US | COVID-19 | OSHA Aligns Workplace Guidance with CDC Recommendations

OSHA designed the guidance to help employers protect:

• Workers who are unvaccinated, including those who are not fully vaccinated, or otherwise at-risk

• Workers who are fully vaccinated but located in areas of substantial or high community transmission

The guidance is intended for employers and workers not covered by OSHA’s COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for Healthcare. At-risk workers are those who have conditions that may affect workers’ ability to have a full immune response to vaccination.

• Facilitate employees getting vaccinated

• Instruct any workers to stay home from work if they are infected, if they are unvaccinated and have had close contact with someone who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, and if they exhibit COVID-19 symptoms

• Implement physical distancing in all communal work areas for unvaccinated and otherwise at-risk workers

• Provide workers with face coverings or surgical masks, as appropriate, unless their work task requires a respirator or other PPE

• Educate and train workers on your COVID-19 policies and procedures using accessible formats and in languages they understand

• Suggest or require that unvaccinated customers, visitors, or guests wear face coverings in public-facing workplaces such as retail establishments

• Suggest or require that all customers, visitors, or guests wear face coverings in public, indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission

• Maintain ventilation systems

• Perform routine cleaning and disinfection

• Record and report COVID-19 infections and deaths

• Implement protections from retaliation and set up an anonymous process for workers to voice concerns about COVID-19-related hazards

• Follow other applicable mandatory OSHA standards