OSHA guidelines for protecting returning employees from COVID-19


Many employers have asked employees to return to work. As the COVID-19 pandemic still continues to evolve, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a new mandate for employers. The COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) requires employers to take steps to protect and minimize the impact to workers from exposure to the virus. This is a general summary of guidelines that should not be considered as medical advice.

The ETS includes provisions for engineering and administrative controls, personal protective equipment, and medical surveillance. Employers must also develop and implement a written COVID-19 exposure control plan.

The ETS is effective immediately and will remain in effect until the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. OSHA will continue to monitor the situation and update the ETS as necessary.

The guidelines for employers to develop and implement an effective COVID-19 exposure control plan are as follows:

1. Assess the workplace and identify potential sources of exposure to COVID-19.

2. Identify and implement engineering and administrative controls to minimize exposure.

3. Implement personal protective equipment (PPE) guidelines.

4. Establish and maintain a respiratory protection program.

5. Implement work practice and hygiene controls.

6. Educate and train employees on the exposure control plan.

7. Monitor compliance with the exposure control plan.

8. Evaluate the effectiveness of the exposure control plan and make modifications as needed.

Here are some most frequently asked questions

1.Is COVID-19 vaccine mandatory by OSHA. Since when and how to enforce it?

There is no federal mandate from OSHA (as of January 2023) requiring employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19.  However, some states and localities have adopted their own mandates. Employers may require employees to be vaccinated as a condition of employment.

Note: The influenza vaccine has been mandatory by OSHA since 1980. The vaccine must be administered annually.

2. What is OSHA doing to protect workers from exposure to COVID-19?

There is currently no specific OSHA standard for protecting workers from exposure to COVID-19. However, OSHA’s existing personal protective equipment (PPE) standards require employers to provide workers with PPE to protect them from workplace hazards, such as respiratory infections. In addition, OSHA has published guidance on protecting workers from exposure to COVID-19, which recommends that employers take steps to protect workers from exposure, such as implementing engineering and administrative controls, providing PPE, and establishing and maintaining a respiratory protection program.

3. What are the guidelines for employers to protect their workers from COVID-19?

There are many guidelines employers can follow to protect their workers from COVID-19. Some of these guidelines include:

-Encouraging workers to stay home if they are sick

-Encouraging workers to wash their hands often

-Encouraging workers to avoid touching their face

-Encouraging workers to cough or sneeze into their elbow

-Encouraging workers to clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces

-Providing workers with personal protective equipment (PPE)

-Encouraging workers to practice social distancing

4. What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

This is a developing topic due to the mutating nature of the virus and new variants continue to evolve. Best to redirect employees to official recommendations from CDC here

5. What should workers do if they think they have been exposed to COVID-19?

Best to redirect employees to call the medical provider for any symptoms that are severe or concerning.

6. What should employers do if they have workers who have been exposed to COVID-19?

If employers have workers who have been exposed to COVID-19, they should have them self-isolate and get tested for the virus. Follow CDC guidelines and seek attention from the medical provider.

7. What are the guidelines for employers to clean and disinfect their workplaces? What are the guidelines for workers to protect themselves from COVID-19?

The CDC has released a series of guidelines for employers to clean and disinfect their workplaces. The guidelines include:

1. Identifying and cleaning high-touch surfaces regularly.

2. Encouraging employees to clean their workstations and equipment.

3. Providing employees with the proper cleaning supplies.

4. Implementing proper ventilation in the workplace.

5. Monitoring employee health and providing prompt medical attention if needed.

8. What are the guidelines for workers to protect themselves from COVID-19?

9. What are the guidelines for employers to provide personal protective equipment to their workers?

OSHA requires employers to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to their workers if the workers are exposed to hazards that could cause injury or death. PPE includes items such as gloves, safety glasses, and earplugs

10. What are the guidelines for employers to conduct health and safety training for their workers?

OSHA has established guidelines for employers to conduct health and safety training for their workers. The guidelines include the following topics:

• Health and safety hazards in the workplace

• Safe work practices

• Personal protective equipment

• Emergency procedures

The guidelines for employers to develop and implement an effective COVID-19 exposure control plan

The first step is to create or update your exposure control plan. This should include a list of all job tasks and corresponding exposure risks. Once you have identified the tasks and risks, you need to determine how to eliminate or minimize the exposure. This may include implementing engineering controls, work practice controls, and personal protective equipment. Once you have determined the controls, you need to train your employees on how to properly use them.

Educate and train employees on how to properly use personal protective equipment

Educate and train employees on how to safely work with and around bloodborne pathogens and how to clean up.

Educate and train employees on how to safely dispose of contaminated materials

Educate and train employees on how to safely handle and dispose of needles and sharps

Educate and train employees on the importance of getting vaccinated against hepatitis B

Educate and train employees on the importance of reporting any exposure to bloodborne pathogens

Educate and train employees on the importance of following the exposure control plan.

There is no proven method to effectively train employees about COVID-19 prevention. The commonly used measures include using clear and concise communication, providing employees with opportunities to ask questions and receive feedback, and using a variety of training methods (such as online resources, in-person training, and hands-on demonstrations) to cater to different learning styles.

We wish you and your employees a very happy new year and look forward to having a successful return to work. If are looking for a platform to train employees, please checkout CircleHD.com

If you’d like to learn more about how CircleHD can help support your training and team enablement efforts, we’d love to speak with you. Get in touch here.



Post Pandemic Learning Engagement Roadmap for 2023 and beyond.


When the pandemic first hit, many organizations were scrambling to figure out how to keep their employees learning and developing despite the disruptions. Many turned to online videos as a way to keep employees engaged in learning.

Now that we’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, it’s time to take a look at how we can learn and develop in the post-pandemic world. Here are a few ideas:

1. Use videos to deliver just-in-time training.

In the past, employees might have been sent to off-site training courses that were expensive and time-consuming. With videos, you can provide employees with training on demand, whenever they need it. This is especially helpful for employees who are working remotely.

2. Create microlearning videos.

With attention spans shorter than ever, it’s important to keep learning videos short and to the point. Microlearning videos are a great way to do this. They can be used to deliver bite-sized pieces of information that employees can easily digest.

3. Make use of video analytics.

With video analytics, you can track who is watching your videos and how long they are watching for. This information can be used to improve the content of your videos and ensure that employees are getting the most out of them.

4. Use videos to promote social learning.

Videos can be used to facilitate social learning, which is when employees learn from each other. This can be done by creating videos that show employees working together to solve problems or by sharing video testimonials from employees about their experiences with a certain product or service.

5. Use videos to create a learning community.

A learning community is a group of employees who share a common interest in learning. You can use videos to create a learning community by sharing videos that employees can discuss and provide feedback on. This is a great way to create an environment where employees can learn from and support each other.

CircleHD is the perfect enterprise video learning platform for businesses who want to provide their employees with the best possible learning and development opportunities. Our platform is easy to use and provides access to a wide range of video content that can be used for training, development, and education purposes. We also offer a variety of features that make our platform the perfect solution for businesses of all sizes.

If you’d like to learn more about how CircleHD can help support your sales training and team enablement efforts, we’d love to speak with you. Get in touch here.