December, 2020

California’s Office of Administrative Law has approved a new Cal/OSHA emergency standard. This standard became effective on November 30, 2020 and will expire in six months unless readopted for up to two consecutive 90-day periods.

Under the regulation, employers, starting immediately, must develop, implement and maintain a written COVID Prevention Program, either as part of their Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) or as a stand-alone document. They must identify, evaluate, and correct COVID hazards in the workplace, and employees and their representatives must be allowed to participate in the identification and evaluation procedures.

Additionally, employers must investigate and “respond effectively” to COVID cases and notify employees who might be exposed within one day, offering them testing at no cost. COVID cases in the workplace also must be reported to local health authorities. For employees who are infected with COVID, the regulation has specific return-to-work criteria.

The emergency standard also requires employers to implement physical distancing (unless possible), mask-wearing, and sanitation facilities.

The rule includes additional and more stringent requirements for multiple COVID infections and outbreaks in the workplace.

For more information, click below.

• Cal/OSHA Q&A on rules here
• Emergency COVID fact sheet here
• Cal/OSHA mode COVID-19 prevention program here
• Emergency Standard here
• Informational Webinar Hosted by GotSafety.com here
• Informational Webinar regarding recent California AB685 hosted by GotSafety.com here

Please contact your trusted agent if you have any questions or need assistance.