COVID-19 Safety Updates
SGIA is consistently updating this page as we receive news. For questions or more information, reach out to the Government Affairs Department at govtaffairs@sgia.org.
Updated November 19, 2020 @ 2:45 PM
OSHA Issues Guidance for Workplace COVID-19 Ventilation Improvements
One of the primary pathways for spreading COVID-19 is the release of droplets in the air when talking, coughing, or sneezing by an infected person. These droplets may travel up to 6 feet, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently said that smaller COVID-19 particles can travel longer distances in enclosed spaces that have inadequate ventilation. Therefore, enclosed areas and offices that do not have proper ventilation can pose an increased infection risk to employees.
With the weather turning colder and people moving indoors into more confined spaces, there has been a rise in COVID-19 infections. Ventilation, or the process of introducing outdoor air to the indoors, can reduce the COVID-19 particles circulating indoors. To address the need to improve ventilation in indoor spaces, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), recently released guidance (PDF) instructing companies to consider steps to optimize building ventilation.
Among the recommendations, OSHA urges workplaces to ensure all Heating Ventilation and Air Condition (HVAC) systems are functional and to use filters with a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value rating of 13. OSHA also recommends the introduction of fresh air by increasing the HVAC's outdoor air intake or open windows where possible, and to keep exhaust fans running at maximum capacity in restrooms.
One of the recommendations included in the guidance comes from the American Society of Heating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHAE) to have employees that are changing filters to wear proper Personal Protective equipment such as N95 respirator, eye protection (e.g., safety glasses, goggles, or face shields), and disposable gloves. It is important to understand that if a N95 respirator is used by any employee, then a respirator program (e.g., written program, medical evaluation, fit testing, employee training, etc.) must be developed and implemented. Not having such a program is one of the top OSHA citations occurring during the pandemic.
Areas with good ventilation will reduce the risk of infection for employees. Along with keeping windows open and bringing fresh air inside, workspaces can reduce the spread of coronavirus by enhancing sanitation, encouraging improved hygiene practices, wearing face mask and coverings, providing for social distancing, staggering shifts, keeping remote work, and using flexible schedules when possible.
If you need assistance in developing a COVID-19 response plan or to enhance an existing one, download a copy of the PRINTING United Alliance’s COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan, which is free for members. For more information or if you have questions, please reach out to Marci Kinter, mkinter@printing.org; Gary Jones at gjones@printing.org, or Adriane Harrison at aharrison@printing.org.
Updated November 18, 2020 @ 1:00 PM
OSHA Issues Guidance Alerting Employers of Commonly Cited COVID-19 Standards
As the pandemic continues unabated and the number of COVID-19 infections increases, OSHA has stepped up enforcement of its regulations that help prevent the spread of the virus. As of November 13, 2020, OSHA had issued 204 citations relating to COVID-19 with total penalties of almost $2,856,533.
To assist companies in avoiding a penalty, OSHA issued a guidance and an accompanying one-pager to clarify which standards are most frequently cited during coronavirus-related inspections. OSHA compiled data from heavily cited establishments to create two new resources for employers to use during the current pandemic. The documents are based on data from citations that were issued in hospitals and healthcare, nursing homes and long-term care settings, and meat/poultry processing facilities.
The six-page guidance document (PDF) and accompanying one-page (PDF) summary provide resources that address respiratory protection, PPE, and the recording and reporting of injuries and illnesses. The Agency noted the common employer failures resulting in citations:
- Assess the workplace to determine if COVID-19 hazards require using respirators or other personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Establish, implement, and update a written respiratory protection program with required worksite-specific procedures.
- Provide appropriate (including correct type and size) respirator or PPE when necessary.
- Provide a medical evaluation before a worker is fit-tested or uses a respirator.
- Properly fit-test workers using tight-fitting respirators.
- Train workers on safe respirator/PPE use and retrain as needed in case of workplace changes.
- Store respirators and other PPE properly to prevent damage or contamination.
- Record and/or report (as appropriate) work-related fatalities, injuries, and illnesses.
While most employees in a printing operation will fall into OSHA’s low risk category, some employees who interact with the public, such as those who have a storefront, will fall into the medium risk category. The required use of respirators such as a N-95 mask would be rare, however, if N-95 masks are used voluntarily for any reason, a respirator program should be implemented.
If you need assistance in developing a COVID-19 response plan or to enhance an existing one, download a copy of the PRINTING United Alliance’s COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan, which is free for members. For more information or if you have questions, please reach out to Marci Kinter, mkinter@printing.org; Gary Jones at gjones@printing.org, or Adriane Harrison at aharrison@printing.org.
Updated October 26, 2020 @ 1:00 PM
Centers for Disease Control Updates “Close Contact” Guide for COVID-19
On October 21, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revised its guidance regarding those who are considered in “close contact” with someone who is infected with the coronavirus.
The CDC previously defined close contact as being within 6 feet of someone infected with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes or more. The updated guidance now defines close contact as being within 6 feet of someone with the virus for a cumulative total of 15 minutes (or more) over a 24-hour period.
The new Close Contact definition will require an employer to tally all short-duration contacts over the course of a full work shift (or even over two work shifts spanning a 24-hour period), potentially resulting in many more close contacts that will require quarantine.
Here is the new definition included on the CDC’s website:
Close Contact - Someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated. Individual exposures added together over a 24-hour period (e.g., three 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes)
Factors to consider when defining close contact include proximity (closer distance likely increases exposure risk), the duration of exposure (longer exposure time likely increases exposure risk), whether the infected individual has symptoms (the period around onset of symptoms is associated with the highest levels of viral shedding), if the infected person was likely to generate respiratory aerosols (e.g., was coughing, singing, shouting), and other environmental factors (crowding, adequacy of ventilation, whether exposure was indoors or outdoors). the determination of close contact should generally be made irrespective of whether the contact was wearing respiratory PPE. At this time, differential determination of close contact for those using fabric face coverings is not recommended.
The new guidance makes it clear that the use of masks or other face coverings does not impact the determination of a Close Contact. This means that even if an employee was wearing a face covering during the time they spent with an employee who was infected or became infected, will count toward a Close Contact scenario.
This revision may impact the ability to maintain staffing as it establishes a much lower threshold trigger for required quarantine. Both the CDC and OSHA recommend that an employee quarantine for 14 days if they experience a Close Contact exposure with someone who later is determined to have been COVID positive at the time of the contact.
As a result of this new Close Contact definition, employers should review their COVID-19 infection control plans with this new definition in mind and, at minimum, update their contact tracing questionnaires to include inquiries focused on the cumulative approach, such as:
- ID individuals with whom you had close contact within 48 hours of illness onset or sample collection.
- Were you in close contact with anyone for any amount of time during the infectious period?
- Did those contacts happen within a 24-hour period?
- Added together, did the contacts add up to 15 or more minutes?
For more information, please contact Printing United Alliance’s Government Affairs Department at govtaffairs@printing.org or Adriane Harrison at the Human Resources Department at aharrison@printing.org.
Updated October 9, 2020 @ 11:25 AM
OSHA Updates Its Guidance on Reporting COVID-19 Hospitalizations and Deaths
On October 1, 2020, OSHA published additional frequently asked questions and answers (FAQs) regarding the need to report employees’ in-patient hospitalizations and fatalities resulting from work-related cases of the coronavirus. In this updated document, the OSHA provides guidance on how to calculate reporting deadlines for in-patient hospitalizations and fatalities and clarifies the meaning of the term “incident” as it relates to work-related coronavirus in-patient hospitalizations and fatalities.
The FAQs are the latest effort by OSHA to provide employers and employees with more information about how it will enforce its standards and regulations during the pandemic. OSHA also previously published revised enforcement guidance detailing how OSHA will enforce the record-keeping requirements of 29 CFR 1904 for employee coronavirus illnesses for all employers. While FAQs are not binding from a regulatory perspective, they provide guidance and represent the latest thinking by OSHA.
The good news is that the new FAQs are more consistent with OSHA’s regulations governing injury and illness reporting. The new FAQs provide the following changes for reporting purposes:
- A “work-related incident” is defined as “an exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in the workplace.” A May 19, 2020 OSHA Memorandum outlines the inquiry the company should use to make the determination of the exposure happened at work.
- Hospitalizations must be reported within 24 hours from the time of the on-the-job exposure and subsequent hospitalization. The report must be made within 24 hours of the employer becoming aware that the employee was hospitalized due to the exposure and the exposure was work-related.
- A fatality must be reported within eight hours if it occurs within 30 days from an on-the-job exposure or work-related exposure.
The revised FAQs provide much more clarity regarding when COVID-19 work related exposures occur. If an employee becomes infected with the virus, employers now need to determine if the exposure was work related and the date and time of exposure in addition to the fate of the employee as this information will dictate what reports need to be filed with OSHA.
There are two additional items to consider with COVID-19 workplace exposures. First, several states such as California, Virginia, and New Mexico have established their own reporting requirements. Second, the federal reporting requirements apply to reporting only, not record-keeping. For work-related incidents, the OSHA 300 Log must be updated, and an OSHA 301 Report must be completed upon receipt of notice that an employee suffered a work-related COVID-19 illness, which would typically require days away from work.
