OSHA Updates Coronavirus Guidance to Stress Masks

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued updated guidance to help employers protect workers from the coronavirus. The updated guidance reflects developments in science and data, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated COVID-19 guidance issued July 27.

The Updated Guidance Recommends that Employees

• in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission (even fully vaccinated workers) should wear masks to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
• wear a mask, regardless of level of transmission, if the individuals themselves are at risk or have someone in their household who is at increased risk of severe disease or not fully vaccinated; and
• get tested 3-5 days following a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days after exposure or until a negative test result.

The updated guidance offers appropriate measures for protecting workers in higher-risk workplaces with mixed-vaccination status workers, particularly for industries where there is often prolonged close contact with other workers and/or the public.

OSHA continues to emphasize that vaccination is the best step to protect workers. In the meantime, it encourages employers to engage with workers and their representatives to implement multi-layered approaches to protect unvaccinated or otherwise at-risk workers from COVID-19.

Read more at: Occupational Safety and Health Administration