OSHA Guidance on Preparing the Workplace for COVID-19 (2020)

[ad_1]


What your doctor is reading on Medscape.com:

APRIL 08, 2020 — Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued guidance on preparing workplaces for COVID-19. It focuses on the need for employers to implement engineering, administrative, and work practice controls and personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as considerations for doing so.[1]

To reduce the impact of COVID-19 outbreak conditions on businesses, workers, customers, and the public, it is important for all employers to plan now for COVID-19.


Development of an Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response Plan

Develop an infectious disease preparedness and response plan that can help guide protective actions against COVID-19.

Stay abreast of guidance from federal, state, local, tribal, and/or territorial health agencies and consider how to incorporate those recommendations and resources into workplace-specific plans.

Plans should consider and address the level(s) of risk associated with various worksites and job tasks workers perform at those sites.

Such considerations may include the following:

  • Where, how, and to what sources of SARS-CoV-2 workers may be exposed

  • Nonoccupational risk factors at home and in community settings

  • Controls necessary to address those risks

Follow federal and state, local, tribal, and/or territorial (SLTT) recommendations regarding development of contingency plans for situations that may arise because of outbreaks.



Preparation to Implement Basic Infection Prevention Measures

For most employers, protecting workers depends on emphasizing basic infection prevention measures. As appropriate, all employers should implement good hygiene and infection control practices, including the following:

  • Promote frequent and thorough handwashing, including by providing workers, customers, and worksite visitors with a place to wash their hands. If soap and running water are not immediately available, provide alcohol-based hand rubs that contain at least 60% alcohol.

  • Encourage sick workers to stay home.

  • Encourage respiratory etiquette, including covering coughs and sneezes. Provide customers and the public with tissues and trash receptacles.

  • Employers should explore whether they can establish new policies and practices, such as flexible worksites (eg, telecommuting) and flexible work hours (eg, staggered shifts), to increase the physical distance among employees and between employees and others if local and state health authorities recommend the use of social-distancing strategies.

  • Discourage workers from sharing phones, desks, offices, or other work tools and equipment, when possible.

  • Maintain regular housekeeping practices, including routine cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces, equipment, and other elements of the work environment.


Continued


Development of Policies and Procedures for Prompt Identification and Isolation of Sick People, if Appropriate

Prompt identification and isolation of potentially infected individuals is a critical step in protecting workers, customers, visitors, and others at a worksite.

Employers should inform and encourage employees to self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 if they suspect possible exposure.

Employers should develop policies and procedures for employees to report when they are sick or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.

When appropriate, employers should develop policies and procedures for immediately isolating people who have signs and/or symptoms of COVID-19 and train workers to implement them. Move potentially infected people to a location away from workers, customers, and other visitors.

Take steps to limit spread of the respiratory secretions from a person who may have COVID-19.

If possible, isolate people suspected of having COVID-19 from those with confirmed infection to prevent further transmission.

Restrict the number of personnel entering isolation areas.

Protect workers in close contact with (ie, within 6 feet) a sick person or who have prolonged/repeated contact with such persons by using additional engineering and administrative controls, safe work practices, and PPE.


Development, Implementation, and Communication of Workplace Flexibilities and Protections

Actively encourage sick employees to stay home.

Ensure that sick leave policies are flexible and consistent with public health guidance and that employees are aware of these policies.

Talk with companies that provide your business with contract or temporary employees about the importance of sick employees staying home and encourage them to develop nonpunitive leave policies.

Do not require a healthcare provider’s note for employees who are sick with acute respiratory illness to validate their illness or to return to work, as healthcare provider offices and medical facilities may be extremely busy and not able to provide such documentation in a timely manner.

Maintain flexible policies that permit employees to stay home to care for a sick family member. Employers should be aware that more employees may need to stay at home to care for sick children or other sick family members than is usual.


Continued

Recognize that workers with ill family members may need to stay home to care for them. Be aware of workers’ concerns about pay, leave, safety, health, and other issues that may arise during infectious disease outbreaks. Provide adequate, usable, and appropriate training, education, and informational material about business-essential job functions and worker health and safety, including proper hygiene practices and the use of any workplace controls (including PPE).

