Responding to OSHA COVID-19 Workplace Guidance

On January 21, 2021, President Biden issued an “Executive Order on Protecting Worker Health and Safety.” In response to this executive order, on January 29th, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a guidance “Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace.” While this guidance has not yet become a requirement, OSHA is investigating an emergency standard that correlates with this new guidance.

The guidance describes COVID-19 as highly infectious and easily spread via respiratory droplets and particles produced when an infected person, speaks, coughs or sneezes—and can be spread by people who are asymptomatic. Furthermore, the particles can travel more than six feet, especially indoors. Therefore social distancing of six feet or more and always wearing a face covering can reduce exposure to infection.

To protect employees and prepare for the possible implementation of an emergency standard, what else should employers do to prepare?

Per the guidance, to address the contagious nature of the virus, employers should implement COVID-19 prevention programs in the workplace. To be effective, the programs engage workers and any union representation and include the following: "… separating and sending home infected or potentially infected people from the workplace, implementing physical distancing, installing barriers where physical distancing cannot be maintained, and suppressing the spread by using face coverings. (There is additional) guidance on use of personal protective equipment (PPE), when necessary, improving ventilation, providing supplies for good hygiene, and routine cleaning and disinfection.”

The guidance includes a section with 16 elements that should be included in every effective COVID-19 prevention program. For example, the first element is the assignment of a workplace coordinator for employees responsible for COVID-19 issues. Another element includes the identification of the measures that will limit the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. After listing and describing these 16 elements, the guidance goes on with additional detail including what to do when workers likely have had COVID-19 or have been exposed to COVID-19.

You can also read the full OSHA Guidance on COVID-19.

February 16 2021
Category: Blog, Life Science

Author: Jim Krachenfels

As a member of the DeltaTrak marketing team, Jim has been a leading blogger on the DeltaTrak product line and cold chain. He has extensive technology marketing experience and an MBA in Marketing.

Visit Jim Krachenfels's profile

Categories

 

 

  • DeltaTrak’s Real Time Loggers have been a game changer for our trucking program. Having the ability to monitor temperature while trucks are in transit has given us peace of mind knowing the quality of our product has not been compromised. The alert notifications, light sensors, and GPS tracking are just some of the great features that have allowed us to make pro active decisions that have strengthened the integrity of our product. The FlashTrak Cloud Service is easy to use and is a great tool to compare and analyze data. The FlashTrak App is super convenient as well. We have used other reliable DeltaTrak products for many years and we were excited to see these added to their lineup!

    Michelle Oetjens
    Senior Global Logistics Analyst-BFP
    Ball Horticultural Company

  • When it comes to making sense of data (in the supply chain) we have found a partner in DeltaTrak. The fact that I could recharge the real-time logger and the dual batteries made a lot of sense to me. It was user friendly and easy to use. With the uncertainty and complexity of today's supply chain, having an effective chain of custody system is not only a clever idea, but a requirement for effective handling of perishable goods.

    Henry Helms
    CEO
    CH Logistics, Cape Town, South Africa

  • It is my pleasure to recommend DeltaTrak to your company. During these times of crisis, we were fortunate to work with DeltaTrak to source top of the line Non-Contact forehead thermometers and PPE supplies at a real market price.

    As a healthcare organization, we are a common target for price gouging and abusive practices from several vendors. With DeltaTrak, we found a partner that understands our needs and who always provide world class customer service.

    Luis Landgrave
    Procurement Manager
    Plum Healthcare Group LLC

  • Dear Fred, I would like express my appreciation for the good business relationship we have had during 2018. The excellent work of Mr. Jorge Hurtado has given me the confidence to continue maintaining our commercial relationship with the DeltaTrak brand.

    Mr. Jorge Hurtado's customer service efforts are outstanding, especially in finding solutions to the challenges that may arise in the commercial process. In my opinion Mr. Hurtado's professionalism is a model for any company, especially when the client is thousands of kilometers away from Modesto, CA. I look forward to strengthening our successful relationship into 2019.

    Valentin Bobadilla
    Valentin Bobadilla Centurion E.I.R.L.

  • We received the blankets yesterday and the quality was/is outstanding. Thank you for getting us a superior product, both our flowers and our customers thank you. :)

    Clint C.
    Aladdin's Floral

  • We have provided our trucks with your recorders for Walmart/Sam's and have not had any issues at all. Great recorders, small in size and easy to activate and place in the truck.

    Diego Calderon
    Delano Farms Company

  • Thank you Juan Solorzano for paying us a business call 4 years ago. The DeltaTrak brand is the majority of our Temp Recorder business. ALL our Walmart/Sam's orders carry the DeltaTrak Temp recorders for the past 4 years without a single problem with any Walmart DC. When you have a load of 18 different orders on a single truck and temp recorders on each order, WOW what a savings your DeltaTrak brand has save us. Yes, Walmart has accepted the DeltaTrak Model with no problems.

    Tony Contreras
    The Giumarra Companies, Reedley Cold Storage

  • This upcoming fall will mark our 4th full season using DeltaTrak recorders. They are competitively priced and the customer service is always exceptional. We have never had a customer issue with one of their units and we don’t expect to. We use a wide range of DeltaTrak products and we have been more than happy with every one of them.

    Bruce Densten
    Little Bear Produce