
Oregon OSHA Issues New COVID-19 Regulation
October 20, 2020
Kevin Sayler | Vice President, Risk Control Specialist
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had a far reach, impacting every business and individual in this country. As we head into the fall season, it appears that infection rates are increasing with more time spent indoors. To address workplace-acquired COVID-19 infections, Oregon OSHA has released a temporary standard that they plan to adopt on October 21, 2020, and enforce starting November 1, 2020. Highlights of the standard include:
- Exposure risk assessment (documented if > 10 employees)
- Infection control plan (documented if > 10 employees)
- Employee training
- Employee testing
- Medical removal process
- Infection notification process
- Protocols for physical distancing
- PPE use
- Sanitation requirements
- Requirements for building operators
The standard also includes mandatory appendices, which can be viewed at the Oregon OSHA COVID-19 resource page.
Given that new viral outbreaks occur periodically (H1N1, SARS, and MERS) and the impact that SARS-CoV-2 has had, it is prudent to develop policies and procedures to enable a quick response, protect employees, and limit business interruptions.
Below are additional links to watch for updates as this pandemic continues:
Washington Department of Labor & Industries
www.lni.wa.gov/agency/outreach/novel-coronavirus-outbreak-covid-19-resources
Alaska Occupational Safety and Health (AKOSH)
labor.alaska.gov/COVID-19.htm
California/OSHA
www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/coronavirus/Health-Care-General-Industry.html
Federal OSHA
www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/controlprevention.html
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
The views and opinions expressed within are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Parker, Smith & Feek. While every effort has been taken in compiling this information to ensure that its contents are totally accurate, neither the publisher nor the author can accept liability for any inaccuracies or changed circumstances of any information herein or for the consequences of any reliance placed upon it.
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