Work with insurance companies (eg, those providing employee health benefits) and state and local health agencies to provide information to workers and customers about medical care in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak.


Implementation of Workplace Controls

During a COVID-19 outbreak, when it may not be possible to eliminate the hazard, the most effective protection measures are (listed from most effective to least effective) engineering controls, administrative controls, safe work practices (a type of administrative control), and PPE.


Engineering controls

Engineering controls involve isolating employees from work-related hazards. In workplaces where they are appropriate, these types of controls reduce exposure to hazards without relying on worker behavior and can be the most cost-effective solution to implement. Engineering controls for SARS-CoV-2 include the following:

  • Installing high-efficiency air filters

  • Increasing ventilation rates in the work environment

  • Installing physical barriers, such as clear plastic sneeze guards

  • Installing a drive-through window for customer service

  • Specialized negative-pressure ventilation in some settings, such as for aerosol-generating procedures (eg, airborne infection isolation rooms in healthcare settings and specialized autopsy suites in mortuary settings)


Administrative controls

Administrative controls require action by the worker or employer. Typically, administrative controls are changes in work policy or procedures to reduce or minimize exposure to a hazard.

Examples of administrative controls for SARS-CoV-2 include the following:

  • Encouraging sick workers to stay at home

  • Minimizing contact among workers, clients, and customers by replacing face-to-face meetings with virtual communications and implementing telework, if feasible

  • Establishing alternating days or extra shifts that reduce the total number of employees in a facility at a given time, allowing them to maintain distance from one another while maintaining a full onsite work week

  • Discontinuing nonessential travel to locations with ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks

  • Developing emergency communications plans, including a forum for answering workers’ concerns and internet-based communications, if feasible

  • Providing workers with up-to-date education and training on COVID-19 risk factors and protective behaviors (eg, cough etiquette and care of PPE)

  • Training workers who need to use protecting clothing and equipment how to put it on, how to use/wear it, and how take it off correctly


Continued


Safe work practices

Safe work practices are types of administrative controls that include procedures for safe and proper work used to reduce the duration, frequency, or intensity of exposure to a hazard. Examples of safe work practices for SARS-CoV-2 include the following:

  • Providing resources and a work environment that promotes personal hygiene

  • Requiring regular handwashing or using of alcohol-based hand rubs

  • Posting of handwashing signs in restrooms


Personal protective equipment (PPE)

While engineering and administrative controls are considered more effective in minimizing exposure to SARS-CoV-2, PPE may also be needed to prevent certain exposures. While correctly using PPE can help prevent some exposures, it should not take the place of other prevention strategies.

All types of PPE must meet the following requirements:

  • Selected based on the hazard to the worker

  • Properly fitted and periodically refitted, as applicable (eg, respirators)

  • Consistently and properly worn, when required

  • Regularly inspected, maintained, and replaced, as necessary

  • Properly removed, cleaned, and stored or disposed of, as applicable, to avoid contamination of self, others, or the environment

Employers are obligated to provide their workers with PPE needed to keep them safe while performing their jobs. The types of PPE required during a COVID-19 outbreak is based on the risk of being infected with SARS-CoV-2 while working and job tasks that may lead to exposure.

Workers, including those who work within 6 feet of patients known to be, or suspected of being, infected with SARS-CoV-2 and those performing aerosol-generating procedures, need to use respirators. Considerations are as follows:

  • National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved, N95 filtering facepiece respirators or better must be used in the context of a comprehensive, written respiratory protection program that includes fit-testing, training, and medical examinations.

  • When disposable N95 filtering facepiece respirators are unavailable, consider using other respirators that provide greater protection and improve worker comfort. Other types of acceptable respirators include a R/P95, N/R/P99, or N/R/P100 filtering facepiece respirator; an air-purifying elastomeric (eg, half-face or full-face) respirator with appropriate filters or cartridges; powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) with high-efficiency particulate arrestance (HEPA) filter; or supplied air respirator (SAR).

