OSHA/HHS’s Guidelines for Employers While Reopening Non-Essential Businesses
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“Officials are seeing a ‘disturbing surge’ of Corona Virus infections in some parts of the country, Dr. Anthony Faucci told Congress, warning that the next couple of weeks will be critical for addressing recent outbreaks”.
Meanwhile, CDC Director Robert Redfield said the pandemic has “brought this nation to its knees.” And urged more funding for public heath”; a recent news in the Guardian. No good news as yet for the vaccine before the end of 2020.
Recently, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)’s OSHA & the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued their guidelines for employers while assisting in reopening the non-essential business places, and keeping employees working conditions safe and healthy during the spread of the Corona virus pandemic.
These agencies have developed two documents as publications (1) Guidance on Preparing Workplace for COVID-19 and (2) the White House Guidelines for Opening America again.
The guidelines provide general principles for updating restrictions originally put in place to slow the spread of the corona virus. During each phase of the reopening process, employers should continue to focus on strategies for basic hygiene, social distancing, identification and isolation of sick employees, workplace controls and flexibilities, and employee training.
Non-essential businesses should reopen as state and local governments lift stay-at-home or shelter-in-place orders and follow public health recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other federal requirements or guidelines. Employers should continue to consider ways to use workplace flexibilities, such as remote work and alternative business operations, to provide goods and services to customers.
OSHA recommends that employers continually monitor federal, state, and local government guidelines for updated information about ongoing community transmission and mitigation measures, as well as for evolving guidance on disinfection and other best practices for worker protection.
Employers
In practice, employers are responsible for:
- Social distancing and personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Temperature checks
- Testing, isolating, and contact tracing
- Sanitation use and disinfection of common and high-traffic areas
- Business travel
- Develop and implement appropriate policies, in accordance with Federal, State, and local regulations and guidance, as informed by industry best practices, regarding:
- Monitor workforce for indicative symptoms. Do not allow symptomatic people to physically return to work until cleared by a medical provider.
- Develop and implement policies and procedures for workforce safety and health.
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Employees
- Employees at work should wash their hands thoroughly with water while using some kind of anti-bacterial soap; hand sanitizer is recommended for medical personnel, especially after touching frequently used items or surfaces.
- Avoid touching your face; use tissues when sneezing or coughing. In case tissues are not available your elbows to avoid the spread of droplets.
- Disinfect frequently used items and surfaces frequently; make use of self judgment. Use face coverings while in public particularly when using mass transit or travelling by car or public rental cars.
- Those who feel sick should not go to work and stay home; students in particular should not go to school; and should work on important school assignments at homes. Always contact your physicians or doctors for medical advice or medical providers for medical advice and follow them strictly with care to get better results and feel better soon.
American are concerned
Americans are concerned about the outcome of the pandemic and on their daily life styles. There is a shift in behavior in the U.S among the general public as a result of the Corona Virus outbreak. When will life or life style be normal again? It is a serious question in everybody’s mind? There is no answer as yet.
A recent study at the university level in Arizona reveals that 86% of Americans are “concerned” about the outcome of the pandemic on their everyday lives.
The medical community and treating physicians should suggest some cheaper medication or combination of medicines over the counter during the interim period before the actual vaccines are available in the market.
Control of and protection against this contagious virus is a fear to all people around the globe and needs attention.
As an occupational hygienist, I believe we should follow the hierarchy of controls such as elimination, substitutions, engineering. A ‘Vaccine” would be the best control methods while the administrative controls and the personnel protective (PPE) are the second-line defenses.
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The use of PPE should be the last resort and in some cases is uncomfortable and expensive because an ordinary or common type of mask costs 25 cents for a single use. PPE cannot be used as a permanent solution. General public does not like how it looks, but use of them are required under the COVID-19 administrative order or recently recommend by the WHO for the safety of general public and for the work force on daily basis while working or moving outside for some kind of business or at work. PPE and social distancing are the best controls for the time being until there is a vaccine.
References:
OSHA National News Release, U.S. Department of Labor, June 18, 2020: U.S. Department of Labor Issues OSHA Guidance As Non-Essential Businesses Reopen and Employees Return to Work, web page at: https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/national/06182020.
Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, web page at: https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3990.pdf.
Guidelines for Opening-Up American Again, web page at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Guidelines-for-Opening-Up-America-Again.pdf.
A Study-Most American Expecting Life to Never Return Normal, web page at: https://www.ehstoday.com/covid19/article/21133121/study-most-americans-expect-life-to-never-return-to-normal.
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