• 2020-11-announcer-text-900-2
    By On 23 November 2020 In Be Smart Be Safe, Federal, Issues Tags , , , ,

    CA DIR Alert: New Regulations

    Standards Board Unanimously Adopts Emergency Temporary Standards to Protect Workers from COVID-19

    Press Release November 20th: The new Cal/OSHA standards are expected to go into effect by the end of the month.

    Sacramento—The Department of Industrial Relations’ (DIR) Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board unanimously adopted emergency temporary standards to protect workers from hazards related to COVID-19. The emergency standards will be in effect immediately if approved by the Office of Administrative Law in the next 10 calendar days.

    The temporary standards apply to most workers in California not covered by Cal/OSHA’s Aerosol Transmissible Diseases standard.  This Press Release was issued just two days after CSA conducted a webinar event titled, “COVID-19: Coming Back Safely.” Presented by CSA Member, Der Manouel Insurance Group, a division of Hub International, Jim Wood, Director of Marketing and Win Williams MBA, CSP, Senior Vice President-HUB Risk Services Division, the program addressed occupational safety and health standards, best practices to follow, and COVID Cal OSHA requirements.

    Subsequent to the webinar, the State of California Department of Industrial Relations, initiated Emergency Temporary Standards. Under the new regulations, employers must have a written COVID-19 Prevention Plan that addresses the following:

    • System for communicating information to employees about COVID-19 prevention procedures, testing, symptoms and illnesses, including a system for employees to report exposures without fear of retaliation.
    • Identification and evaluation of hazards – screening employees for symptoms, identifying workplace conditions and practices that could result in potential exposure.
    • Investigating and responding to cases in the workplace – responding immediately to potential exposures by following steps to determine who may have been exposed, providing notice within one business day about potential exposures, and offering testing to workers who may have been exposed.
    • Correcting COVID-19 hazards – including correcting unsafe conditions and work practices as well as providing effective training and instruction.
    • Physical distancing – implementing procedures to ensure workers stay at least six feet apart from other people if possible.
    • Face coverings – providing face coverings and ensuring they are worn.
    • Adopting site-specific strategies such as changes to the workplace and work schedules and providing personal protective equipment to reduce exposure to the virus.
    • Positive COVID-19 case and illness recording requirements and making the COVID-19 Prevention Plan accessible to employees and employee representatives.
    • Removal of COVID-19 exposed workers and COVID-19 positive workers from the workplace with measures to protect pay and benefits.
    • Criteria for employees to return to work after recovering from COVID-19.
    • Requirements for testing and notifying public health departments of workplace outbreaks (three or more cases in a workplace in a 14-day period) and major outbreaks (20 or more cases within a 30-day period).
    • Specific requirements for infection prevention in employer-provided housing and transportation to and from work.

    The Standards Board will file the rulemaking package today with the Office of Administrative Law, which has 10 calendar days to review and approve the temporary workplace safety standards enforced by Cal/OSHA.
    To learn more, visit: CA DIR Press Release

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