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HR Hot Topic – Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board Votes to Adopt Revised COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards

December 22, 2021 | Written by Admin

The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board yesterday adopted revisions to the COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards to include the latest recommendations from the California Department of Public Health. The revisions will take effect on January 14, 2022.
The revisions include the following:

  • Investigating and responding to COVID-19 cases in the workplace: Employers must continue to properly notify employees, employee representatives and any other workers at a worksite of possible COVID-19 exposures within one business day. This section was updated to give employers more clear instructions on how to notify workers who were at the same worksite as the COVID-19 case during the high-risk exposure period.
  • Face Coverings: The definition was updated to include more detail on the different types of acceptable face coverings.
  • Testing and Exclusion: The following revisions make the ETS consistent with current CDPH recommendations:
    • Employers are now required to make COVID-19 testing available at no cost and during paid time to employees who were fully vaccinated before the “close contact” with a COVID-19 case occurred, even if they are asymptomatic.
    • During outbreaks and major outbreaks, employers must now make weekly testing (outbreaks) or twice-weekly testing (major outbreaks) available to asymptomatic fully vaccinated employees in the exposed group.
    • Employees who have recently recovered from COVID-19 and those who are fully vaccinated are not required to be excluded from the workplace after “close contact” but must wear a face covering and maintain six feet of physical distancing for 14 calendar days following the last date of contact.
  • Return to Work Criteria: The period of time before an employee can return to work after close contact or COVID-19 infection has been revised to be consistent with current CDPH guidelines. These time frames will automatically update if CDPH updates their guidelines pursuant to the Governor’s executive order (N-84-20).

Important requirements remain unchanged in the COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards. Employers must continue to maintain an effective COVID-19 Prevention Program that includes identifying and evaluating employee exposures to COVID-19 health hazards, training employees on how to prevent hazards and implementing procedures to correct unsafe conditions. Employers should still allow adequate time for handwashing and cleaning frequently touched surfaces and objects.

We will continue to provide further guidance regarding developing HR-related news. Should you have any questions, please contact our office at 916.444.6200, info@hrtogo.com, or your HR Consultant directly.

View original article here: https://www.dir.ca.gov/DIRNews/2021/2021-124.html

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