Updated September 1, 2020 @ 1:25 PM
NIOSH Webpage Highlights CDC Guidance for Chemical Disinfectants
A new NIOSH webpage, Hazard Communication for Disinfectants Used Against Viruses, provides information on health hazards that could be caused by cleaning products and disinfectants. Also included are recommendations for barriers (e.g., gloves) and respiratory protection that workers can use to protect themselves from these hazards. When using disinfectants, the proper barrier protection should be used. This information, focusing on worker safety, supplements existing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for disinfection of viruses
Both cleaning and disinfecting are important for reducing the spread of viral illnesses. Some viruses may remain viable (living) for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials. Cleaning surfaces followed by disinfection is a best practice for preventing the spread of viral illnesses in the workplace. Cleaning refers to the removal of germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces. Cleaning does not kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection. Disinfecting refers to using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces. Disinfecting does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs that remain on a surface after cleaning, disinfecting can further lower the risk of spreading infection.
The web page contains a table that provides information about health hazards associated with recommended disinfectants for use against viruses and suggestions for how individuals can protect themselves against those health hazards while using the products. The table includes the following information:
- The chemical name and common names for that chemical
- The chemical abstract service number (CAS No.)
- Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) pictograms
- Health and flammability-related hazard statements
- Recommended glove barriers
- Recommended respiratory protection (commonly known as personal protective equipment)
Updated August 12, 2020 @ 4:45 PM
OSHA Enforcement Guidance About Reporting COVID-19 Cases
Under OSHA’s regulations, employers are required to both record and possibly report to OSHA situations where an employee becomes infected with COVID-19 due a work-related exposure. To help clarify when recording a work-related COVID-19 infection is necessary, OSHA has issued an enforcement memorandum to offer guidance about when employers must record COVID-19 cases on their Form 300.
Revised Enforcement Guidance for Recording Cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
If you have any questions about the criteria, please contact Gary Jones at gjones@printing.org orAdriane Harrison at aharrison@printing.org.
Updated August 10, 2020 @ 10:45 AM
FDA’s Hand Sanitizer Warning List Continues to Grow
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded its warning list of potentially dangerous hand sanitizers to more than 100 products. Since June, the agency has been expanding its list of hand sanitizers that may be contaminated with deadly methanol alcohol.
However, on Friday July 31, the FDA announced a new problem. Previously, the hand sanitizers contained the wrong kind of alcohol, methanol. The list now contains hand sanitizers that do not contain enough of the safe form of alcohol, either ethyl alcohol (ethanol) or isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent ethanol alcohol, for anyone not able to wash their hands for 20 seconds with soap and water. The CDC states that “Many studies have found that sanitizers with an alcohol concentration between 60–95% are more effective at killing germs than those with a lower alcohol concentration or non-alcohol-based hand sanitizers.” Sanitizers with an alcohol content below 60% may not work well for many types of germs and may merely reduce the growth of germs rather than kill them outright.
The FDA flagged the following hand sanitizers for being less effective:
- dgreen Advanced Sanitizer Alcohol Free
- dgreen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Antibacterial Gel
- Biokaab Inc. Hand Sanitizer
- Biokaab Inc. Hand Sanitizer Gel
- Clean Humans Hand Sanitizer
- Medicare Alcohol Antiseptic Topical Solution
- NeoNatural
- Datsen Hand Sanitizer
- Alcohol Antiseptic 62% Hand Sanitizer
- Bernal Hand Sanitizer
- Inflatables LLC Alcohol Antiseptic 65% Hand Sanitizer and Alcohol Antiseptic 70% Hand Sanitizer
In addition to the subpotent hand sanitizers, the FDA continues to warn against hand sanitizers that contain methanol, or wood alcohol, which is toxic when absorbed through the skin and can be deadly when swallowed. FDA’s previous recalls and warnings were for hand sanitizers that contain methanol.
You can find a list of hand sanitizers to avoid products on the FDA webpage.
Updated August 4, 2020 @ 12:55 PM
Virginia Implements Nation’s First COVID-19 Workplace Safety Standards
In what appears to be an emerging trend, state authorized Occupational Safety and Health agencies are in the process of issuing workplace regulations designed to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Virginia has now enacted an “emergency temporary standard” (ETS) and it became effective on July 27, 2020.
The ETS will be enforced by Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI). The requirements in the rule are based on the guidance and recommendations issued by CDC and federal OSHA. However, the Virginia rule now requires all employers regulated by DOLI to develop, implement, and enforce COVID-19 prevention and mitigation measures.
The ETS requires printing operations to conduct a COVID-19 risk assessment for each of its employees at the individual task level. There are four risk groups or classifications of low, medium, high, and very high. The classification will depend on the degree to which each workplace task may expose employees to COVID-19. Required protective measures must be put in place based on the risk level determination.
Some of the key requirements that must be followed under the new standard include:
- Classify employees by risk level based on workplace hazards and job tasks.
- Require workers to maintain social distancing.
- Require workers in customer-facing positions where social distancing is not possible to wear face coverings.
- Provide materials and supplies allowing for frequent hand washing or sanitizing for employees.
- Regularly clean high-contact surfaces.
- Implement a system for self-assessment and screening for signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
- Implement procedures that will prevent sick employees and other outside individuals from infecting healthy workers.
- Close or control access to common areas, breakrooms, and lunchrooms.
Employees known or suspected to be positive for COVID-19 are to be barred from returning to work for ten days, or until they receive negative results from two consecutive COVID-19 tests. Employers will be required to notify all employees in the same place of employment when another employee tests positive for COVID-19 within 24 hours of the employer being notified. In addition, the Department of Health will have to be notified within 24 hours. The DOLI must be notified if three or more workers test positive for the virus within a 14-day period.
Fines for violations could range from $13,000 to $130,000 and are set to increase for repeat offenders.
The ETS is set to expire in six months on January 27, 2021 unless it is extended or made permanent. The DOLI has indicated it wants to pursue a permanent regulation and the Government Affairs and Human Resources team will be monitoring and providing input into the rule as it is developed.
PRINTING United Alliance has prepared a detailed fact sheet (PDF) that provides additional information on what needs to be implemented under the new ETS regulation. In addition, the DOLI has prepared materials explaining the rule, support documents, and employee training information that can be used to meet many of the requirements.
Updated August 3, 2020 @ 9:55 AM
OSHA Revises Its Position on Face Coverings
In a change of position, the new OSHA FAQs site indicates that OSHA is now generally recommending that employers encourage workers to wear face coverings at work. Face coverings are intended to prevent wearers who have COVID-19 without knowing it (i.e., those who are asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic) from spreading potentially infectious respiratory droplets to others. This is known as source control.
This new position aligns OSHA with the CDC recommendation for all people to wear cloth face coverings when in public and around other people. The two agencies have stated that wearing cloth face coverings, if appropriate for the work environment and job tasks, conserves other types of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as surgical masks, for healthcare settings where such equipment is needed most.
OSHA recognizes that employers have the discretion to determine whether to allow employees to wear cloth face coverings in the workplace based on the specific circumstances present at the work site. For some workers, employers may determine that wearing cloth face coverings presents or exacerbates a hazard. For example, cloth face coverings could become contaminated with chemicals used in the work environment, causing workers to inhale the chemicals that collect on the face covering.
Over the duration of a work shift, cloth face coverings might also become damp (from workers breathing) or collect infectious material from the work environment (e.g., droplets of other peoples’ infectious respiratory secretions). Workers may also need to use PPE that is incompatible with the use of a cloth face covering (e.g., an N95 filtering facepiece respirator). Some face coverings also present a hazard if the employee wears them around moving equipment due to the presence of hanging straps or material that could get caught in machinery.
OSHA concludes that where cloth face coverings are not appropriate in the work environment or during certain job tasks, employers can provide PPE, such as face shields and/or surgical masks, instead of encouraging workers to wear cloth face coverings. Like cloth face coverings, surgical masks and face shields can help contain the wearer’s potentially infectious respiratory droplets and can help limit spread of COVID-19 to others.
There is acknowledgment that face shields alone are not as effective as face coverings or PPE. However, they do provide a level of protection that would not be present if worn. The CDC recommends that if face shields are used without a mask, they should wrap around the sides of the wearer’s face and extend to below the chin. Disposable face shields should only be worn for a single use. Reusable face shields should be cleaned and disinfected after each use.
The CDC also has additional information regarding how to wear face masks, take them off, and launder them. The same page has instructions on how to make your own mask.
Updated July 30, 2020 @ 12:15 PM
FDA Recalls More Hand Sanitizers Due to Presence of Methanol
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded the list of hand sanitizers being recalled to at least 75. The recall is being issued as toxic levels of methanol or wood alcohol in the recalled products may cause injury or death. The FDA has indicated that there has been an increase in hand sanitizers that are labeled as containing ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, but, instead, have tested positive for methanol, or wood alcohol. If methanol is absorbed through the skin, it can cause blindness and hospitalizations, or death if ingested.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, health officials have continuously urged Americans to wash their hands for 20 seconds at a time or to use hand sanitizer to protect against exposure to COVID-19, the coronavirus that causes the respiratory disease. The demand for hand sanitizer has surged and questionable new brands have made their way to store shelves across the United States, most imported from Mexico.
