February 23, 2021

In January 2021, the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued additional COVID-19 guidance for employers. While the mitigation and prevention measures described in this guidance are not required, they do provide insight into OSHA’s views on measures employers should consider. We summarize the most substantial portions of this guidance below.

OSHA lists 16 elements of an effective COVID-19 prevention program, including:

• Identification of where and how workers might be exposed to COVID-19 at work;
• Identification of a combination of measures that will limit the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace, including engineering controls, personal protective equipment (PPE), and improving ventilation, among others;
• Instructing infected or potentially infected workers to stay home and isolate or quarantine; and
• Implementing protections from retaliation and setting up an anonymous process for workers to voice concerns about COVID-19 related hazards.

Other Measures to Consider

The guidance also includes details on the following recommendations:

• Implementing physical distancing in communal work areas;
• Installing barriers where physical distancing is not possible;
• Use of face coverings;
• Ventilation improvement;
• Providing supplies necessary for good hygiene practices; and
• Performing routine cleaning and disinfection.

We expect that OSHA will issue additional guidance in the coming weeks and months.

If you have questions, comments, or concerns about these or other regulatory and compliance issues, please contact us.

We provide this material for informational purposes only; it is not a substitute for legal advice.

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