From NRMCA May 19th:
Late yesterday, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released two new enforcement guidance policies with impacts for your operations. Both policies are "for enforcing OSHA's requirements with respect to coronavirus as economies reopen in states throughout the country."
- Outlines OSHA's procedures for "increasing in-person inspections at all types of workplaces." This guidance, while temporary, will remain in effect until otherwise stated, is mainly directed at "Area Offices and compliance safety and health officers (CSHOs) for handling COVID-19-related complaints, referrals, and severe illness reports." The new guidance outlines what inspectors, should they visit your facility, will likely ask to review, how they will conduct themselves and what will be exprected of the employer/facility. To review the guidance, please click here.
- Clarifies what and when OSHA requires for recording of COVID-19 cases by employers. The new temporary guidance states that COVID-19 is a recordable illness, and thus employers are responsible for recording cases of COVID-19, if:
- The case is a confirmed case of COVID-19, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC);
- The case is work-related as defined by 29 CFR § 1904.5;
- The case involves one or more of the general recording criteria set forth in 29 CFR § 1904.7.
Both of these guidance policies update and slightly change what OSHA has released over the last few months. NRMCA encourages members to familiarize themselves with the updated policies as to remain compliant with OSHA directed COVID-19 guidance. To review the US Department of Labor's news release about the updates,
please click here.