The FDA listed an import alert on a number of hand sanitizers to stop the products from entering the U.S., including:
- Blumen products
- Klar and Danver Instant Hand Sanitizer (labeled with Greenbrier International)
- Modesa Instant Hand Sanitizer Moisturizers and Vitamin E
- Hello Kitty by Sanrio Hand Sanitizer
- Assured Aloe
For the complete list, go to FDA hand sanitizer updates
Since May, at least seven people have died and dozens have been hospitalized in Arizona and New Mexico after ingesting hand sanitizer containing methanol, according to state health officials. At least some of the cases were related to alcoholism, officials have said. Though hand sanitizer should not be consumed, some people have been drawn to its high alcohol content.
Consumers are encouraged to check the FDA's regularly updated list for dangerous hand sanitizers before buying an unknown brand. For more information, or if you have questions please contact Printing United Alliance’s Government Affairs Department at govtaffairs@printing.org.
Updated July 28, 2020 @ 1:35 PM
OSHA Updates Its COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has updated its frequently asked questions and answers related to COVID-19. OSHA combined all frequently asked questions (FAQs) documents that address employer recommendations, related information generated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and additions to its own previously published information into one single FAQ website.
The FAQs have been grouped by topic for easier reference and are more user-friendly. OSHA defers to CDC guidelines for many of the answers to the questions and is careful to note that the FAQs are not a standard or a regulation, and, therefore, do not create any new legal obligations. The FAQs cover the following topics:
- General Information
- Cleaning and Disinfection
- Cloth Face Coverings
- Construction
- Employer Requirements
- Healthcare
- Personal Protective Equipment
- Reporting
- Restrooms and Handwashing Facilities
- Retaliation
- Return to Work
- Testing for COVID-19
- Training
- Worker Protection Concerns
Following the guidance in the FAQs helps protect against OSHA taking an enforcement action against your company. While there have been some citations issued to employers for COVID-19-related violations, they are not common. Employee complaints result in a letter to the employer requesting very specific information on what the employer is doing to address COVID-19, but on-site inspections are rare.
There are requirements, such as the General Duty Clause noted above, that OSHA acknowledges it could use as the basis for citations against such an employer. The agency has successfully used the General Duty Clause to cite employers in cases involving workplace violence and heat stress, which have resulted in far fewer employee fatalities than coronavirus.
Updated July 15, 2020 @ 9:30 AM
4e Brands North America Issues Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Hand Sanitizer Due to Potential Presence of Undeclared Methanol (Wood Alcohol)
On July 11, 2020, San Antonio, Texas, 4e Brands North America in conjunction with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a voluntarily recall of ten (10) bottle sizes of Hand Sanitizers. The products are being recalled due to the potential presence of methanol (wood alcohol), a substance that can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested.
These products are used as hand sanitizers and marketed to help decrease bacteria on the skin when soap and water are not available.
The Hand Sanitizer is in a clear bottle with a blue cap. The product label contains only blue, white, silver, and red coloring. The lot number is four digits and printed on the bottle.
The recalled products are as:
Product(s) | NDC(s) | SIZE | UPC | LOT |
BLUMEN Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Clear |
60599-015-00 | 33.8 fl oz / 1L | 814266023747 | 2213, 2219, 2220, 2221, 2223, 2225, 2252, 2255,2226, 2227, 2254, 2467, 2244, 2247, 2229, 2845,2847, 2212, 2217, 2222, 2250, 2249, 2463, 2465, 2676, 2678, 2846, 2216, 2228, 2399, 2464, 2466, 2684, 2246, 2259, 2675, 2683, 2218, 2245, 2231,2258, 2202, 2215, 2224, 2441, 2251, 2230, 2681, 2256, 2257, 2679, 2682 |
BLUMEN Advanced Hand Sanitizer |
60599-012-04 | 7.5 fl oz/ 221 ml | 814266023624 | 2369, 2440, 2368, 2499, 2439, 2576, 2680, 2744, 2498, 2968, 2497 |
60599-012-08 | 33.8 fl oz / 1L | 814266023693 | 2833, 2748, 2844, 2838, 2775, 2750, 2837, 2839, 2836, 2786, 2905, 2897, 2898, 2907, 2896, 2899, 2906, 2908, 2997, 2372, 2894, 2895, 2374, 2373, 2909 |
|
BLUMEN Clear LEAR Advanced Hand Sanitizer |
60599 -017-00 | 18 fl oz / 532 ml | 814266023914 | 2910, 2753 |
60599-018-01 | 2 fl oz / 60 ml | 814266023716 | 2234, 2571, 2383 | |
BLUMEN Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer |
60599-018-02 | 7.5 fl oz / 221 ml | 814266023624 | 2743, 2507, 2459, 2543, 2797, 2799, 2461, 2542, 2800, 2802, 2601, 2361, 2546, 2371, 2544, 2462, 2573, 2574, 2670, 2671, 2787, 2891, 2998, 2140, 2265, 2804, 2889, 2438, 2400, 2401, 2382, 2504, 3007, 2128, 2131, 2266, 2365, 2458, 2460, 2773, 2512, 2296, 2133, 2352, 2364, 2457, 2545, 2883, 2969, 2268, 2243, 2878, 2363, 2134 |
60599-018-04 | 17 fl oz / 503 ml | 814266023096 | 2263, 2362, 2367, 2780, 2269, 2264, 2741, 2749, 2366, 2745, 2778, 2188, 2293, 2294, 2132, 2135, 2669, 2501, 2673, 2505, 2885, 2788, 2877, 2879, 2187, 2130, 2261, 2262, 2600, 2500, 2509, 2515,2752, 2876, 2351, 2295, 2297, 2575, 2834, 2514, 2890, 2129, 2136, 2832, 2506, 2508, 2892, 2911, 2742, 2502, 2503, 2831, 2779, 2511, 2835, 2740, 2776, 2513, 2785, 2516, 2267 |
|
60599-018-06 | 1.05 GAL / 4L | 814266023686 | 2887, 2888, 2672, 2746, 2510, 2886, 2884, 2602, 2747, 2830, 2777, 2518, 2774, 2801, 2781, 2798, 2784, 2805 |
|
60599-018-07 | 3.4 fl oz 100 ml | 814266023594 | 2360, 2370, 2531, 2567, 2141, 2967, 2843, 2880, 2253 | |
BLUMEN Aloe Advanced Hand Sanitizer, with 70 Alcohol |
60599-028-00; | 3.4 fl oz / 100 ml | 814266023587 | 2369, 2440, 2368 |
4e Brands North America is arranging for the return and refund of all recalled products.
Consumers with questions regarding this recall can contact 4e Brands North America LLC during business hours: Monday - Friday 08:00 am - 5:00 pm EST at:
Toll Free: 888-843-0254
FAX: 888-214-7430
Email: 4EBrands8797@stericycle.com Event 8797
Updated July 8, 2020 @ 1:50 PM
- Federal: The EPA plans to terminate (PDF) its March 26 “COVID-19 Implications for EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program (PDF)” guidance effective August 31, 2020.
- Massachusetts: Governor Baker issued COVID-19 Order No. 42 (PDF), which rescinded his prior executive order suspending state permitting deadlines and extending the validity of state permits (COVID-19 Order No. 17).
Updated June 24, 2020 @ 12:30 PM
FDA Advises Consumers Not to Use 9 Types of Hand Sanitizers
The US Food and Drug Administration is warning people not to use certain hand sanitizer products due to the potential presence of methanol, a toxic substance when absorbed through skin or ingested. FDA advises consumers not to use any hand sanitizer manufactured by Eskbiochem SA de CV in Mexico, due to the potential presence of methanol (wood alcohol), a substance that can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested. FDA has identified the following products manufactured by Eskbiochem:
- All-Clean Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-002-01)
- Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-007-01)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-008-04)
- Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-006-01)
- The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-010-10)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-005-03)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-009-01)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-003-01)
- Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-001-01)
FDA tested samples of Lavar Gel and CleanCare No Germ. Lavar Gel contains 81 percent (v/v) methanol and no ethyl alcohol, and CleanCare No Germ contains 28 percent (v/v) methanol. Methanol is not an acceptable ingredient for hand sanitizers and should not be used due to its toxic effects.
Consumers who have been exposed to hand sanitizer containing methanol should seek immediate treatment, which is critical for potential reversal of toxic effects of methanol poisoning. Substantial methanol exposure can result in nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system or death. Although all persons using these products on their hands are at risk, young children who accidentally ingest these products and adolescents and adults who drink these products as an alcohol (ethanol) substitute, are most at risk for methanol poisoning.
FDA contacted Eskbiochem to recommend the company remove its hand sanitizer products from the market due to the risks associated with methanol poisoning. To date, the company has not taken action to remove these potentially dangerous products from the market.
Updated May 4, 2020 @ 3:15 PM
OSHA Issues 11 Translations of Its Poster Aimed At Reducing Workplace Exposure to the Coronavirus
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has translated and published its “Ten Steps All Workplaces Can Take to Reduce Risk of Exposure to Coronavirus” poster in 11 additional languages. The poster lists steps all workplaces can take to reduce the risk of exposure to coronavirus. The goal is help educate and protect America's workers and employers during the coronavirus pandemic.
