OSHA Training News Update
May 27, 2020
OSHA Revises Coronavirus Enforcement Policies
Throughout the course of the pandemic, understanding about the transmission and prevention of COVID-19 infection has improved. The government and the private sector have taken rapid and evolving measures to slow the virus’s spread, protect employees and adapt to new ways of doing business.

As states begin reopening their economies, OSHA has issued two revised enforcement policies to ensure employers are taking action to protect their employees.

First, OSHA is increasing in-person inspections at all types of workplaces. The  new enforcement guidance  reflects changing circumstances in which many non-critical businesses have begun to reopen in areas of lower community spread. The risk of transmission is lower in specific categories of workplaces, and personal protective equipment potentially needed for inspections is more widely available. OSHA staff will continue to prioritize COVID-19 inspections and will utilize all enforcement tools as OSHA has historically done.

Second, OSHA is revising its previous enforcement policy for recording cases of coronavirus. Under OSHA’s recordkeeping requirements, coronavirus is a recordable illness, and employers are responsible for recording cases of the coronavirus, if the case:

  • Is confirmed as a coronavirus illness;
  • Is work-related as defined by 29 CFR 1904.5; and
  • Involves one or more of the general recording criteria in 29 CFR 1904.7, such as medical treatment beyond first aid or days away from work.

Under the  new policy , OSHA will enforce the recordkeeping requirements for employee coronavirus illnesses for all employers. Given the nature of the disease and community spread, however, it is often difficult to determine whether a coronavirus illness is work-related, especially when an employee has experienced potential exposure both in and out of the workplace. OSHA’s guidance emphasizes that employers must make reasonable efforts to determine whether a case of coronavirus is work-related.

For further information and resources about coronavirus, visit OSHA’s COVID-19 webpage .
Employers Urged to Focus on Heat Illness Prevention
OSHA's annual Heat Illness Prevention campaign alerts employers and workers on the dangers of working in the heat. Our safety message comes down to three key words: Water. Rest. Shade.

Hazardous heat exposure can occur indoors or outdoors during any season if the conditions are right. Most outdoor fatalities occur in the first few days of working in warm or hot environments because the body needs to build a tolerance to the heat gradually over time, a process called heat acclimatization. Other risk factors for heat illness include heavy physical activity, warm or hot environmental conditions and wearing clothing that holds in body heat.

The following are some industries where workers have commonly suffered heat-related illnesses:
Outdoors
  • Agriculture
  • Construction – especially road, roofing and other outdoor work
  • Landscaping
  • Mail and package delivery
  • Oil and gas well operations
Indoors
  • Bakeries, kitchens, laundries
  • Electrical utilities
  • Fire Service
  • Iron and steel mills and foundries
  • Manufacturing
  • Warehousing
OSHA requires employers to protect workers from extreme heat. An employer with workers exposed to high temperatures should establish a complete heat illness prevention program, which could include:

  • Provide workers with water, rest and shade.
  • Allow new or returning workers to gradually increase workloads and take more frequent breaks as they acclimatize or build a tolerance for working in the heat.
  • Plan for emergencies and train workers on prevention.
  • Monitor workers for signs of illness.
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COVID19 Training Tools and Resources from the NIEHS
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is focused on expanding and accelerating its contributions to scientific knowledge of human health and the environment. The NIEHS Worker Training Program (WTP) has been tracking information about COVID-19 to help protect workers involved in emergency response and cleanup activities. The National Clearinghouse for Worker Safety and Health Training, funded by the WTP, has created training tools to provide health and safety guidance to employees who work in industries with the potential for exposure to COVID-19.

General Awareness Training Tool

In English:

En Español:

Essential and Returning Workers Training Tool


COVID-19 Toolbox


The OSHA Training Institute Education Center at Chabot-Las Positas Community College District offers high quality OSHA standards-based training for construction, maritime and general industries at our San Francisco Bay Area location as well as other locations in Northern, Central and Southern California, Nevada and Hawaii.

Due to the Coronavirus crisis and the shelter-in-place order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, upcoming in-person courses have been postponed to later dates . Our offices are closed until at least May 31st, but we are available to respond to questions or concerns by phone at (866) 936-OSHA (6742) or by email at otc@clpccd.org . 

We are closely monitoring local, state and federal recommendations regarding COVID-19 to ensure the safety and health of our students and staff. Please refer to guidance from the CDC and OSHA for the most accurate, up-to-date information, and check our website for updated class information.