By Subcontractors USA News Provider
Under the OSH Act, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthy workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm.
As we are still in the midst of the pandemic, employers should continue to engage with workers and their representatives to determine how to implement multi-layered interventions to protect unvaccinated and otherwise at-risk workers and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, including:
- Facilitate employees getting vaccinated.
- Implement physical distancing in all communal work areas for unvaccinated and otherwise at-risk workers.
- Provide workers with face coverings or recommended surgical masks as appropriate, unless their work task requires a respirator or other PPE.
- Educate and train workers on your COVID-19 policies and procedures using accessible formats and in languages they understand.
- Suggest or require that unvaccinated customers, visitors, or guests wear face coverings in public-facing workplaces such as retail establishments, and that all customers, visitors, or guests wear face coverings in public, indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission.
- Maintain Ventilation Systems.
- Perform routine cleaning and disinfection.
- Record and report COVID-19 infections and deaths.
- Implement protections from retaliation and set up an anonymous process for workers to voice concerns about COVID-19-related hazards.
- Follow other applicable mandatory OSHA standards.
Businesses with fewer than 500 employees may be eligible for tax credits under the American Rescue Plan Act if they provided paid time off from April 1, 2021, through September 30, 2021, for employees who decided to receive the vaccine or to accompany a family or household member to receive the vaccine and to recover from any potential side effects from the vaccine.
All of OSHA’s standards that apply to protecting workers from infection remain in place.
For more information, please visit osha.gov.
Source: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