The poster highlights 10 infection prevention measures every employer can implement to protect workers' safety and health during the coronavirus pandemic. Safety measures include encouraging sick workers to stay home, establishing flexible worksites and staggered work shifts, discouraging workers from using other workers' phones, desks and other work equipment, and using Environmental Protection Agency-approved cleaning chemicals with label claims against the coronavirus.
Currently available in English (PDF) and Spanish (PDF), the poster is available for download in the following languages:
Arabic (PDF) | Chinese Traditional (PDF) | Korean (PDF) | Tagalog (PDF) |
Brazilian Portuguese (PDF) | French Creole (PDF) | Polish (PDF) | Vietnamese (PDF) |
Chinese Simplified (PDF) | Hmong (PDF) | Russian (PDF) |
All printing operations are encouraged to download the poster, hang it in the workplace, and follow the practiced identified in it.
For more information on safe work practices, sanitizing the workplace and other information on how to address the situation contact SGIA’s Government Affairs Department at govtaffairs@sgia.org.
Updated April 28, 2020 @ 3:25 PM
American Heart Association Issues COVID-19 CPR Guidelines
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Heart Association (AHA) issued interim cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) guidelines (PDF) that apply during it. The interim guidelines were compiled by the AHA, in collaboration with the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association for Respiratory Care, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Society of Anesthesiologists, and Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists, with the support of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses and National EMS Physicians.
The AHA recommends bystanders and lay rescuers administer “hands only” CPR without mouth-to-mouth ventilation to limit exposures to the COVID-19 virus. The guidelines recommend that those administering CPR as first aid should cover their own and the cardiac arrest victim’s nose and mouth with a face mask or cloth to reduce the likelihood of disease transmission. Rescuers should use an automated external defibrillator (AED), if one is available, because defibrillation is not expected to generate aerosol particles.
Since the risks of infection can be even higher when administering CPR in an emergency or a healthcare facility, the guide contains additional recommendations to reduce the risk of infection for emergency medical services (EMS) technicians and healthcare workers.
Accompanying the guidelines are several informative infographics for administering CPR to adults (PDF) and children (PDF). They can be downloaded and shared with first aid providers, staff, and parents.
From a regulatory perspective, Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) regulations have provisions regarding when first aid is to be formally provided by the employer. If printing operations cannot have first aid or emergency response started with a 3-4 minute time period, they are required to have and provide formal first aid to their employees. OSHA’s medical services and first-aid regulation at 29 CFR 1910.151 requires that employers have personnel trained in first aid but does not contain a specific requirement for CPR training. Voluntary guidelines recommend that employers have personnel trained in providing CPR and the use of AEDs.
Updated April 27, 2020 @ 11:00 AM
CDC Adds to List of COVID-19 Symptoms
The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has added six additional symptoms to the initial list of three identified when the pandemic first broke. The additions come as health experts' understanding of the confounding disease evolves. The initial “Symptoms of Coronavirus” list on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) website were: fever, cough, and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
The six new additions are:
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
Symptoms of infection may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness.
According to the CDC, it is recommended that medical attention be sought immediately if any emergency warning signs are experienced. These include the following:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion or inability to arouse
- Bluish lips or face
The above list is not all inclusive. The CDC recommends consulting your medical provider if you have any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.
In addition to the new symptoms added, the medical community is investigating other effects of the COVID-19 virus. Some infected people develop purple or blue lesions on the feet and toes, most commonly appearing in children and young adults. This has been called “COVID toes.” Some doctors reported that the virus may trigger sudden strokes in adults in their 30s and 40s, which could be a result of blood clotting issues. The cause of these occurrences has not been fully identified.
Updated April 24, 2020 @ 1:50 PM
EPA Provides Information About Safe Disinfectant Use
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is continuing its efforts to provide critical information on surface disinfectant products that can be used to protect the health of all Americans throughout the COVID-19 public health emergency. EPA now has nearly 400 products that have qualified to be effective against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. EPA has also published an overview of its actions and resources related to disinfection against the novel coronavirus.
Among the reminders provided by EPA when using an EPA-registered surface disinfectant, always follow the product’s directions and remember:
- Wear chemical resistant gloves and safety glasses or goggle when using any disinfectant product.
- Never apply the product to yourself or others. Do not ingest disinfectant products. This includes never applying any product on List N (the agency’s list of disinfectants to use against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19) directly to food.
- Never mix products unless specified in the use directions. Certain combinations of chemicals will create highly toxic acids or gases.
- Wash the surface with soap and water before applying disinfectant products if the label mentions pre-cleaning.
- Follow the contact time listed for your product on List N. This is the amount of time the surface must remain visibly wet to ensure efficacy against the virus. It can sometimes be several minutes.
- Wash your hands after using a disinfectant. This will minimize your exposure to the chemicals in the disinfectant and the pathogen you are trying to kill.
EPA is also continuing to add additional chemicals to its list of common inert ingredients. These actions are intended to help address supply chain issues for EPA-registered disinfectants and other pesticides. It allows manufacturers of already-registered EPA products to change the source of listed inert ingredients.
To learn more about disinfectant safety, see this guide from the National Pesticide Information Center, about using disinfectants to control COVID-19: http://npic.orst.edu/ingred/ptype/amicrob/covid19.html
Updated April 21, 2020 @ 12:00 PM
OSHA Relaxing Enforcement Policy on Recurring Compliance Testing Requirements
In response to employers having difficulty meeting their compliance obligations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a new interim guidance on enforcement of certain OSHA regulations during the pandemic. The guidance document addresses requirements that entail annual testing, inspection, training and auditing. Employers not able to meet these requirements will be granted relief as long as the company makes good faith efforts to stay in compliance.
OSHA recognizes that current infection control practices may limit the availability of employees, consultants or contractors who normally provide training, auditing, equipment inspections, testing, and other essential safety and industrial hygiene services. Business closures and other restrictions may also preclude employee participation in training if trainers are unavailable and access to medical testing facilities may be limited or suspended.
Inspectors are instructed to assess an employer’s efforts to comply with standards that require annual or recurring audits, reviews, training or assessments. OSHA inspectors are being asked to evaluate “whether the employer made good faith efforts to comply with applicable OSHA standards and, in situations where compliance was not possible, to ensure that employees were not exposed to hazards from tasks, processes or equipment for which they were not prepared or trained.”
Specifically, the inspector will evaluate if a company:
- Explored all options to comply with applicable standards (e.g., use of virtual training or remote communication strategies)
- Implemented interim alternative protections, such as engineering or administrative controls
- Rescheduled required annual activity as soon as possible
Under this guidance, two scenarios are considered. The first scenario involves the continued operation of the printing facility during this pandemic. In this instance, OSHA will evaluate whether the employer explored other options to comply with the applicable standards (e.g., by remote training, virtual inspections, etc.), and will look for any efforts to implement interim alternative protections. OSHA will be looking for documentation and other evidence of the employer’s efforts to comply or because compliance would have created an unreasonable risk of exposure to employees. For example, many employers use mobile testing labs for annual audiograms or hearing tests. Conducting such testing requires employees to be in close contact with the person conducting the test, which violates the social distancing protocols. In addition, the testing firm may not want to conduct the tests for the same reason.
Acceptable documentation may include internal communications for training or a similar activity, contracts or invoices showing that the training or auditing service had been scheduled before the COVID-19 outbreak, and communications with the providers about the cancellation because of the pandemic.
If, however, the printing operation was closed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, OSHA will expect to see that the employer demonstrated further good faith attempts to return to compliance as soon as possible following the re-opening of the workplace, renewed availability of third-party services, and/or the relaxing of the various social distancing related policies. This assumes that any internal compliance activities will be scheduled to be completed as conditions and available personnel permit it to be accomplished and if outside services are needed, an effort will be made to get them scheduled for a future date.
If an employer cannot demonstrate any efforts to comply, OSHA may issue a citation. To ensure corrective actions employers have taken once normal activities resume, OSHA will develop a program to conduct monitoring inspections from a randomized sampling of cases where the agency noted, but did not cite, violations.
Examples of situations where enforcement discretion should be considered include annual audiograms, periodic inspection of Lockout/Tagout programs, annual hazardous waste operations training, annual respirator fit testing and training, and periodic medical evaluation for respirator use. While not an annual requirement, an activity that would be included is the three-year powered industrial truck training requirement if the anniversary fell during the pandemic.
This OSHA guidance took effect on April 16, 2020 and remain in effect until further notice. It is intended to be time-limited to the current public health crisis.
Updated April 20, 2020 @ 2:30 PM
OSHA Issues COVID-19 Enforcement Guidance to Focus Inspections on High Risk Sites
Due to overwhelming number of complaints that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has received regarding concerns from workers in essential businesses, the agency, issued on April 13, 2020, an Interim Enforcement Response Plan to its compliance personnel regarding conducting inspections during the pandemic. The guidance addresses prioritization of investigations, such as when to conduct an on-site inspection versus less formal investigations, and issues to focus on in connection with an inspection related to exposure to COVID-19 cases.
OSHA’s interim enforcement response plan provides instructions and guidance to OSHA Area Offices and compliance safety and health officers (CSHOs) for handling coronavirus-related complaints, referrals, and severe illness reports. The response plan follows OSHA’s guidance for business on the pandemic in that it uses the same hierarchy to classify workplaces and the threat of infection.
