As more businesses reopen, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration is increasing its enforcement efforts, according to a news release .
With personal protective equipment now more widely available, OSHA is increasing workplace inspections, and prioritizing COVID-19 inspections.
OSHA has also revised recordkeeping requirements related to COVID-19.
Employers subject to OSHA recordkeeping requirements must record coronavirus cases if they meet all of the following criteria:
- Confirmed as a coronavirus illness
- Work-related based on federal regulations for determining work-relatedness
- Involves one or more of the general recording criteria such as days away from work
Existing federal OSHA standards exclude employers with fewer than 10 employees and in certain low-hazard industries from recordkeeping requirements. Minnesota OSHA standards are similar, except that all employers with 10 or more employees must meet recordkeeping requirements, regardless of whether they are in low-hazard industries.
All employers – including those excluded from OSHA recordkeeping requirements – must report work-related coronavirus cases that result in death, in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye, according to the news release.
For information on preventing the spread of COVID-19 in your workplace, visit Federal OSHA’s COVID-19 Page and Minnesota OSHA’s COVID-19 page . For a variety of workers’ compensation-related resources, visit SFM’s COVID-19 page.