  • Consider using PAPRs or SARs, which are more protective than filtering facepiece respirators, for any work operations or procedures likely to generate aerosols (eg, cough-induction procedures, some dental procedures, invasive specimen collection, blowing out pipettes, shaking or vortexing tubes, filling a syringe, centrifugation).

  • Use a surgical N95 respirator when both respiratory protection and resistance to blood and body fluids is needed.

  • Face shields may also be worn on top of a respirator to prevent bulk contamination of the respirator. Certain respirator designs with forward protrusions (duckbill style) may be difficult to properly wear under a face shield. Ensure that the face shield does not prevent airflow through the respirator.

  • Consider factors such as function, fit, ability to decontaminate, disposal, and cost.

  • Respirator training should address selection, use (including donning and doffing), proper disposal or disinfection, inspection for damage, maintenance, and the limitations of respiratory protection equipment.



Medscape Medical News


© 2020 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.



[ad_2]

Source link

10 thoughts on “OSHA Guidance on Preparing the Workplace for COVID-19 (2020)

  • July 28, 2024 at 12:53 pm
    Permalink

    Scotland is actually undoubtedly a definitely gorgeous nation, and also yearly it is actually gone to by crowds of travelers coming from the United States, France, and even Italy or Spain. I may not avoid the perception that Poles come below generally for work. Barely any person departing in July, August or even September will think about Scotland. Given that of the costs that are certainly unfriendly for some tourists, possibly it is. On the other hand, the land of Nessi as well as guys in kilts is actually definitely worth a brief or even lengthy journey. Maybe it is actually excellent to think of it immediately, when the worth of the extra pound is actually falling, as well as thereby our team will spend less for a holiday season in Scotland? Glen Affric in very early spring season Thus why is it worth it? Scotland is mostly a terrific landscape in the north of the nation. Highlands– hills covered along with grass and louises, deeper lochs (ponds), a significant shore product line, glen (charming valleys), and most importantly, hardly found in Europe (especially in Scotland!) wild, where we will not view a single house. Space, space as well as area once more! Wild nature, a wealth of plants, birds and also other pets wait for attribute lovers. In Scotland, I have actually presently been actually capable to check out tapes, dolphins and even deer. Scotland is actually additionally a historically exciting property (who viewed Brave Heart?), Where you may check out wonderful stone fortress (Edinburgh, Stirling, Linlithgow, Eilean Donan). The financing itself, the majestic Edinburgh, likewise is entitled to interest, specifically throughout the summer season festivities. nation Scotland, scottish Scotland, application Scotland, tory Scotland, info Scotland, scotland Scotland, our company Scotland, edinburgh Scotland, child Scotland, creed Scotland, map Scotland, iona Scotland, menu Scotland, traveling Scotland, information Scotland, history Scotland, vehicle Scotland, ship Scotland, uk Scotland, train Scotland, celtic Scotland, glasgow Scotland, shetland Scotland, lifestyle Scotland, tay Scotland, bus Scotland, information Scotland, education Scotland, little Scotland, navigating Scotland, cookie Scotland, covid Scotland, sport Scotland, access Scotland, videos Scotland, highland video games Scotland, area Scotland, golf Scotland, scots Scotland, meals Scotland, whisky Scotland, finances Scotland, visitscotland Scotland, gallery Scotland, email list Scotland, arbroath Scotland, heck Scotland, roadway Scotland, distilleries Scotland, st andrews Scotland, beverage Scotland, go to scotland Scotland, europe Scotland, castles Scotland, potential Scotland, experience Scotland, blog site Scotland, dundee Scotland, driving Scotland, sporting activities Scotland, covid-Scotland9 Scotland, transport Scotland. Edinburgh – Some concepts for seeing Scotland Traveling in Scotland should most definitely start with its resources. Edinburgh is a wonderful medieval a community with distinctive stone structures. Coming from the primary street, the supposed The Royal Mile attaching the previous imperial palace along with the Queen’s summertime royal residence (Palace of Holyroodhouse) bolts a system of appealing little roads (the so-called close), developing a maze through which it is actually worth acquiring dropped. It takes approximately 2 days to check out Edinburgh, but you may extend this moment around four. When it comes to a quick browse through to Scotland, you can easily additionally restrict on your own to Edinburgh merely, devoting 1 day on a rounded excursion through bus in the Scottish mountainous (just about every holiday company in the funds gives it). Thus, at the very least for a second our company are going to really feel the setting of an actual land of moistures. An also better idea is to lease a vehicle for 1 day and also go on a private journey (the system as well as nature of the arranged tours carry out not always fit everyone). Such a self-guided tour is going to most likely take our company at the very least 10 hrs. Arran is actually phoned Scotland in mini. Loch Lomond is one of Scotland’s two nationwide playgrounds, a lovely lake surrounded by forests as well as mountains. On the way, you can easily additionally visit Stirling Castle. nation Scotland, scottish Scotland, application Scotland, tory Scotland, info Scotland, scotland Scotland, us Scotland, edinburgh Scotland, child Scotland, cult Scotland, map Scotland, iona Scotland, menu Scotland, travel Scotland, data Scotland, history Scotland, vehicle Scotland, ship Scotland, uk Scotland, train Scotland, celtic Scotland, glasgow