Source: USDOL, 11/7/20 The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued guidance and an accompanying one-pager to
help employers understand which standards are most frequently cited during
coronavirus-related inspections. OSHA based these documents on data from
citations issued, many of which were the result of complaints, referrals and
fatalities in industries such as hospitals and healthcare, nursing homes and
long-term care facilities, and meat/poultry processing plants.
The one-pager and guidance document provide available resources
that address the most frequently cited standards, including Respiratory
Protection, Recording and
Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, Personal Protective
Equipment and the General Duty Clause. The one-pager provides
examples of requirements employers must follow, such as:
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Provide a medical evaluation
before a worker is fit-tested or uses a respirator. =
Establish, implement, and
update a written respiratory protection program with required worksite-specific
procedures. =
Train workers to safely use
respirators and/or other PPE in the workplace, and retrain workers about
changes in the workplace that might make previous training obsolete. =
Store respirators and other
PPE properly in a way to protect them from damage, contamination, and, where
applicable, deformation of the facepiece and exhalation valve. =
Keep required records of
work-related fatalities, injuries, and illness. OSHA is providing the guidance to help employers protect workers
and increase compliance with OSHA requirements. OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program offers no-cost and confidential
occupational safety and health services to small- and medium-sized businesses
to identify workplace hazards, provides advice for compliance with OSHA
standards, and assists in establishing and improving safety and health
programs. On-Site Consultation services are separate from enforcement and do
not result in penalties or citations. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov. The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote,
and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the
United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable
employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.
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