Update: The Time to Get Onboard with New OSHA COVID-19 Requirements Is Now

Recently, we told you about an emergency temporary standard (ETS) issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to ensure the safety of healthcare workers—including your urgent care team—in the COVID-19 era. Since then, the ETS has been published in the Federal Register and the date for requiring compliance has been set at July 5. As a reminder the ETS mandates that:

• You conduct a hazard assessment and have a written plan to mitigate virus spread.
• You provide certain employees with N95 respirators or other personal protective equipment.
• Covered employers ensure 6 feet of distance between workers, with barriers erected where that distance is not possible.
• You give workers paid time off to get vaccinated and to recover from any related side effects.

For purposes of the ETS, a healthcare workplace is one in which “employees provide healthcare or healthcare support services…with some exemptions for healthcare providers who screen out patients who may have COVID-19.” For more information, consult the OSHA website here.