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November 9, 2020

U.S. Labor Department Helps Employers Understand COVID Violations

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued guidanceand an accompanying fact sheet to help employers understand the most common types of citations employers have received during coronavirus-related inspections.

The fact sheet and guidance also provide available resources that address the most frequently cited standards, including Respiratory Protection, Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, Personal Protective Equipment and the General Duty Clause.

Finally, the fact sheet also provides examples of requirements employers must follow, including to:

  • Provide a medical evaluation before a worker is fit-tested or uses a respirator;
  • Establish, implement, and update a written respiratory protection program with required worksite-specific procedures;
  • Train workers to safely use respirators and/or other personal protective equipment (PPE) in the workplace, and retrain workers about changes in the workplace that might make previous training obsolete;
  • Store respirators and other PPE properly in a way to protect them from damage, contamination, and, where applicable, deformation of the facepiece and exhalation valve; and
  • Keep required records of work-related fatalities, injuries, and illness.

If your company is looking for more information, OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program offers no-cost and confidential occupational safety and health services to small- and medium-sized businesses to identify workplace hazards, provide advice for compliance with OSHA standards, and assist in establishing and improving safety and health programs.

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