aren’t required to enforce their COVID-19 safety plans. With the exception of employers in healthcare and congregate care settings, as of March 17, 2022, New York employers are no longer required to follow coronavirus-related safety mandates. However, law […]
OSHA has partially reopened rulemaking for development of a final COVID-19 standard for the healthcare industry. On June 21, 2021, the agency issued its emergency temporary standard (ETS) to protect workers in healthcare settings from occupational exposure to COVID-19. That ETS was officially withdrawn by OSHA on Dec. 22, 2021, as OSHA began working on […]
Virginia has revoked what was supposed to be the state’s permanent COVID-19 workplace safety rule. The state was the first to adopt a permanent COVID-19 rule when the Department of Labor and Industry’s Safety and Health Codes Board approved it Jan. 13, 2021. The board revoked the rule March 21, 2022. Governor Glenn Youngkin praised […]
With the ever-evolving guidance regarding masking against COVID-19 in public, it’s no wonder employers and workers are confused regarding masks on the job. In an effort to clear up the confusion, the states of California and Washington are offering new guidance for employers and workers. Cal/OSHA ETS mask provision suspended In California, the state’s Department […]
OSHA is starting a short-term increase in highly focused inspections of hospitals and nursing care facilities that treat COVID-19 patients. This new enforcement effort, which runs from March 9 to June 9, is the agency’s latest effort to protect healthcare workers against new COVID-19 variants that could emerge as the U.S. enters the next phase […]
Yes, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) relaxed its masking recommendations Feb. 25. for healthy people living in low- or medium-risk areas. And yes, masks are only recommended in public if an individual’s community is categorized as high risk by the CDC. However, while OSHA is expected to adopt the CDC’s recommendations, […]
Three companies were collectively fined more than $285,000 after 250 workers at the same warehouse contracted COVID-19. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) opened multiple inspections after a local health department reported the outbreak. United Natural Foods Inc., Capstone Logistics LLC and Prime 360 were all cited for knowingly putting workers at […]
Q: Since the U.S. Supreme Court blocked OSHA’s COVID-19 vaccination-or-test emergency temporary standard (ETS) for employers with 100 or more employees, is the agency still looking to implement the standard? A: For now, no. OSHA announced on Jan. 25 that it was withdrawing the ETS that would have required employers with 100 or more employees to […]
