On Jan. 29, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued an updated "Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace." In a briefing on the new guidance, OSHA officials indicated that the updated guidance is in response to President Joe Biden’s Jan. 21 executive order directing the agency to issue revised guidance to employers on workplace safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new guidance says that employers should implement COVID-19 prevention programs in the workplace, including: conducting a hazard assessment; identifying a combination of measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace; adopting measures to ensure that workers who are infected or potentially infected are separated and sent home from the workplace; and implementing protections from retaliation for workers who raise COVID-19 related concerns.

The guidance provides additional details on key measures for limiting the spread of COVID-19, starting with 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. It also provides guidance on the use of personal protective equipment when necessary, improving ventilation, providing supplies for good hygiene and routine cleaning and disinfection.

The OSHA will continue to update this guidance over time to reflect developments in science, best practices and standards. In addition, the OSHA expects to continue to update guidance relevant to particular industries or workplace situations over time.