638 Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19

Returning to Work

Nine Guiding Principles

OSHA provides nine guiding principles and criteria for relaxing restrictions to slow the spread of COVID-19. Employers should continue to consider flexible policies including remote work (i.e., telework), and alternative business operations to provide goods (e.g., curbside pickup) and services to customers.

Below are nine guiding principles for reopening a business.

• Hazard assessment: include practices to determine when, where, how, and to what sources of SARS-CoV-2 workers are likely to be exposed in the course of their job duties.
• Hygiene: include practices for hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, and cleaning and disinfection.
• Social distancing: include practices for maximizing to the extent feasible and maintaining distance between all people, including workers, customers, and visitors.
• Identification and isolation of sick employees: include practices for worker self-monitoring or screening, and isolating and excluding from the workplace any employees with signs or symptoms of COVID-19.
• Return to work after illness or exposure: include after workers recover from COVID-19 or complete recommended self-quarantine after exposure to a person with COVID-19.
• Controls: include policies concerning remote work (i.e., telework) and sick leave.
• Workplace flexibilities: consider new or revised policies on telework and sick leave, and let employees know the options available to them.
• Training: include practices for ensuring employees receive training on the signs, symptoms, and risk factors associated with COVID-19; where, how, and to what sources of SARS-CoV-2 employees might be exposed in the workplace; and how to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 at work.
• Anti-retaliation: include practices for ensuring that no adverse or retaliatory action is taken against an employee who adheres to these guidelines or raises workplace safety and health concerns.

During all phases of reopening, employers should implement strategies for basic hygiene (e.g., hand hygiene; cleaning and disinfection), social distancing, identification and isolation of sick employees, workplace controls and flexibilities, and employee training that are appropriate for the particular phase.

Employers should monitor State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Government (SLTT) health department communications to understand how the communities in which their workplaces are located are progressing through the reopening phases identified in the guidelines.

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