COVID 19 Updating!

Alert! CDC Lowering Quarantine/Isolation Period

CDC is lowering the quarantine/isolation period to 5 days. The most recent research and findings on COVID 19 is that the infectious period is 2 days prior to symptoms, and 3 days following onset of symptoms.

Federal and California ETS Status

Fed-OSHA ETS awaiting Supreme Court hearing on January 7, 2022.

Cal-OSHA re-adopted the revised 3205 (COVID 19 Emergency Temporary Standard). Contact NCSC with any questions on the changes, what they may mean to you, depending on your industry, and how they mesh (or don't) with Fed-OSHA rules that may affect many of our members and clients.

Alert! Humboldt County Masking Order

Don’t get too excited…Indoor Masking has not been lifted yet! It has come to our attention that folks, having read the press release from Humboldt and Del Norte counties, believe that ALL masking ends Monday the 8^th. Below is a lightly edited copy of the press release to make the new order a little clearer…read on!

Outdoor masking to be lifted November 8^th, 2021.

Indoor masking is NOT being lifted, until ALL the following occur:

Consistently low and stable COVID-19 cases by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data tracker
Consistently low and stable hospital impact of respiratory viruses including COVID-19
Improved community protection with vaccination.

Counties are offering guidelines to inform the public WHEN they can EXPECT local masking orders to be removed.

From DHHS Indoor Masking Order dated November 8, 2021

SUMMARY OF THIS ORDER This Order requires all individuals to wear face coverings when indoors in workplaces and public settings, with limited exemptions, and recommends that businesses and events make face coverings available to individuals entering these spaces.

NCSC will continue to require masking indoors in compliance with the County Public Health orders, as well as current Cal-OSHA ETS regulations.

ALERT! The Cal-OSHA Standards Board has voted - On June 17, 2021 the most recent revisions to the Emergency Temporary Standard on COVID are effective June 18, 2021, and were revised to align with CDC and CDPH guidance. What are the big changes?

- No more social distancing, except in exceptional situations
- If employees are fully vaccinated, they may go without masks
- If employees are not vaccinated, they must wear masks provided by the employer
- Employers must provide respirators if requested by an unvaccinated employee, or for employees working indoors or in vehcles with more than one person
- Employers must document vaccination status, which can include self-attestation
- No more partitions or barriers

There are of course more in the details, but those are the main points. Members will receive a more detailed overview by email. As the ETS goes into approval and enforcement, read the July Member Newsletter-Regulatory Journal, for more details on some of the grey areas, and what the new sub-committee will be looking at clarifying.

Stay healthy, get vaccinated!

Do You Need NCSC?

How do regulatory agencies affect your business?

Fear of Cal-OSHA or other regulatory action or citation
Locating and interpreting the, literally, thousands upon thousands of pages of regulations
Burdensome amount of time and energy trying to keep up with:

     • Written Programs
     • Compliance with these programs
     • Recordkeeping - When, how, how much?
     • Prevention measures and investigation of accidents, near misses.

The Bottom Line - The cost of injuries and worker's compensation premiums.

Your Responsibility

A core principle in the establishment of California occupational safety regulation, and what provides the real ‘teeth’ in the law, is the California Penal Code’s Title 10 §387 or, Corporate Criminal Liability Act. The Act holds an employer financially and criminally responsible for the imminent dangers in the workplace that are not remedied in a proscribed period of time.

The corporate entity, or manager/supervisor, must -

1 - Be knowledgeable of serious dangers to employees; and,
2 - Correct the danger; and,
3 - Report to the appropriate agency to avoid criminal penalties.

SERVICE / TRAINING

NCSC is a service and training organization established to provide:

Policy Development
Employee Training
Facility Inspections and Audits
Accident/Exposure Investigations
Updates on Regulatory Issues
Consultation Services

REGULATORY / COMPLIANCE

NCSC can prepare programs and plans addressing regulatory compliance issues in such diverse areas as:
Respiratory Protection Hazardous Materials Hazard Communication COVID Prevetion Plaan	Silica Exposure U.S. DOT and non-DOT Drug and Alcohol Programs Sexual Harassment Policy Workplace Violence