Scotland, shetland Scotland, culture Scotland, tay Scotland, bus Scotland, information Scotland, education and learning Scotland, little Scotland, navigation Scotland, cookie Scotland, covid Scotland, sporting activity Scotland, availability Scotland, videos Scotland, highland games Scotland, area Scotland, golf Scotland, scots Scotland, meals Scotland, whisky Scotland, budget plan Scotland, visitscotland Scotland, museum Scotland, e-newsletter Scotland, arbroath Scotland, heck Scotland, street Scotland, distilleries Scotland, street andrews Scotland, drink Scotland, see scotland Scotland, europe Scotland, castles Scotland, future Scotland, encounter Scotland, blogging site Scotland, dundee Scotland, steering Scotland, sports Scotland, covid-Scotland9 Scotland, transportation Scotland. Reduced Budget Travel? Scotland, like the entire of Great Britain, is actually none of the most cost effective locations. You can easily locate an entire lot of hiking tracks and campsites right here. On top of that, in Scotland the camping tent may be put together literally anywhere, thus tourists can easily also sleep in the untamed. What is necessary within this case is universal accessibility to clean water– our experts may discover mountain range falls, rivers and flows just about all over. The best renowned and also one of the best lovely exploring routes in Europe is the supposed West Highland Way. Because of the amazing viewpoints, I enthusiastically advise Longer journey? How approximately north along the west coast and afterwards back to the quieter, albeit a lot less spectacular east? Numerous travelers in Glasgow, takes a learn to Mallaig (often going to Glencoe or Fort William en route) after that sees Isle of Skye (the best wonderful of the Scottish isles), at that point head along the coast towards Ullapool, regarding Durness, en route back checking out Inverness, Fort Augustus (Loch Ness), Aberdeen and Cairngorms National Park, and also finally Street Andrews. Is it feasible through buses and also learns? Certainly it is achievable, but you will definitely skip a lot, so it is actually far better to lease an automobile for a minimum of aspect of the journey. And also don’t be fooled due to the traveler trap of Loch Ness– actually, there are actually loads of so much more lovely places all around Scotland nation Scotland, scottish Scotland, application Scotland, tory Scotland, details Scotland, scotland Scotland, our company Scotland, edinburgh Scotland, kid Scotland, creed Scotland, chart Scotland, iona Scotland, menu Scotland, trip Scotland, records Scotland, past Scotland, auto Scotland, ship Scotland, uk Scotland, learn Scotland, celtic Scotland, glasgow Scotland, shetland Scotland, lifestyle Scotland, tay Scotland, bus Scotland, information Scotland, learning Scotland, little Scotland, navigation Scotland, cookie Scotland, covid Scotland, sport Scotland, availability Scotland, video clips Scotland, highland games Scotland, area Scotland, golf Scotland, scots Scotland, food Scotland, whisky Scotland, budget plan Scotland, visitscotland Scotland, gallery Scotland, e-newsletter Scotland, arbroath Scotland, heck Scotland, street Scotland, distilleries Scotland, st andrews Scotland, beverage Scotland, check out scotland Scotland, europe Scotland, castles Scotland, potential Scotland, encounter Scotland, blog post Scotland, dundee Scotland, driving Scotland, sports Scotland, transport Scotland Glenelg I remember seeing Scotland for the 1st opportunity at the end of April. It was actually actually springtime in Scotland, the sunshine was warming up, while in Scotland it was still winter months all over. The Highlands were still covered in snowfall in several locations, as well as in Edinburgh it was piercingly storm. When journeying in Scotland, to start with excellent, waterproof, sporting activities footwear. A decent poncho (and windproof!) Will definitely also be available in convenient, sometimes it is likewise worth incorporating a thin headscarf, a sports hat as well as sports handwear covers to the knapsack (spring and fall). In winter, I advise staying clear of Scotland coming from a proximity. Why? The solution is straightforward: it pours and also strikes. Addition little bit of traits: Umbrellas definitely don’t work (the wind flexes all of them with all instructions), the outdoor tents needs to (MUST!) have a really good flysheet, it is actually worth taking a reusable bottle with you (faucet water, yet additionally drinkable in flows or rivers), at least a few pairs of socks, a cozy fleece and also one thing to push back unpleasant flies (I suggest a smidge). When it comes to a low-budget journey, sleep in a tent or even keep merely in hostels (price regarding PLN 80 per night). You need to try sea food (they are actually delectable!), Whiskey, check out a minimum of one distillery and also command fish as well as potato chips with vinegar at the very least once. I wish that using this blog post I urged my friends (:-RRB-) however likewise unknown people to journey to Scotland. It’s definitely worth a hundred times! I welcome you to explore, if simply I am still here. Attractive Scottish seashores. Loch Lomond Backpack. Iona- very small isle, white colored coastlines. Island of Skye. Glencoe. Eilean Donan Castle. Island of Arran. Scotland is actually undoubtedly a really attractive nation, as well as every year it is actually visited by crowds of travelers coming from the United States, France, as well as even Italy or Spain. Arran is called Scotland in miniature. Scotland, like the entire of Great Britain, is certainly not one of the most affordable destinations. It was actually already spring season in Scotland, the sunshine was actually heating up, while in Scotland it was still winter season all over. I wish that along with this article I promoted my buddies (:-RRB-) yet additionally unfamiliar people to take a trip to https://www.scotland.com/

