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email: ncsc@norcalsafety.com
New COVID 19 Emergency Standard - 3205
The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (Cal-OSHA board that sets regulations) has approved an emergency COVID standard approved by teh OAL late November 30th. The new standard becomes effective immediately and will continue for 180 days, with 60 day extensions. During the 180 days the Board may continue with rulemaking action, including a public comment period.
NCSC Director, Linda Kjesbu, attended the November 19 public meeting to bring your concerns to the Standards Board. Members can read about the public hearing in the November/December members newsletter-Regulatory Journal.
The regulation – a new section to Title 8, 3205 – follows much of what employers are already doing as contained in your COVID Exposure Plans (and Humboldt County Reopening plans required of all businesses). However, they have added both “Multiple Outbreak” and “Major Outbreak” procedures – Multiple Outbreak defined as 3 or more, and Major Outbreak defined as 20 or more. Some of those particular changes relate to notifying Public Health, and what information would be provided to them. These new rules would also provide for policies or procedures that address accommodations for employees at high risk, providing employees with information on access to COVID testing, doing a hazard assessment of interactions, tools used, tasks, etc. that could expose an employee, as well as return to work criteria. Unfortunately, there still remains much grey area. Please feel free to contact NCSC with any questions on the new rule.
For Members, please contact NCSC to review and update existing COVID Exposure Plans that were developed by NCSC. This is provided as part of your membership. If any of our non-member clients wish to have a consultation on developing a written program and setting up procedures for compliance with the new Standard, please drop us an email or a phone call, and we’d be happy to go over what the new guidance entails and get you ready for any visits from Cal-OSHA.