On August 13, OSHA issued updated guidance to help employers protect workers from the coronavirus. The guidance is specifically aimed at protecting workers in high-risk workplaces where not all workers many be vaccinated, such as:
- Manufacturing
- Meat, seafood, and poultry processing
- High volume retail and grocery
- Agricultural processing
The latest guidance:
- Recommends that fully vaccinated workers in areas of substantial or high community transmission should wear masks to protect unvaccinated workers
- Recommends that fully vaccinated workers who have close contacts with people with coronavirus should wear masks for up to 14 days unless they have a negative coronavirus test at least 3-5 days after such contact
- Clarifies recommendations to protect unvaccinated and other at-risk workers in the industries listed above
- Links to the latest guidance on K-12 schools and CDC statements on public transit
The recommendations to protect unvaccinated and other at-risk workers include the following:
- Physical distancing
- Staggering break times or providing separate break facilities
- Staggering arrival and departure times
- Providing visual cues such as floor markings to remind workers about physical distancing
- Requiring all workers, as well as encouraging or requiring customers and visitors, to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status
- Improving ventilation
For more information, see the OSHA press release or the full updated guidance.
