WORKPLACE PROTECTIONS
Resources
UPDATED 6/25/2020
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
ASSESSMENT OF N95 RESPIRATOR DECONTAMINATION AND RE-USE FOR SARS-CoV-2
Source: Robert Fischer et al. Assessment of N95 respirator decontamination and re-use for SARS-CoV-2, (2020). DOI: 10.1101/2020.04.11.20062018
Date posted: 4/16/2020
Description: N95 respirators can be decontaminated effectively and maintain functional integrity for up to three uses, according to National Institutes of Health scientists. All four methods eliminated detectable viable virus from the N95 fabric test samples. S
Keywords: N95 decontamination; methods of decontamination; effective decontamination
Language: English
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-04-nih-validates-decontamination-methods-reuse.html
DISINFECTION OF FILTERING FACE PIECE RESPIRATORS
Source: 3M
Description: Summarizes four key aspects of disinfection of respirators and corresponding studies. As of March 27,2020, no disinfection method has met all four of these key criteria, and without all four, the method is not acceptable
Date posted: March 2020 Release 2
Keywords: Disinfection of filtering face piece respirators
Language: English
DONNING AND DOFFING PPE
Source: IDEAO/ University of Chicago Medicine
Description: In partnership with the University of Chicago Medicine, IDEO designed a set of instructional signs and communications principles to help healthcare workers providing care for COVID-19 patients better understand how to protect themselves by properly taking on and off their personal protective equipment (PPE) while in a clinical setting.
Date posted: April 2020
Keywords: Donning/doffing PPE; instructional guide; communication guide
Language: English
https://www.ideo.com/post/designing-for-covid-safety-ppe-instructions-for-clinical-settings
FULL BARRIER PROTECTIONS
Source: Minnesota Department of Health
Description: Full Barrier Precautions are the combination of airborne and contact precautions, plus eye protection, in addition to standard precautions. Diseases requiring full barrier precautions include, but are not limited to: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and all known and suspect avian and pandemic influenza patients.
Date posted: 2/21/20
Keywords: Full barrier protections; source supporting combination of airborne and contact precautions; shoe covers; head covers
Language: English
https://www.health.state.mn.us/facilities/patientsafety/infectioncontrol/pre/fullbarrier.html
N95 DECONTAMINATION
Source: N95Decon
Description: N95DECON seeks to review, collate, publish, and disseminate scientific information about N95 decontamination to help in decisions about N95 decontamination and reuse
Keywords: Decontamination of N95; fact sheets; N95 reuse
Language: English
N95 RESPIRATOR DECONTAMINATION AND REUSE
Source: National Nurses United
Description: National Nurses United examined the available evidence and warns that decontaminating and reusing N95 filtering face piece respirators is unsafe.
Date posted: 3/30/2020
Keywords: N95 respirator decontamination and reuse
Language: English
https://act.nationalnursesunited.org/page/-/files/graphics/0320_COVID19_RespiratorReuse.pdf
STRATEGIES FOR OPTIMIZING THE SUPPLY OF N95 RESPIRATORS
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Description: These considerations are intended for use by federal, state, and local public health officials, respiratory protection program managers, occupational health service leaders, infection prevention and control program leaders, and other leaders in healthcare settings who are responsible for developing and implementing policies and procedures for preventing pathogen transmission in healthcare settings.
Keywords: Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of N95 Respirators: Conventional Capacity Strategies; Contingency Capacity Strategies; Crisis Alternate Strategies
Language: English
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/respirators-strategy/index.html
WORKPLACE GUIDANCE
COVID-19 FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Description: CDC's COVID-19 front page for health professionals. Includes topics for evaluation and testing; clinical care guidance; protecting patients and workers; infection control; optimizing PPE; potential exposures at work; first responder guidance; and guidance for Non-US facilities.
Keywords: COVID-19 for Health Professionals: Evaluation and testing; Clinical care guidance; Protect patients and workers; Infection control; Optimize PPE supply; Potential exposure at work; First responder guidance; Guidance to Non-US facilities;
Language: English
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/hcp/index.html
ENFORCEMENT GUIDANCE FOR RESPIRATORY PROTECTION AND THE N95 SHORTAGE DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19) PANDEMIC
Source: OSHA
Description: Outlines enforcement discretion to permit the extended use and reuse of respirators, as well as the use of respirators that are beyond their manufacturer’s recommended shelf life
Date posted: 4/3/2020
Languages: English, Spanish
HEALTHCARE RESPIRATORY PROTECTION ANNUAL FIT-TESTING FOR N95 FILTERING FACE PIECES DURING THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK TEMPORARY ENFORCEMENT GUIDANCE
Source: OSHA
Description: This memorandum provides temporary enforcement guidance to Compliance Safety and Health Officers for enforcing the Respiratory Protection standard. Appropriate respiratory protection is required for all healthcare personnel providing direct care of these patients.
Date posted: 3/14/2020
Languages: English, Spanish
OSHA STANDARDS for COVID-19
Source: OSHA
Description: This webpage provides information for workers and employers about the evolving coronavirus outbreak. The information includes links to interim guidance and other resources for preventing exposures to, and infection with, the novel coronavirus. Key OSHA Standards for COVID-19; Temporary guidance on respirator annual fit-testing requirements in healthcare; Enforcement directives; Workers rights and employers responsibilities.
Keywords: COVID-19; Workers Rights
Languages: English, Spanish
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/
OSHA STANDARDS FOR COMPLIANCE OFFICERS
Source: OSHA
Description: This section highlights OSHA standards and directives (instructions for compliance officers) and other related information that may apply to worker exposure to novel coronavirus, COVID-19.
Languages: English, Spanish
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/standards.html
WORKPLACE RIGHTS
HOW TO FILE A SAFETY AND HEALTH COMPLAINT
Source: OSHA
Description: You (or your representative) have the right to file a confidential safety and health complaint and request an OSHA inspection of your workplace if you believe there is a serious hazard or if you think your employer is not following OSHA standards. The complaint should be filed as soon as possible after noticing the hazard. A signed complaint is more likely to result in an onsite inspection.
Language: English, Spanish
https://www.osha.gov/workers/file_complaint.html
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
Source: National Nurses United
Description: What your employers should provide: Protections at work for COVID (national)
Keywords: Workplace Protections; know your rights; OSHA
Language: English
RETALIATION
Source: OSHA
Description: U.S. Department of Labor reminds employers that they cannot retaliate against workers reporting unsafe conditions during coronavirus pandemic
Date posted: 4/8/20
Keywords: Department of Labor; OSHA; unsafe conditions; retaliation
Language: English
https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/national/04082020
WORKERS' RIGHTS AND EMPLOYERS' RESPONSIBILITIES
Source: OSHA
Description: Section 11(c) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, 29 USC 660(c), prohibits employers from retaliating against workers for raising concerns about safety and health conditions. OSHA encourages workers who suffer such retaliation to submit a complaint to OSHA as soon as possible in order to file their complaint within the legal time limits, some of which may be as short as 30 days from the date they learned of or experienced retaliation. An employee can file a complaint with OSHA by visiting or calling his or her local OSHA office; sending a written complaint via fax, mail, or email to the closest OSHA office; or filing a complaint online. No particular form is required and complaints may be submitted in any language. (Text found at the bottom of the page).
Language: English, Spanish
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/standards.html#workers