In the midst of COVID-19 we are all learning a different way to work, live, and function. In my home state of Missouri, the orders to stay at home are starting to lift, and businesses are starting to open. This is the same for many states across the nation. In an effort to continue to keep people safe, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced the poster that outlines ten steps to take to lower the risk of exposure to the virus is now available in 13 languages.
The ten steps include on the poster are:
- Encourage works to stay home if sick
- Encourage respiratory etiquette, including covering coughs and sneezes.
- Provide a place to wash hands or alcohol-based hand rubs containing at least 60% alcohol.
- Limit worksite access to only essential workers, if possible.
- Establish flexible worksites (e.g., telecommuting) and flexible work hours (e.g., staggered shifts), if feasible.
- Discourage workers from using other workers’ phones, desks, or other work tools and equipment.
- Regularly clean and disinfect surfaces, equipment, and other elements of the work environment.
- Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved cleaning chemicals with label claims against the coronavirus.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use of all cleaning and disinfection products.
- Encourage workers to report any safety and health concerns.
At the bottom of each poster is a number to call for more information.
You can download the poster at https://www.osha.gov/pls/publications/publication.html#c19. This same weblink takes you to multiple publications form OSHA centered around the virus. There are guidance files for restaurants, package delivery, and retail workers to follow. Another recent one is dedicated to how to wear a respirator correctly. Many are available in Spanish. All of them are free to download.
If you are interested in keeping up with all things OSHA has there are several ways to do. The first is via their “QuickTakes” newsletter. It is published twice weekly. You can read, subscribe or search them at https://www.osha.gov/quicktakes/. The other way is to sign up for ICC’s newsletter. This can be done by checking out our new website at https://www.thecompliancecenter.com/. At the bottom of our homepage is a place to sign up. We promise not to overload your inbox.
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