OSHA plans to focus its limited resources on the riskiest jobs where there is a high potential for exposure to the coronavirus, with fatalities and imminent danger exposures related to COVID-19 being prioritized for inspections. Workplaces considered to have workers at high risk of exposure include hospitals treating infected patients, nursing homes, emergency medical centers, home care or hospice care providers, funeral homes, biomedical laboratories, and medical transport. This means these businesses will have a much greater chance of being inspected than those in a lower risk category.
Businesses with lesser risk of workers being exposed to ill co-workers or customers, such as printing operations, will be assigned a lower priority for inspection. In these cases, there would likely not be an inspection. OSHA stated in the guidance, it will send a letter to the employer, which then has five business days to notify the agency about how it has addressed the complaint. The agency said it would then decide if an inspection is warranted based on the adequacy of the response.
OSHA does not have a specific rule for employers to follow to control hazards posed by the coronavirus. The agency has highlighted several standards inspectors can use to review compliance, including eye and face protection, sanitation protocols, general requirements for personal protective equipment, recordkeeping, respiratory protection for workers, and access to employee medical records. OSHA can issue a citation under these standards or the general duty clause, which states employers must provide workplaces that are free of known hazards that can be feasibly mitigated because they are viewing infection control practices and social distancing measures as a type of general duty obligation to protect employees from potential COVID-19 exposure.
To protect its personnel from exposure to the virus, OSHA stated that when an on-site inspection is conducted, inspectors should do as much of the inspection remotely as possible, using electronic means of communication or phone for the inspection’s opening conference with the employers. In-person interviews at inspection sites should be done in an uncontaminated administrative area and not interfere with work being performed.
OSHA guidance took effect on April 13, 2020 and remain in effect until further notice. It is intended to be time-limited to the current public health crisis.
Updated April 17, 2020 @ 3:30 PM
Using Cleaners and Disinfectants Effectively
As an essential business, printing operations have an obligation to ensure they are implementing programs designed to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This includes practicing social distancing, instituting frequent hand washing protocols, providing hand sanitizer, and instituting a sanitation program for workstations and frequently touched surfaces such as phones, tables, doorknobs, countertops, keyboards, toilets, etc.
Disinfectants are important products for keeping facilities and the people in them healthy and safe. When used as directed, disinfectants help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus as well as other infectious agents. For them to be effective, they need to be properly applied. When cleaning materials are used incorrectly, the outcome can be dangerous and even fatal. See SGIA’s sanitation guide that is based on CDC guidance regarding cleaning and disinfection for more information, Dangers of Mixing Bleach with Other Cleaners, and Follow CDC Guidelines for Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Printing Facility.
Before using any disinfectant, become familiar with the product and wear the proper personal protective equipment such as gloves, goggles or safety glasses with splash protection, or overalls. The materials need to be used in areas with proper ventilation. Below are some tips on how to use and apply disinfectants properly, to protect the health of those in your facility.
- Use an Approved Disinfectant – The Centers for Disease Control recommends to only use the materials found on EPA’s list of approved disinfectants EPA-registered household disinfectant. The choice of the material will depend upon the surface being cleaned so use the appropriate one for the surface being disinfected. Some products are appropriate for only hard surfaces like glass, metals, and plastics while others are only for porous surfaces such as carpeting and cloth.
If an EPA approved cleaner cannot be found, unexpired diluted household bleach solutions may also be used if appropriate for the surface. To make a bleach solution, mix 5 tablespoons (1/3rd cup) bleach per gallon of water or 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water. - Obtain and Read the Safety Data Sheet - Every disinfectant or cleaning chemical must have an accompanying safety data sheet (SDS). Read the SDS before using a product or putting it away. Section 7 of an SDS will guide on usage and storage precautions, as well as chemical incompatibility. This is especially important to avoid hazardous combinations of products. Mixing the wrong chemicals such as bleach and ammonia could be fatal.
- Follow the Manufacturer’s Directions - Follow manufacturer’s instructions for dilution, application, precautions, and dwell time. Some disinfectants come in a concentrate form and must be diluted in exactly the ratio indicated on the label. Not diluting the material properly can result in disinfectant failure. There may also be information on how compatible the material is with hard water. Lastly, it could also have information on what personal protective equipment and necessary ventilation is required when using the product.
- Use the Correct Cleaning Cloth – The recommended material for cloths and mops is synthetic microfiber-based materials. This is because products made from natural materials such as cotton may experience what is termed to be “Quat Binding”. According to com in the article What is Quat Binding and Why It Must Be Prevented, quaternary ammonium chloride disinfectants (e.g., Lysol) becomes attracted to and absorbed into natural based fabrics and are not effective.
- First Clean, Then Disinfect - Cleaning and disinfecting are two separate actions. Cleaning is the physical removal of dirt and grime from a surface. This must be done before moving to the disinfecting step in which microscopic germs are deactivated and removed from the surface. You usually need to clean something before disinfecting it, as disinfectants are most effective on grime-free surfaces. Before you can fully disinfect a surface, be sure to remove any dirt and grime that could disrupt the function of your disinfectant.
- Use Sufficient Dwell Time – Many disinfectants do not work instantaneously and must be in contact with the virus or other infectious agent to work. This means simply wiping down a surface and drying it immediately may not be completely effective. All disinfectants have a contact time, which is the minimum amount of time the disinfecting agent needs to work. Contact time varies by product. It could be 30 seconds, a minute, 10 minutes, or longer. The manufacturer’s information will provide the contact time for the product. It is important to make sure the product remains on any surface for at least that long.
- Keep Your Solution Clean – When using a disinfectant that is diluted with water, make sure the solution is frequently changed. This would be important when mopping floors or wiping down surfaces. If the solution is not changed often enough, you may end up simply re-spreading virus or other infectious agent along with any dirt picked up back over floors and other surfaces.
Choosing the correct disinfectant and knowing how to apply it is essential to maintaining a safe workplace for employees and visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding how to use the disinfectants properly will help guarantee sanitary success.
Updated April 16, 2020 @ 11:45 AM
What to Do If an Employee Is Diagnosed with COVID-19
Keeping employees safe during the COVID-19 pandemic is paramount to an overall program to prevent the spread of the virus to other workers. COVID-19 is highly contagious and having an employee that reports to work who later starts exhibiting symptoms needs to be immediately addressed to help stop the spread of the virus in the workplace.
In order to address the spread of the virus in the workplace, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued guidelines outlining what employers may and may not do to protect both employees and the community’s public health.
If an employee becomes sick at work, the following steps need to be taken in order to protect the ill employee and the remaining workforce:
- Send home any employee who is exhibiting symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, fever or has intestinal distress even if they have not been diagnosed with COVID-19.If possible, send the employee home by means other than public transportation.
- If the employee calls in sick because they are exhibiting symptoms, the employee needs to be instructed to stay home until they recover. The employee should not be allowed to return to work until they have experienced 72 hours of not having a fever.
- If an employee is diagnosed with COVID-19, notify other employees who may have been exposed to them. The infected employee should be asked to identify all other individuals such as coworkers, clients, vendors, guests with whom they had continuous and close contact within the preceding 14 days. Continuous means working in the same space or having in-person contact. Close contact is defined by the CDC as being within approximately 6 feet of a COVID-19 case for a prolonged period of time or having direct contact with infectious secretions such as being coughed on.
- Employers should notify potentially exposed employees and other identified parties of the diagnosis and the need to contact their health care providers. They may also have to notify local or state health authorities when employees are diagnosed with COVID-19.
- Protect the privacy of the diagnosed employee. When informing other exposed individuals, the name of the employee needs to be kept confidential. Try to avoid making any direct or indirect references that would lead coworkers to guess the identity of the employee, although that may be difficult. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires the confidentiality of employees’ medical information. In addition, any other information regarding the employee’s medical condition or their symptoms along with documentation also needs to be protected.
- Require exposed coworkers to go home or not report for work. Exposed employees need to be prevented from returning to work until they have passed a 14-day self-quarantine period without exhibiting symptoms, have doctor’s release, or a documented negative COVID-19 test.
Alternately, the CDC has issued guidance that critical infrastructure workers may be permitted to continue work following potential exposure to COVID-19, provided they remain asymptomatic and additional precautions are implemented to protect them and the community.
Critical Infrastructure workers who have had an exposure but remain asymptomatic should adhere to the following practices prior to and during their work shift:
- Pre-Screen: Employers should measure the employee’s temperature and assess symptoms prior to them starting work. Ideally, temperature checks should happen before the individual enters the facility.
- Regular Monitoring: As long as the employee doesn’t have a temperature or symptoms, they should self-monitor under the supervision of their employer’s occupational health program.
- Wear a Mask: The employee should wear a face mask at all times while in the workplace for 14 days after last exposure. Employers can issue facemasks or can approve employees’ supplied cloth face coverings in the event of shortages.
- Social Distance: The employee should maintain 6 feet and practice social distancing as work duties permit in the workplace.
- Disinfect and Clean Workspaces: Clean and disinfect all areas such as offices, bathrooms, common areas, shared electronic equipment routinely.
If the employee becomes sick during the day, they should be sent home immediately. Surfaces in their workspace should be cleaned and disinfected.
