The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has shared important resources for employers in order to ensure a safe and healthy workplace, free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm.
Implementing a workplace COVID-19 prevention program is the most effective way to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 at work.
OSHA is enforcing COVID-19 prevention across the country. Here’s what you need to know:
- Instruct sick workers to stay home.
- Screen workers and residents regularly for signs and symptoms consistent with COVID-19.
- Quarantine workers and residents if they have been exposed to an individual with COVID-19.
- Follow CDC guidance on resident visitation policies.
- Implement physical distancing practices to maintain at least six feet between workers/residents/visitors, including while workers perform their duties and during breaks.
- Stagger employee break periods to avoid crowding in breakrooms.
- Use alternatives to large in-person gatherings (e.g., staff meetings, resident activities).
- Regularly clean and disinfect frequently-touched surfaces in resident rooms, staff work stations, and common areas.
- Ensure workers have and use any personal protective equipment (PPE) they need to perform their jobs safely.
- Continually monitor the facility’s stock of PPE.
- Train workers on COVID-19 policies and procedures in a language they understand (Don’t forget to document!).
To learn more, visit the OSHA website and download a copy of the Guidance to Long Term Care as well as Lessons Learned from COVID-19 Inspections.
There are additional resources for training and communication available from the CDC.