  • August 1, 2024 at 5:41 pm
    Permalink

    I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you design this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz answer back as I’m looking to construct my own blog and would like to find out where u got this from. kudos

  • September 15, 2024 at 5:01 pm
    Permalink

    LMCHING is a trusted e-commerce site that offers a wide range of luxury European and Korean cosmetics. Their European selection includes top brands like Helena Rubinstein, La Prairie, La Mer, and SkinCeuticals, while their Korean range includes brands like Medi Peel, The History of Whoo, Sulwhasoo, and REJURAN. Every product on LMCHING is genuine, and they offer highly competitive pricing. Furthermore, LMCHING is noted for its impressive range of fragrances from Maison Alhambra and Lattafa, establishing it as a go-to destination for beauty lovers.

  • September 23, 2024 at 4:08 am
    Permalink

    This site can be a stroll-by for all of the information you wished about this and didn’t know who to ask. Glimpse here, and also you’ll positively uncover it.

  • October 18, 2024 at 4:25 pm
    Permalink

    Definitely believe that which you said. Your favorite reason seemed to be on the internet the easiest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I certainly get annoyed while people think about worries that they just do not know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and also defined out the whole thing without having side-effects , people could take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks

  • November 17, 2024 at 5:14 am
    Permalink

    Nice blog here! Also your website loads up fast! What web host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link to your host? I wish my web site loaded up as fast as yours lol

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.