OSHA Training News Update
June 24, 2020
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OSHA Publishes New Guidance on Returning to Work
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OSHA has developed new guidance to assist employers and workers in safely returning to work and reopening businesses deemed by local authorities as “non-essential businesses” during the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. Employers can use this guidance to develop policies and procedures to ensure the safety and health of their employees.
- Basic hygiene (hand hygiene, cleaning and disinfection)
- Social distancing
- Identification and isolation of sick employees
- Workplace controls and flexibilities
- Employee training
The updated guidance also includes information on planning for reopening, applicable OSHA standards and required protections in the workplace, employer FAQs and OSHA assistance and services.
Reopening should align with the lifting of stay-at-home or shelter-in-place orders and other specific requirements of the Federal Government and state, local, tribal and/or territorial (SLTT) governments, as well as with public health recommendations from the CDC and other federal requirements or guidelines. Employers should continually monitor federal, state, territorial, tribal and local government guidelines for updated information.
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National Safety Council Shines a Light on the Importance of Building a Safety Culture
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The National Safety Council NSC) has chosen “Building a Safety Culture” as a key component of its message for this year’s
National Safety Month
, currently being observed this month. The NSC believes s
afety is more critical than ever and is emphasizing the importance of building and maintaining a safety culture to help prevent needless workplace fatalities and injuries.
When a safety culture is well established, everyone in the company takes responsibility for safety and is encouraged to identify unsafe conditions and help correct them. Co-workers routinely look out for each other and draw attention to unsafe behaviors. A company with a strong safety culture typically experiences fewer at-risk behaviors, which results in lower accident rates, lower turn-over, lower absenteeism and higher productivity.
An effective safety culture is the result of several factors, including:
- Management and worker attitudes, values and beliefs
- Company policies and procedures
- Supervisor priorities and accountability
- Training and motivation
- Employee engagement
- Actions or lack of action to correct unsafe behaviors
Building a safety culture is a process of development and ongoing effort that requires time, planning, good communication and commitment at all levels of an organization. Safety gradually becomes an established company value and an integral part of operations. Over time the norms and beliefs of management and workers shift focus from merely eliminating hazards to eliminating unsafe behaviors and building systems that proactively improve safety and health conditions. Companies that establish and sustain a solid culture of worksite safety will be rewarded with fewer accidents, lower insurance costs, greater productivity, improved quality and a more loyal and motivated workforce.
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JUNE IS NATIONAL SAFETY MONTH
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Cloth Face Coverings to Reduce COVID-19 Risk: Frequently Asked Questions
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OSHA has published a series of
FAQs
regarding the use of masks in the workplace.to help workers and employers understand how to properly use masks.
Cloth face coverings:
- May be commercially produced or improvised garments, scarves, bandanas, or items made from t-shirts or other fabrics
- Are worn in public over the nose and mouth to contain the wearer's potentially infectious respiratory droplets to limit the spread of COVID-19
- Are not considered PPE
Surgical masks:
- Are typically cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as medical devices
- Are used to protect workers against splashes and sprays (i.e., respiratory droplets) containing potentially infectious materials and are considered PPE
Respirators (e.g., filtering facepieces):
- Are used to prevent workers from inhaling small particles, including airborne transmissible or aerosolized infectious agents
- Must be provided and used in accordance with OSHA's Respiratory Protection standard (29 CFR 1910.134)
Cloth face coverings are not considered PPE and are not intended to be used when workers need PPE for protection against exposure to occupational hazards. As such, OSHA's PPE standards do not require employers to provide them.
OSHA generally recommends that employers encourage workers to wear face coverings at work. Face coverings are intended to prevent wearers who have COVID-19 without knowing it from spreading potentially infectious respiratory droplets to others.
Yes. Cloth face coverings are not a substitute for social distancing measures.
No. Employers must not use surgical masks or cloth face coverings when respirators are needed. If respirators are not available, and hazards cannot otherwise be adequately controlled through other elements, avoid worker exposure to the hazard.
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COVID-19 Recursos en Español sobre la Seguridad en el Lugar de Trabajo (
Workplace Safety Resources in Spanish)
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OSHA has set up a webpage featuring many of its COVID-19 publications and materials en Español. Examples of some of the resources available include:
Avisos (
Alerts)
Guía (Guidance)
Publicaciones (Publications)
Pósters
Videos
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Due to the pandemic and the urgent need to prevent the spread of COVID-19,
some in-person courses have been postponed to later dates. However, we are now beginning to offer limited in-person courses following strict safety guidelines. Visit our
website
for updated class information.
Our offices are currently closed, 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.
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