Category: COVID-19

The COVID-19 outbreak is at top of mind for environment, health, and safety (EHS) professionals nationwide.

COVID-19, Wildfire Smoke, and Ventilation

Are you prepared to fully reopen your facilities during an ongoing, if waning, pandemic and the threat of wildfires this summer? States and localities are rolling back pandemic precautions as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinations roll out across the United States–President Biden pledged May 4 that 70 percent of American adults would receive at least […]

OSHA Relaxes COVID Guidance for Fully Vaccinated Workplaces

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is easing its COVID-19 recommendations for fully vaccinated workplaces, but the agency is still advising employers to take steps to protect any unvaccinated workers. On June 10, OSHA announced updated guidance along with new rules for frontline healthcare employers. The latest word from OSHA reflects new guidance from […]

OSHA concept

OSHA Issues Updated COVID-19 Guidance for Employers

On June 10, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) updated its employer guidance regarding workplace COVID-19 exposures. The agency also announced it will issue an emergency temporary standard (ETS) for healthcare and healthcare support services employers.

COVID-19 PPE, OSHA infectious disease standards

A Look at the OSHA COVID-19 ETS for Health Care

On June 10, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it will issue an emergency temporary standard (ETS) to protect healthcare workers from COVID-19 exposures. The standard focuses on healthcare workers most likely to have contact with someone infected with the virus—primarily in hospital ambulatory care settings—but there are exemptions for healthcare providers that […]

California and Nevada, COVID-19

California Withdraws Recent Revisions to COVID-19 Rules

On June 9, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board voted in a special meeting to withdraw revisions to the state’s COVID-19 emergency temporary standards (ETSs) the board had voted to approve on June 3. The revisions had been sent to the state’s Office of Administrative Law (OAL) for review. During its special meeting, the […]

California State Flag

California Readopts Revised COVID-19 Prevention Rules

On June 3, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board readopted revised COVID-19 prevention emergency temporary standards (ETSs) proposed May 28 by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA). The revised ETS phases out physical distancing requirements and makes other adjustments to the rules.

Safety team, COVID-19 standard

Ask the Expert: What’s OSHA’s View of New CDC Guidance?

The short answer is that OSHA’s still reviewing the latest CDC guidance related to COVID-19, and the issue remains complex. However, there are other considerations—for human resources as well as environment, health, and safety (EHS)—that relate to this recent subscriber question posed to experts at EHS Hero®.

California and COVID-19

California Looks to Ease Certain COVID-19 Workplace Regulations

The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) will meet at 10 a.m. PDT June 3 to consider readoption of a revised COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS). A new proposal would ease certain workplace precautions on July 31.

Mask

NIOSH Issues Nonregulatory Mask Criteria

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) released new criteria for masks to help protect workers from the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19. The NIOSH criteria incorporate the nonregulatory American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Specification for Barrier Face Coverings (F3502-21).

Michigan flag facemask, COVID-19

Michigan Revises COVID-19 Emergency Rules, Withdraws Permanent Rulemaking

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) announced updates to the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (MIOSHA) COVID-19 emergency rules, reflecting new public health guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health officials. MIOSHA announced its draft permanent rules have been withdrawn, and a public hearing on the permanent rules has […]