Do not permit the diagnosed employee to return to work until they have been free of symptoms for 72 hours, a documented negative COVID-19 test, or be cleared by a doctor. Given the current situation with health care providers, it may not be possible to obtain a formal certification. Relying upon a form from a local clinic or an email from such a facility could be used to confirm the employee does not have the virus. Also, some states and municipalities are not requiring employees have a formal release to return to work, so be aware of your specific state or municipality’s requirements.
If an employee has a confirmed case of coronavirus, you will need to disinfect the workplace. This includes any equipment the employee touched, workstations, common areas, countertops, doorknobs, bathrooms, and other frequently used surfaces in the workplace. See SGIA’s sanitation guide (PDF) that is based on CDC guidance regarding cleaning and disinfection.
Updated April 15, 2020 @ 11:45 AM
Employers Reminded Not to Retaliate Against Workers Reporting Unsafe Conditions During COVID-19 Pandemic
OSHA has reminded employers that it is illegal to retaliate against workers because they report unsafe and unhealthful working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic. OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Program enforces the whistleblower provisions of more than 20 whistleblower statutes protecting employees from retaliation for reporting violations of various workplace safety and health concerns in a variety of businesses and industries, including printing operations.
An employer cannot take an adverse action against employees for engaging in activities protected by OSHA’s whistleblower laws. An adverse action is an action which would dissuade a reasonable employee from raising a concern about a possible violation or engaging in other related protected activity. Retaliation can have a negative impact on overall employee morale.
Because an adverse action can be subtle, it may not always be easy to spot. Examples of adverse actions include, but are not limited to:
- Firing or laying off
- Demoting
- Denying overtime or promotion
- Disciplining
- Denying benefits
- Failing to hire or rehire
- Intimidation or harassment
- Making threats
- Reassignment to a less desirable position or actions affecting prospects for promotion (such as excluding an employee from training meetings)
- Reducing pay or hours
- More subtle actions, such as isolating, ostracizing, mocking, or falsely accusing the employee of poor performance
- Blacklisting (intentionally interfering with an employee’s ability to obtain future employment)
- Constructive discharge (quitting when an employer makes working conditions intolerable due to the employee's protected activity)
OSHA has set a process where employees can file a whistleblower complaint online or call them at 1-800-321-OSHA if they believe their employer has retaliated against them for exercising their rights under the whistleblower protection laws.
OSHA has developed some guidance that employers can follow to create workplaces in which workers feel comfortable voicing their concerns without fear of retaliation. There are five key elements to creating an effective anti-retaliation program or enhancing an existing one and OSHA ‘s guidance document, Recommended Practices for Anti-Retaliation Programs (PDF), explains the elements.
OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Program webpage provides valuable resources on worker rights, including fact sheets on whistleblower protections for employees in various industries and frequently asked questions.
Updated April 14, 2020 @ 12:35 PM
Cleaner and Disinfectant Chemical Safety
In order to remain open as an essential business, printing operations need to implement a sanitation program in conjunction with social distancing and hand washing practices. As printing operations implement a sanitation program, they may start using some household cleaning products such as hydrogen peroxide, alcohol with at least 70% concentration, bleach, or other cleaners to sanitize workstations and other frequently touched surfaces.
Mixing certain household cleaning products can be dangerous, even life-threatening in some cases. Out of those deadly combinations of cleaning products, the one can present the greatest hazards is mixing bleach with other cleaners. In this posting, we cover the dangers of mixing bleach with other chemicals.
During this trying time, it is important to make sure that employees are kept safe from contracting COVID-19 and part of that is having a sanitation plan and ensuring that the chemicals being used are done in a safe manner. SGIA has developed a sanitation guide to aid printing operations in their sanitation efforts.
Updated April 13, 2020 @ 3:20 PM
OSHA Revises COVID-19 Recordkeeping Requirements
In a clarification to its initial position, OSHA is now going to exercise its enforcement discretion regarding the need for many establishments, including printing operations, to record cases of COVID-19 infections in its workforce. Initially when the coronavirus pandemic began, OSHA maintained its historic position that if an employee contracted the virus and became ill at work, the employer would be required to make a determination that it was work related and if so determined, it needed to be recorded as an illness on OSHA Form 300. The other conditions of recordability included confirmation that the illness was COVID-19 and the employee missed work, or became hospitalized, or was sent home for quarantine, and could not otherwise perform their duties from home.
On Friday April 10, 2020 OSHA issued interim guidance with no expiration date for enforcing OSHA’s recordkeeping requirements (29 CFR Part 1904) as it relates to recording cases of COVID-19. Under the interim guidance, printing facilities will not be required to report coronavirus cases among their employees because companies “may have difficulty making determinations about whether workers who contracted COVID-19 did so due to exposures at work.”
OSHA’s guidance does provide an exception in which recording a COVID-19 illness would be required. An employer must record a COVID-19 illness when:
- There is objective evidence that a COVID-19 case may be work-related. This could include, for example, a number of cases developing among workers who work closely together without an alternative explanation; and
- The evidence was reasonably available to the employer. For purposes of this memorandum, examples of reasonably available evidence include information given to the employer by employees, as well as information that an employer learns regarding its employees’ health and safety in the ordinary course of managing its business and employees.
This enforcement policy will help employers focus their response efforts on implementing sanitation and other good hygiene practices in their workplaces rather than on making difficult work-relatedness decisions in circumstances where there is community transmission. SGIA has developed a sanitation guide to aid printing operations in their sanitation efforts.
Updated April 10, 2020 @ 10:15 AM
Can Printing Operations Require Workers to Wear A Face Mask?
The recommendations on face masks or face coverings during the COVID-19 pandemic have been very fluid and now some states and local municipalities are requiring employees in essential businesses that are interacting with the public to wear them at work. The orders have been silent on essential employees, such as workers in printing operations, who are not encountering the general population.
Compounding the question is that many of the current orders involving social distancing are strongly encouraging everyone to wear a face mask or use a face covering while they are in public and could be interacting with someone. In the recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for workers who have been exposed to the coronavirus, but are asymptomatic, they are requiring workers in this situation to wear facemasks or face coverings.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has released guidance that states an employer may require employees to wear PPE, such as a facemask, that is designed to reduce the transmission of the coronavirus during the pandemic. They also state where an employee with a disability needs a related reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), such as some allergic to latex or someone in an wheelchair that cannot wear a gown, the employer should provide these, absent undue hardship.
The key question is a that as COVID 19 pandemic continues, can printing operations require employees to wear facemasks or have a face covering in the workplace? The answer to the question is yes, an employer can require employees to wear facemasks or face coverings in the workplace to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. There is growing evidence indicating that some people that become infected do not exhibit any symptoms and can infect others and a facemask or other face covering will help prevent an infected person from spreading the virus.
Since printing operations are considered by OSHA to be a low-risk category of operation in their COVID-19 guidance (PDF), N95 or similar types of higher efficiency respirators are not required. OSHA’s current guidance for lower risk workers is not currently recommending face covers. While the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has recently recommended wearing cloth facemasks in public, especially in high-risk areas.
Common facemasks such as surgical masks are not respirators as they are loose fitting while an N95 face mask is a disposable respirator. Respirators are tight fitting and is designed to protect your lungs not only against dust and pollen but other airborne particulates such as the corona virus. Since surgical masks and other face coverings are made of porous cloth or a synthetic fiber and they are loose fitting, they provide little protection against as they can easily get through or around them. The value of these types of face coverings is that they primary protect others from your own germs. They also help the worker from touching their nose and mouth, then touching surfaces, such as doorknobs, that other people will then touch.
If a printing operation would require the use of a N95 or similar respirator or an employee would wear one on a voluntary basis, the requirements in OSHA’s regulations covering respirators found at 29 CFR 1910.134 would have to be followed. The regulations require several actions including a written respiratory protection program that includes fit-testing, training, and medical exams.
Surgical masks and other similar face coverings do not have the same requirements. OSHA does require that the employee be given a copy of Appendix D of the standard. Appendix D Information for Employees Using Respirators When Not Required Under the Standard is mandatory and is it contains information about the proper use and limitations of these types of respirators.
If an employee refuses to wear a facemask or has an underlying medical condition that prevents their ability to wear a mask, the employer cannot assign the employee work in areas that would require the employee to wear the mask. This may entail that they may not be able to perform their duties as required until the pandemic has subsided.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to unfold, the use of face masks or other face coverings is becoming a more common recommendation by several government agencies as one approach to help stop the spread of the virus. Some essential businesses are being mandated to have their employees wear face coverings, but for printing operations it is currently within the discretion the company to require the continuous use of facemasks or other face coverings. If the company does decide to require them, they have the support of the government agencies and would have to address any situation where the use of them presents a concern for an individual employee.
Updated April 9, 2020 @ 1:15 PM
CDC Guidelines for Essential Workers Exposed to COVID-19
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidelines Interim Guidance for Implementing Safety Practices for Critical Infrastructure Workers Who May Have Had Exposure to a Person with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19 aimed at getting workers who have been exposed to the coronavirus in critical fields back to work faster.
Under the old guidance, workers were told to stay at home for 14 days if they were exposed to someone who had tested positive for coronavirus. The new guidelines will allow critical workers who have been exposed go back to work if they are asymptomatic and follow certain conditions.
A potential exposure means being a household contact or having close contact within 6 feet of an individual with confirmed or suspected COVID-19. The timeframe for having contact with an individual includes a 48-hour timeframe before the individual became symptomatic.
