According to GMG EnviroSafe, as states begin to reopen their economies, OSHA has announced that they will be increasing in-person inspections in areas with where the risk of transmitting COVID-19 is lower.
OSHA will be enforcing standards related to occupational safety and health, with additional attention being paid to risks associated with COVID-19 exposure.
While there are no specific COVID-19 regulations, OSHA’s identified specific standards that may be prioritized during an inspection. These include:
- Recordkeeping
- PPE
- Eye and face protection
- Respiratory protection
- Sanitation
- Specification for accident prevention signs and tags
- Access to employee exposure and medical records
In addition to these standards, OSHA is currently using CDC guidelines as part of their evaluations to determine whether employers are providing safe workplaces for their employees.
If this article interests you, you may want to read: “Don’t Be Afraid to Ask OSHA for Help,” by Kyle Holt of S/P2.
OSHA has established workplace risk levels to help employers determine the level of risk their employees may be at for exposure to COVID-19. The levels are as follows:
- High risk or very high risk jobs are those with high potential for exposure to sources of COVID-19.
- Medium risk jobs include those with frequent and/or close contact (within 6 feet) of people who may be (but are not known to be) infected with COVID-19.
- Lower risk jobs are those that do not require contact or close contact with people known to be, or suspected of being, infected with COVID-19.
In areas that continue to have increased community spread, OSHA will focus in-person inspections on high risk workplaces, such as hospitals. Workplaces considered to be medium or low risk may be investigated off-site, through non-formal procedures such as phone call or letter.
In areas with decreased community spread, OSHA will return to planning in-person inspections but may initiate off-site investigations by using a phone call or letter.
If an employer does not respond to OSHA’s inquiry, an in-person inspection may by initiated.
For more information or to enroll in free coronavirus prevention
training, email [email protected].
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask OSHA for Help
