BREAKING NEWS: OSHA Updates COVID-19 Masking Guidance

On Friday, OSHA updated its COVID-19 guidance to include the new recommendations for businesses regarding fully vaccinated employees.

OSHA says:

This evidence has led CDC to update recommendations for fully vaccinated people to reduce their risk of becoming infected with the Delta variant and potentially spreading it to others, including by:

wearing a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission;
choosing to wear a mask regardless of level of transmission, particularly if individuals are at risk or have someone in their household who is at increased risk of severe disease or not fully vaccinated; and
getting tested 3-5 days following a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and wearing a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days after exposure or until a negative test result.

In this guidance, OSHA adopts analogous recommendations.

CDC has also updated its guidance for COVID-19 prevention in K-12 schools to recommend universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status.

CDC’s Face Mask Order requiring masks on public transportation conveyances and inside transportation hubs has not changed, but CDC has announced that it will be amending its Face Masks Order to not require people to wear a mask in outdoor areas of conveyances (if such outdoor areas exist on the conveyance) or while outdoors at transportation hubs, and that it will exercise its enforcement discretion in the meantime.

While OSHA has not created any new requirements, businesses should strongly consider implementing these recommendations. Not only will they help keep the workplace safe, but they will also show compliance and good faith if you are called to defend employee claims concerning workplace safety.

NEXT BOSS CALL: Wednesday, August 18th, 2021 1 pm – 2:30 pm CST

TOPIC: OSHA: COVID-19, and Other Communicable Diseases:
What Every Employer Must Know

Summer is drawing to an end and 2021 appears to be gearing back up for another round of COVID. Now, more than ever, employers and HR professionals must understand the most recent OSHA requirements and how these COVID requirements are not JUST for COVID!

Join me and my OSHA guest expert, long-time OSHA trainer Robbie Deaton, as we spend 90-minutes breaking down the requirements OSHA has set forth, how they relate to the present and the future of all sorts of communicable diseases, and why the “way we’ve always done it” is not going to suffice during an OSHA inspection.

On this Call Robbie will answer the following frequently asked questions:

- What are the basics of the latest OSHA requirements?
- How do these requirements change with new CDC guidance?
- Which employers/industries must comply and to what level?
- When are we required to report a COVID outbreak to OSHA?
- Is my industry held to a higher standard?
- What is the difference between reporting communicable disease outbreaks and recording them?
- What sort of a COVID safety plan am I required to have?
- Is some sort of employee training required and if so, how often and who can train us?
- How do my state OSHA laws interact with federal OSHA?
- What is the importance of the safety department partnering with HR?
- Are the latest court decisions on employer-mandated vaccinations favoring employers or employees?
- And more!

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BREAKING NEWS: OSHA Updates COVID-19 Masking Guidance

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Lisa Smith, SPHR, SHRM – SCP

Certified EEO Investigator (EEOC)

Lead Support and Content Chief – HelpDeskforHR.com

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