According to the guidelines essential workers who have had an exposure, but remain asymptomatic should adhere to the following practices prior to and during their work shift:
- Pre-Screen: Employers should measure the employee’s temperature and assess symptoms prior to them starting work. Ideally, temperature checks should happen before the individual enters the facility.
- Regular Monitoring: If the employee doesn’t have a temperature or other symptoms, they should self-monitor their temperature and report to the employer if their temperature increases or they exhibit any symptoms. If the employee does not take their own temperature, the employer should take it prior to them starting work.
- Wear a Mask: The employee should always wear a face mask while in the workplace for 14 days after last exposure. Employers can issue facemasks or can approve employees’ supplied cloth face coverings in the event of shortages.
- Social Distance: The employee should maintain 6 feet apart from any other coworkers and practice social distancing as work duties permit in the workplace.
- Disinfect and Clean Workspaces: Clean and disinfect all areas such as offices, bathrooms, common areas, shared electronic equipment routinely.
The guidelines also include actions that the essential workers must not do under any circumstance. They must not share headsets, headgear, or any type of object that is used near the face. The workers are not allowed to congregate in crowded places or break rooms.
If the employee becomes sick during the day, they should be sent home immediately. Surfaces in their workspace should be cleaned and disinfected. Information on persons who had contact with the ill employee during the time the employee had symptoms and 2 days prior to symptoms should be compiled and informed of their potential exposure. Others at the facility with close contact within 6 feet of the employee during this time would be considered exposed.
Employers should implement the recommendations in the SGIA Sanitation Guide and Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 to help prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace.
Updated April 8, 2020 @ 1:40 PM
CDC Issues Questions and Answers On COVID-19 Response for Manufacturers
As the COVID-19 has continued and businesses are seeking more definitive recommendations on how to address employees that become ill or are suspected of contracting the virus in the workplace, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued interim guidance for the business community. The guidance is based on what is currently known about COVID-19 and may help prevent workplace exposures to COVID-19. CDC will update the interim guidance as needed when additional information becomes available.
The guidance addresses several commonly encountered scenarios and includes what action should be taken if there is a worker that is confirmed or suspected of contracting COVID-19, how to clean and sanitize areas where the employee worked or could have touched, and how to address return to work. The guidance should be used in conjunction with the SGIA Sanitation Guide and Frequently Asked Questions on Sanitation, which are also based on CDC guidance, to protect worker health and safety.
Updated April 7, 2020 @ 12:20 PM
New OSHA Poster Aimed at Reducing Workplace Exposure to the Coronavirus
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a new poster listing steps all workplaces can take to reduce the risk of exposure to coronavirus. The goal is to help educate and protect America's workers and employers during the coronavirus pandemic.
The poster highlights 10 infection prevention measures every employer can implement to protect workers' safety and health during the coronavirus pandemic. Safety measures include encouraging sick workers to stay home; establishing flexible worksites and staggered work shifts; discouraging workers from using other workers' phones, desks and other work equipment; and using Environmental Protection Agency-approved cleaning chemicals with label claims against the coronavirus.
The new poster is available for download in English, or Spanish.
All printing operations are encouraged to download the poster, hang it in the workplace, and follow the practice identified in it.
Updated April 6, 2020 @ Noon
OSHA Issues Guidance For Respiratory Protection During N95 Shortage Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued interim enforcement guidance to help combat supply shortages of disposable N95 filtering face piece respirators (N95 FFRs). The action marks the department’s latest step to ensure the availability of respirators and follows President Donald J. Trump’s Memorandum on Making General Use Respirators Available.
Due to the impact on workplace conditions caused by limited supplies of N95 FFRs, employers should reassess their engineering controls, work practices and administrative controls to identify any changes they can make to decrease the need for N95 respirators.
If respiratory protection must be used, employers may consider use of alternative classes of respirators that provide equal or greater protection compared to an N95 FFR, such as National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved, non-disposable, elastomeric respirators or powered, air-purifying respirators.
When these alternatives are not available, or where their use creates additional safety or health hazards, employers may consider the extended use or reuse of N95 FFRs, or use of N95 FFRs that were approved but have since passed the manufacturer’s recommended shelf life, under specified conditions.
This interim guidance will take effect immediately and remain in effect until further notice. This guidance is intended to be time-limited to the current public health crisis. Visit OSHA’s Coronavirus webpage regularly for updates.
For further information about COVID-19, please visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.
Updated April 3, 2020 @ Noon
Keeping Your Employees Safe - Updated Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Guidance
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) updated its guidance titled Pandemic Preparedness in the Workplace and the Americans With Disabilities Act to account for the issues employers face in the wake of COVID-19. The guidance, originally written in response to the 2009 H1N1 outbreak, provides vital information to employers who seek to keep their workplaces safe within the bounds of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).
In this article, several key items were excerpted from the new EEOC guidance to provide key information for employers. Also included are some tips and suggestions for the practical implementation of the guidance.
The complete guidance from the EEOC can be read here.
Updated April 2, 2020 @ 11:35 AM
Can You Get COVID-19 From Your Mail?
A common question that is being asked is “Can I become infected with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) by touching my mail or a package?” Some key information on answering this question was included in a study released by the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) Doremalen et al. (2020). The results of the study is making headlines and is making people think twice about how they might be exposed to COVID-19 if they open a box delivered to them, touch packages at the grocery store, or accept delivery of takeout food or groceries.
Disease transmission from inanimate surfaces can happen and there is a term for it, called fomite transmission, which is the transmission of the virus from an inanimate object that has been contaminated by an infected individual. The NEJM study indicated that viable virus could be detected in aerosols up to three hours post aerosolization, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel.
It is important to understand that detection does not necessarily equate into a viable virus capable of causing an infection if it was introduced into a human. In order to understand the potency of an infectious agent, such as a virus, scientists examine the half-life of a substance. Half-life is how long it takes the viral concentration to decrease by half, then half of that half, and so on until it’s gone. Half-life is also dependent upon the concentration of the virus, which means surfaces contaminated with only a small concentration would have a much shorter half-life and become non-detectable in a short time period measured over minutes vs hours.
The NEJM study indicates that that the virus’s half-life on copper was 46 minutes, stainless steel was 5.6 hours, plastic was 6.8 hours, and cardboard was 3.5 hours. The authors note that more variability was found in replicates for the result of cardboard, and thus the findings are associated with some uncertainty.
In order to get infected from your mail or package, there has to be several factors present such as having an infected person pack your order, an infected person shedding the virus on the package, and the person coming into to contact with virus while it is viable and transmitting it into their body via their hands. Even though the likelihood is small, the following steps can be taken to reduce the risk even further to prevent infected from my mail or a package:
- Leave the mail and cardboard package in your mailbox or at your door for a day or bring it inside and leave it right inside your door, then wash your hands again.
- If you need to open the mail or package right away or are still concerned there was any virus on the package, wipe down the exterior with a disinfectant, or open it outdoors and put the packaging in the recycling can, then wash your hands.
- If you are shopping for groceries, the same approach applies. Shop when you need to, keeping six feet from other customers, and load items into your cart. Keep your hands away from your face while shopping and wash them as soon as you get home. Put away your groceries, and then wash your hands again. Depending upon the type of package, wait the indicated time and use the product.
- If you need to use something immediately, and want to take extra precautions, wipe the package down with a disinfectant and wash your hands.
- As usual wash all fruits and vegetables as you normally would.
Taking basic precautions, including washing your hands frequently, will greatly reduce the danger from accepting a package from a delivery driver or from takeout from a local restaurant or from buying groceries.
Updated April 1, 2020 @ 11:10 AM
Printing Operations Remaining Open Need to Implement a Sanitation Plan
Since printing and support activities have been deemed by many states and municipalities as an essential or life sustaining business, it is imperative that printing operations critical infrastructure industries have a special responsibility in these times to continue operations.
This means companies need to implement measures during the response to the COVID-19 emergency to protect the public health and wellbeing of their employees. Instituting safe work measures for employees during this time is essential for them, their family, and others they may encounter. Having these measures also demonstrates the commitment on the part of the company to ensure safety practices are being followed. These actions include cleaning the workplace, encouraging proper hand washing, practicing social distancing, and other hygiene procedures.
In order to assist printing operations in developing and implementing a program, SGIA has prepared the SGIA Sanitation Guide that is based on guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The guide contains useful information that will significantly reduce the possibility of an employee becoming infected and transmitting it to their coworkers.
Updated: March 31, 2020 @ 10:10 AM
OSHA’s Requirements For Remote Workers
Many printing operations are allowing or encouraging employees to telecommute, and OSHA does have requirements for home-based workers. OSHA does distinguish between home offices, areas of an employee’s home in which an employee conducts office work activities such as answering phone calls, research, reading, and writing, and home-based worksites, areas of an employee’s home where the employee “performs work of the employer” such as home manufacturing operations.
Since home offices are the more typical current telework scenario, OSHA has reiterated its policy that it will not conduct at-home workplace inspections and that it will generally not hold employers liable for at-home safety issues. However, employers’ other health and safety obligations remain intact, even for remote employees. Employers also retain responsibility for hazards caused by materials, equipment, or work processes the employer provides or requires to be used in an employee’s home.
