Updated: July 27, 2021
Cal/OSHA has issued updated guidelines as of June 15th. You can read about them here.
You are STILL required to have a COVID-19 Prevention Program. Please contact us to create your plan.
Have you created your COVID-19 Prevention Program?
Cal/OSHA requires all California employers to develop a written COVID-19 Prevention Program for each work location and have all the employees receive a one-hour training session. Companies of all sizes are receiving citations and fines for not complying with these new requirements. The California Department of Industrial Relations recently sent letters to all California companies detailing the requirements of the COVID-19 Prevention Program.
An example of some of the requirements your written policy must include:
- System for communicating information about COVID-19 symptoms and exposures in the workplace. Employers are required to provide notice to employees, independent contracts, and other employers who were potentially exposed within 24 hours of an employee’s positive COVID-19 diagnosis.
- Identification and evaluation of COVID-19 hazards. You must have a process for screening employees and responding to employees with COVID-19 symptoms. The process must also include identifying COVID-19 hazards with input from employees and a plan to correct any hazards identified. You must also have a policy to accommodate employees with an increased risk of severe illness and access to COVID-19 testing and possible consequences of a positive test.
- Investigating and responding to COVID-19 cases in the workplace. Implement contact tracing following any positive case that involved potential workplace exposure through interactions, activities, or equipment, and then notify and provide testing to potentially exposed employees.
- Require physical distancing
- Require mask-wearing/face covering. Employers must provide appropriate face covering to employees and ensure they are worn correctly over the employees’ mouth and nose.
- Training and instruction to all employees. Include information about employers’ COVID-19 policies and procedures, COVID-19 related benefits, the ways COVID-19 can spread, and how exposure can be reduced.
This is just an example of a few of the requirements that must be included in your COVID-19 Prevention Program. If you do not have finalized your COVID Prevention Program please reach out to us to create your written plan and conduct the mandatory employee training.
Don’t be caught short and risk penalties!