OSHA updates guidance on COVID-19 illness in workplace
By Steve Metzger and Patrick Marcotte
As the COVID-19 pandemic expands, employers are coping with their obligation to maintain a safe work environment and to comply with government workforce record-keeping requirements. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has developed resources to assist these efforts. The agency issued an update on April 10 clarifying that only medical or emergency responder operations need to record contracting COVID-19, unless there is a significant outbreak in a facility and working in that facility may be clearly indicated as to how the employees contracted the illness.
These links provide information regarding employee safety and proper record-keeping processes and procedures should an employee become ill with COVID-19. Note that regulations for record keeping take patient privacy into account for COVID-19, just as it does for any communicable disease.
OSHA INFORMATION ON COVID-19
OSHA Alert on preventing worker exposure – https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3989.pdf
OSHA Guidance on Preparing Workplaces – https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3990.pdf
OSHA COVID-19 Overview Information- https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/
OSHA Standards with link to OSHA Recordkeeping (OSHA Recordkeeping information in highlighted are on the right of page) – https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/standards.html
General public information and alerts are also available on websites provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization.
GOVERNMENT WEBSITES WITH INFORMATION ON COVID-19
CDC Website source of overall COVID-19 information https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
NIH Website – https://www.nih.gov/
World Health Organization (WHO) info https://www.who.int/publications-detail/strategic-preparedness-and-response-plan-for-the-new-coronavirus
This loss control information is advisory only. The authors assume no responsibility for management or control of loss control activities. Not all exposures are identified in this article. Contact your local, independent insurance agent for coverage advice and policy service.
Reposted with permission from the original author. Cincinnati Insurance https://blog.cinfin.com/2020/03/23/pandemic-employers-repor . . .