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California Considering Stricter COVID-19 Workplace Standards

California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board is set to vote this week on a new set of emergency actions that impact how employers must respond to COVID-19 outbreaks in the workplace. The emergency temporary standard is aimed at protecting workers across California from exposure to the disease.

The proposed regulation builds on COVID-19 guidance previously issued by several California agencies and provides a clear legal framework for employers to implement effective workplace safety measures.

Among other things, the standard requires employers to:
– Conduct hazard assessments and create a written COVID-19 prevention program, allowing for employee participation.
– Correct COVID-19-related hazards in the workplace.
– Identify and notify all workers exposed to COVID-19-positive individuals.
– Provide testing free of charge to employees in the event of COVID-19-positive cases in the workplace.
– Train employees on COVID-19 prevention.
– Mandate and enforce the wearing of face coverings in the workplace.
– Provide personal protective equipment free of charge where needed; and
– Implement safety measures in employer-provided housing and transportation.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra urged the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to adopt the new standards, saying, “We have to stay vigilant to protect our essential workers and our communities across the state. This temporary emergency standard will help clarify what needs to be done to protect workers and ensure that local authorities have the tools they need to take action. It also requires employers to allow for employee participation in evaluating and correcting COVID-19 exposure hazards.”

If approved, the emergency standards would go into effect within 10 days and would be in place for at least 180 days.

For comments, questions or concerns, please contact Dennis Kaiser

Connect

Inside The Story

Read more at Proposed OSHSB RegulationConnect With California Attorney General Becerra

About Dennis Kaiser

Dennis Kaiser is Vice President of Public Relations and Communications for Connect Creative. Dennis is a communications leader with more than 40 years of experience including as a journalist and in corporate and agency marketing communications roles. He is responsible for Connect Creative’s agency client services and is involved in a range of initiatives ranging from public relations and content strategy, communications and message development, copywriting, media relations, social media and content marketing services. Prior to joining Connect Media in 2015, his most recent corporate communications roles involved leading a regional public relations effort across Southern California for CBRE, playing a key marketing role on JLL’s national retail team, and directing the global public relations effort at ValleyCrest (BrightView), the nation’s largest commercial landscape services company. He has worked on marketing communications assignments for such CRE companies as Blackstone/Equity Office, Carlyle, Caruso, Disney Resorts, GE Capital, Irvine Company, Hines, Howard Hughes Corp., Jeffries, Lennar, MGM, Marcus & Millichap, Prologis, Raleigh Studios, Simon, Starwood, Trammell Crow Company, Transamerica, UBS and Wynn Resorts. Dennis has also worked on communications and launch strategies for a number of consumer electronic, media and tech brands including SlingMedia, Channel Master, Deluxe Media Entertainment, BeIn Sports, EchoStar and Sprint. Dennis’s agency background included firms such as Off Madison Ave., Idea Hall and Macy + Associates. He has earned an outstanding reputation with organization leaders as a trusted advisor, strategic program implementer, consensus builder and exceptional collaborator. Dennis has developed and managed national communications programs for Fortune 500 companies to start-ups, both public and private. He’s successfully worked with journalists across the globe representing clients involved in major-breaking news stories, product launches, media tours, and company news announcements. Dennis has been involved in a host of charitable and community organizations including the American Cancer Society, Easter Seals, Boy Scouts, Chrysalis Foundation, Freedom For Life, HOLA, L.A.’s BEST, Reach Out and Read, Super Bowl Host Committee, and the Thunderbirds Charities.

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