In the case of an injury sustained at home, OSHA will consider an injury “work-related” if it both occurs while the employee is performing work for pay in their home and is directly related to the performance of work, rather than to the general home environment or setting. Employers are thus required to keep records of work-related injuries (and update their OSHA Form 300 logs) that otherwise meet the recordability criteria suffered by remote workers. So, employers should encourage all remote employees to report workplace injuries and unsafe working conditions and notify them of the procedures to do so.
Updated: March 30, 2020 @ 10:45 AM
OSHA’s Requirements for Recording and Reporting COVID-19 Incidents
Under OSHA’s recordkeeping regulations printing operations are required to record certain illnesses on OSHA Form 300. While the recordkeeping regulations generally exempt the “common cold and flu,” COVID-19 is not considered a common cold or flu. However, OSHA’s current guidance states “COVID-19 can be a recordable illness if a worker is infected as a result of performing their work-related duties.” OSHA has indicated that employers are only responsible for recording cases of COVID-19 if all of the following are met:
- The case is a confirmed case of COVID-19
- The case is work-related as defined by OSHA regulations
- The case involves one or more of OSHA’s general recording criteria such as days away from work, job transfer, and medical treatment.
Generally, an illness is work-related for OSHA purposes if it is more likely than not that a factor or exposure in the workplace caused or contributed to the illness. For example, an employee who contracts a confirmed case COVID-19 from outside the workplace has not experienced a “work-related” injury. However, if that same employee then comes into work and infects a co-worker, the co-worker may be considered to have experienced a work-related illness, which would need to be included on the employer’s Form 300 log if they miss work or have to receive medical treatment.
OSHA also requires all employers to report any workplace incident that results in a fatality within eight (8) hours or an in-patient hospitalization within 24 hours. Only formal admissions to the in-patient service of a hospital or clinic for care or treatment are reportable. Therefore, there may be an instance where a work-related infection could require reporting.
Updated: March 27, 2020
The spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has had an unprecedented impact on printing operations ranging from interrupting business flow, disrupting supply and delivery chains, upsetting financial markets, disrupting travel plans, and forcing the cancellation of meetings and events. It has also impacted employees causing absenteeism and forcing many into teleworking.
In response to growing concerns regarding COVID-19, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently issued guidance to employers concerning their regulatory obligations to keep workplaces safe during the current COVID-19 pandemic. OSHA’s guidance includes information on the ways COVID-19 can spread, which includes between people who are in close contact (within about 6 feet) and through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
OSHA Requirements
OSHA does not have a specific regulation addressing COVID-19. This does not mean that printing operations are exempt from OSHA compliance in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak. OSHA has identified several regulations that would apply due to the risk and presence of coronavirus in the workplace and they include:
- General Duty Clause [Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, 29 U.S.C. § 654(a)(1)] This requires employers to furnish to each worker “employment and a place of employment, which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.” OSHA may cite an employer under the general duty clause if the employer allows or directs a known infected employee to come to work and expose other employees to the risk of infection.
- Personal Protective Equipment (29 CFR 1910.132)These standards may require using gloves, eye and face protection, and respiratory protection, among other things, in appropriate circumstances. Use of N95 or other respirators require implementation of a comprehensive program including a written program, medical evaluation, fit testing, maintenance, employee training etc.
- Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200)This standard requires employers to provide training on chemical hazards, safe handling, and protection measures for employees exposed to hazardous chemicals such as those being used for cleaning and disinfection.
- Sanitation (29 CFR 1910.141) This standard requires all places of employment to be kept clean to the extent that the nature of the work allows.
- Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) This standard applies occupational exposure to human blood and other potentially infectious materials that typically do not include respiratory secretions that may transmit COVID-19. However, the provisions of the standard offer a framework that may help control some sources of the virus, including exposures to body fluids (e.g., respiratory secretions) not covered by the standard.
Recording and Reporting COVID-19 Incidents
Under OSHA’s recordkeeping regulations printing operations are required to record certain illnesses on OSHA Form 300. While the recordkeeping regulations generally exempt the “common cold and flu,” COVID-19 is not considered a common cold or flu. However, OSHA’s current guidance states “COVID-19 can be a recordable illness if a worker is infected as a result of performing their work-related duties.” OSHA has indicated that employers are only responsible for recording cases of COVID-19 if all of the following are met:
- The case is a confirmed case of COVID-19
- The case is work-related as defined by OSHA regulations
- The case involves one or more of OSHA’s general recording criteria such as days away from work, job transfer, and medical treatment.
Generally, an illness is work-related for OSHA purposes if it is more likely than not that a factor or exposure in the workplace caused or contributed to the illness. For example, an employee who contracts a confirmed case COVID-19 from outside the workplace has not experienced a “work-related” injury. However, if that same employee then comes into work and infects a co-worker, the co-worker may be considered to have experienced a work-related illness, which would need to be included on the employer’s Form 300 log if they miss work or have to receive medical treatment.
OSHA also requires all employers to report any workplace incident that results in a fatality within 8 hours or an in-patient hospitalization within 24 hours. Only formal admissions to the in-patient service of a hospital or clinic for care or treatment are reportable. Therefore, there may be an instance where a work-related infection could require reporting.
Remote Workers
Many printing operations are allowing or encouraging employees to telecommute, and OSHA does have requirements for home-based workers. OSHA does distinguish between home offices, areas of an employee’s home in which an employee conducts office work activities such as answering phone calls, research, reading, and writing, and home-based worksites, areas of an employee’s home where the employee “performs work of the employer” such as home manufacturing operations.
Since home offices are the more typical current telework scenario, OSHA has reiterated its policy that it will not conduct at-home workplace inspections and that it will generally not hold employers liable for at-home safety issues. However, employers’ other health and safety obligations remain intact, even for remote employees. Employers also retain responsibility for hazards caused by materials, equipment, or work processes the employer provides or requires to be used in an employee’s home.
In the case of an injury sustained at home, OSHA will consider an injury “work-related” if it both occurs while the employee is performing work for pay in their home and is directly related to the performance of work, rather than to the general home environment or setting. Employers are thus required to keep records of work-related injuries (and update their OSHA Form 300 logs) that otherwise meet the recordability criteria suffered by remote workers. So, employers should encourage all remote employees to report workplace injuries and unsafe working conditions and notify them of the procedures to do so.
Anti-Retaliation
Due to the constant influx of news and information and occasional misinformation that employees may be hearing, reading, or discussing, employers should keep in mind the OSH Act’s anti-retaliation provision. This provision prohibits employers from retaliating against workers for raising concerns about safety and health conditions. OSHA’s current position is that most workers remain at a low risk for exposure. Therefore, maintaining a calm presence in the face of employee concerns will help alleviate anxiety and provide reassurances to worried workers helping to avoid a potential retaliation claim.
Workplace Actions
Given broad scope of the general duty clause and other regulations, OSHA’s COVID-19 Guidance provides a suite of recommendations to assist employers in assessing risk and determining appropriate planning, prevention, and control measures in the workplace.
While each printing operation must tailor their response to their specific workplace, the following are actions that should be implemented:
- Encourage all employees who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms to inform their supervisor.
- Create a policy to prevent employees infected with COVID-19 to stay away from work until they are no longer infected.
- Have employees practice social distancing, defined as being 6 feet away from each other, while at work.
- Encourage employees to frequently wash their hands and provide information on proper hand washing. "Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing."
- Encourage employees to not touch their face eyes, nose or mouth.
- Provide hand sanitizer and encourage employees to use it when they can’t wash their hands.
- Provide tissues, trash receptacles or other hygiene products.
- Provide information on how to properly cover their cough or sneeze with a tissue or use the inside of your elbow, then throw the tissue in the trash followed by washing their hands.
- Discourage employees from shaking hands, hugging or engaging in other personal contact.
- Prepare and hang posters that encourage proper hygiene practices.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using EPA identified disinfectant sprays or wipes.
As printing operations implement their COVID-19 response plans and policies, additional examples provided in the COVID-19 OSHA Guidance may be helpful. Employers also should consider and incorporate guidance from other agencies such as the CDC, which has best practices for employers to mitigate and handle exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace and state and local health agencies.
Summary and Conclusion
The events of the past several weeks have shown that COVID-19 is impacting printing operations and its workforce. Printing companies that are continuing operations must implement policies and procedures designed to protect employees from contracting COVID-19 in the workplace. OSHA’s COVID-19 Guidance is a useful tool to design approaches to mitigate the current situation and to protect the safety of its employees.
Gary A. Jones is the director of environmental, health and safety (EHS) affairs at PRINTING United Alliance in Fairfax, VA. His primary responsibility is to monitor and analyze EHS regulatory activities at all domestic and some international government levels. He provides representation on behalf of the printing and specialty graphic imaging industry. In doing so, Mr. Jones works closely with the federal and state-level Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA), Department of Transportation (DOT), and other agencies. He also provides membership assistance on EHS compliance and sustainability programs through a variety of approaches including responding to inquiries, presentations, writing, and consulting services.
Mr. Jones is also supporting PRINTING United Alliance’s efforts for the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP). SGP is dedicated to assisting printing operations respond to the customer demand for sustainable printing.
He holds a BS in biology from LaRoche College and an MS in chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh.