COVID-19 Federal OSHA's COVID-19 ETS for Healthcare North Carolina adopted verbatim the federal OSHA's Emergency Temporary Standard for Healthcare with an effective date of July 21, 2021. While the federal standard [Except the recordkeeping provisions of 29 CFR 1910.502(q)(2)(ii), (q)(3)(ii)-(iv), and (r)] expired on December 21, 2021, North Carolina's standard remained in effect. Effective March 4, 2022, NCDOL repealed the Emergency Temporary Standard for Healthcare. Note: Federal OSHA is currently finalizing a permanent COVID-19 Healthcare standard. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on COVID-19 North Carolina Department of Labor FAQs (English) (Spanish) Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) FAQs Centers for Disease Control (CDC) FAQs A coronavirus is named for the crown-like spikes on its surface that are apparent when the virus is viewed under extreme magnification. Human coronaviruses were first identified in the mid-1960s. There are four main sub-groupings of human coronaviruses: alpha, beta, gamma and delta. The gamma and delta coronaviruses do not cause known human disease. COVID-19 Hazard Overview Solutions Regulations Learn More Workers Who May Have Exposure Risk Despite the low risk of exposure in most job sectors, some workers in the United States may have exposure to infectious people, including travelers who contracted COVID-19 abroad. Workers with increased exposure risk include those involved in: Healthcare (including pre-hospital and medical transport workers, healthcare providers, long-term care workers, pharmacies, and support staff) Dentistry Emergency response and public safety Postmortem care (including coroners, medical examiners and funeral directors) Laboratories (clinical and research laboratory personnel) Airline operations Meat and poultry processing Border protection and transportation security Correctional facilities Retail operations What can I do to protect myself and others? Engineering, Administrative and Work Practice Controls. Follow established work procedures for infection control. Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Avoid close contact with people that are sick. Maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet from other people. Wear a cloth face covering, especially when physical distancing cannot be maintained. Cover your mouth when you cough with a tissue or elbow, Throw tissue in trash, do not reuse. Clean and disinfect work areas frequently. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Employees who believe they are infected with 2019 nCoV are encouraged to self-quarantine at home to prevent infecting others. Personal Protective Equipment. Employees in certain higher risk occupational settings are especially encouraged to use respirators that afford the level of protection of an N95 filtering facepiece respirator or better. Where respirator use is required, the employer must implement an effective respiratory protection program including, but not limited to, medical evaluation and fit testing. In addition, use and properly maintain all provided personal protective equipment for work-related tasks having exposure(s). What resources are available to assist employers? Training and Outreach Services Presentations on a variety of topics associated with exposure to 2019 nCoV are available to assist employers in training their staff. These include COVID-19 - basic training, COVID-19 - construction, COVID-19 - food processing, COVID-19 - institutions of higher education, COVID-19 - manufacturing, COVID-19 - retail, bloodborne pathogens, hazard communication, respiratory protection and personal protective equipment. Each of these presentations should be modified to address site-specific conditions and hazards. In addition, the education, training and technical assistance bureau provides free online safety and health training and outreach services (i.e., speaker's bureau requests, safety booths) upon request. Lastly, the NCDOL Library offers free safety and health videos (including ones on COVID-19) and related research assistance on consensus standards (i.e., ANSI, NFPA, NEC). Safety and Health Programs Example safety and health programs are available for employers to download and adapt to their specific conditions. Safety and health programs relative to 2019 nCoV include COVID-19 preparedness and response plan for low and medium risk employers, bloodborne pathogens exposure control plan, hazard communication program, personal protective hazard assessment and respiratory protection program. A- Z Safety and Health Topics More information related to the 2019 novel coronavirus can be found on the A-Z topics pages for hazard communication, personal protective equipment, bloodborne pathogens and respiratory protection. Consultation Services The consultative services bureau provides free and confidential onsite consultation regarding worksite safety and health hazards. Which standards apply? The OSH Division has adopted the following standards which are, or may be, applicable to occupational exposure to COVID-19 in North Carolina. Note: Please also check the standards information and activity webpage to see if there has been any recent or upcoming regulatory activity on this topic. General Industry 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I: personal protective equipment 29 CFR 1910.132: general requirements 29 CFR 1910.133: eye and face protection 29 CFR 1910.134: respiratory protection 29 CFR 1910.138: hand protection 29 CFR 1910 Subpart J: general environmental controls 29 CFR 1910.141: sanitation 29 CFR 1910.145: specifications for accident prevention signs and tags 29 CFR 1910 Subpart U: COVID-19 emergency temporary standard 29 CFR 1910.502: healthcare 29 CFR 1910.504: mini respiratory protection program 29 CFR 1910.509: incorporation by reference Note: NCDOL repealed the ETS for Healthcare effective March 4, 2022. 29 CFR 1910 Subpart Z: toxic and hazardous substances 29 CFR 1910.1020: access to employee exposure and medical records 29 CFR 1910.1030: bloodborne pathogens 29 CFR 1910.1200: hazard communication Recordkeeping 29 CFR Part 1904: recordkeeping 29 CFR 1904.39: reporting fatalities, hospitalizations, amputations, and losses of an eye as a result of work-related incidents to OSHA General Duty Clause NCGS 95-129(1): General Duty Clause, Occupational Safety and Health Act of North Carolina Other Applicable Standards The Which OSHA Standards Apply webpage can also help identify other standards that may be applicable to this topic. Where can I learn more? OSH Compliance Documents Emergency temporary standard; OSH Compliance Direction: CPL 02 (DIR 2021-02) - Inspection Procedures for the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard Migrant housing: ASH Temporary Guidance Memorandum: Temporary Guidance on Migrant Housing for COVID-19 Impacted Workers OSH Fact Sheets Fact Sheet: Facemasks vs. Respirators OSH Hazard Considerations for Employers on Face Coverings, Masks and Respirator Choices OSH Hazard/Guidance Alerts ASH Guidance Alert: Farmworkers and COVID-19 OSH Hazard Alert: COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidelines for Retail Workers OSH Hazard Alert: COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidelines for Food Processing OSH Hazard Alert: COVID-19 - Review of the Respiratory Protection for Healthcare Workers OSH Hazard Alert: Controlling Exposures to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus OSH Hazard Alert: Dealing with COVID-19 in Construction OSH Hazard Alert: Respiratory Protection for Long-Term Care Workers OSH Industry Guides Industry Guide 48—OSHA Construction Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training provides requirements for standards related to COVID-19. Industry Guide 49—OSHA General Industry Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training provides requirements for standards related to COVID-19. Industry Guide 50—OSHA Agriculture Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training provides requirements for standards related to COVID-19. Industry Guide 53—OSHA Shipyard Employment Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training provides requirements for standards related to COVID-19. Industry Guide 54—OSHA Marine Terminal Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training provides requirements for standards related to COVID-19. Technical Assistance If you would like to receive interpretive guidance on this or any other OSH standard or topic, you can submit your questions using the Ask OSH web form, by email to ask.osh@labor.nc.gov or by calling 919-707-7876.
COVID-19 Federal OSHA's COVID-19 ETS for Healthcare North Carolina adopted verbatim the federal OSHA's Emergency Temporary Standard for Healthcare with an effective date of July 21, 2021. While the federal standard [Except the recordkeeping provisions of 29 CFR 1910.502(q)(2)(ii), (q)(3)(ii)-(iv), and (r)] expired on December 21, 2021, North Carolina's standard remained in effect. Effective March 4, 2022, NCDOL repealed the Emergency Temporary Standard for Healthcare. Note: Federal OSHA is currently finalizing a permanent COVID-19 Healthcare standard. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on COVID-19 North Carolina Department of Labor FAQs (English) (Spanish) Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) FAQs Centers for Disease Control (CDC) FAQs A coronavirus is named for the crown-like spikes on its surface that are apparent when the virus is viewed under extreme magnification. Human coronaviruses were first identified in the mid-1960s. There are four main sub-groupings of human coronaviruses: alpha, beta, gamma and delta. The gamma and delta coronaviruses do not cause known human disease. COVID-19 Hazard Overview Solutions Regulations Learn More Workers Who May Have Exposure Risk Despite the low risk of exposure in most job sectors, some workers in the United States may have exposure to infectious people, including travelers who contracted COVID-19 abroad. Workers with increased exposure risk include those involved in: Healthcare (including pre-hospital and medical transport workers, healthcare providers, long-term care workers, pharmacies, and support staff) Dentistry Emergency response and public safety Postmortem care (including coroners, medical examiners and funeral directors) Laboratories (clinical and research laboratory personnel) Airline operations Meat and poultry processing Border protection and transportation security Correctional facilities Retail operations What can I do to protect myself and others? Engineering, Administrative and Work Practice Controls. Follow established work procedures for infection control. Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Avoid close contact with people that are sick. Maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet from other people. Wear a cloth face covering, especially when physical distancing cannot be maintained. Cover your mouth when you cough with a tissue or elbow, Throw tissue in trash, do not reuse. Clean and disinfect work areas frequently. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Employees who believe they are infected with 2019 nCoV are encouraged to self-quarantine at home to prevent infecting others. Personal Protective Equipment. Employees in certain higher risk occupational settings are especially encouraged to use respirators that afford the level of protection of an N95 filtering facepiece respirator or better. Where respirator use is required, the employer must implement an effective respiratory protection program including, but not limited to, medical evaluation and fit testing. In addition, use and properly maintain all provided personal protective equipment for work-related tasks having exposure(s). What resources are available to assist employers? Training and Outreach Services Presentations on a variety of topics associated with exposure to 2019 nCoV are available to assist employers in training their staff. These include COVID-19 - basic training, COVID-19 - construction, COVID-19 - food processing, COVID-19 - institutions of higher education, COVID-19 - manufacturing, COVID-19 - retail, bloodborne pathogens, hazard communication, respiratory protection and personal protective equipment. Each of these presentations should be modified to address site-specific conditions and hazards. In addition, the education, training and technical assistance bureau provides free online safety and health training and outreach services (i.e., speaker's bureau requests, safety booths) upon request. Lastly, the NCDOL Library offers free safety and health videos (including ones on COVID-19) and related research assistance on consensus standards (i.e., ANSI, NFPA, NEC). Safety and Health Programs Example safety and health programs are available for employers to download and adapt to their specific conditions. Safety and health programs relative to 2019 nCoV include COVID-19 preparedness and response plan for low and medium risk employers, bloodborne pathogens exposure control plan, hazard communication program, personal protective hazard assessment and respiratory protection program. A- Z Safety and Health Topics More information related to the 2019 novel coronavirus can be found on the A-Z topics pages for hazard communication, personal protective equipment, bloodborne pathogens and respiratory protection. Consultation Services The consultative services bureau provides free and confidential onsite consultation regarding worksite safety and health hazards. Which standards apply? The OSH Division has adopted the following standards which are, or may be, applicable to occupational exposure to COVID-19 in North Carolina. Note: Please also check the standards information and activity webpage to see if there has been any recent or upcoming regulatory activity on this topic. General Industry 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I: personal protective equipment 29 CFR 1910.132: general requirements 29 CFR 1910.133: eye and face protection 29 CFR 1910.134: respiratory protection 29 CFR 1910.138: hand protection 29 CFR 1910 Subpart J: general environmental controls 29 CFR 1910.141: sanitation 29 CFR 1910.145: specifications for accident prevention signs and tags 29 CFR 1910 Subpart U: COVID-19 emergency temporary standard 29 CFR 1910.502: healthcare 29 CFR 1910.504: mini respiratory protection program 29 CFR 1910.509: incorporation by reference Note: NCDOL repealed the ETS for Healthcare effective March 4, 2022. 29 CFR 1910 Subpart Z: toxic and hazardous substances 29 CFR 1910.1020: access to employee exposure and medical records 29 CFR 1910.1030: bloodborne pathogens 29 CFR 1910.1200: hazard communication Recordkeeping 29 CFR Part 1904: recordkeeping 29 CFR 1904.39: reporting fatalities, hospitalizations, amputations, and losses of an eye as a result of work-related incidents to OSHA General Duty Clause NCGS 95-129(1): General Duty Clause, Occupational Safety and Health Act of North Carolina Other Applicable Standards The Which OSHA Standards Apply webpage can also help identify other standards that may be applicable to this topic. Where can I learn more? OSH Compliance Documents Emergency temporary standard; OSH Compliance Direction: CPL 02 (DIR 2021-02) - Inspection Procedures for the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard Migrant housing: ASH Temporary Guidance Memorandum: Temporary Guidance on Migrant Housing for COVID-19 Impacted Workers OSH Fact Sheets Fact Sheet: Facemasks vs. Respirators OSH Hazard Considerations for Employers on Face Coverings, Masks and Respirator Choices OSH Hazard/Guidance Alerts ASH Guidance Alert: Farmworkers and COVID-19 OSH Hazard Alert: COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidelines for Retail Workers OSH Hazard Alert: COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidelines for Food Processing OSH Hazard Alert: COVID-19 - Review of the Respiratory Protection for Healthcare Workers OSH Hazard Alert: Controlling Exposures to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus OSH Hazard Alert: Dealing with COVID-19 in Construction OSH Hazard Alert: Respiratory Protection for Long-Term Care Workers OSH Industry Guides Industry Guide 48—OSHA Construction Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training provides requirements for standards related to COVID-19. Industry Guide 49—OSHA General Industry Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training provides requirements for standards related to COVID-19. Industry Guide 50—OSHA Agriculture Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training provides requirements for standards related to COVID-19. Industry Guide 53—OSHA Shipyard Employment Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training provides requirements for standards related to COVID-19. Industry Guide 54—OSHA Marine Terminal Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training provides requirements for standards related to COVID-19. Technical Assistance If you would like to receive interpretive guidance on this or any other OSH standard or topic, you can submit your questions using the Ask OSH web form, by email to ask.osh@labor.nc.gov or by calling 919-707-7876.
