This includes implementing COVID-19 protections in fire department vehicles and facilities, such as improving ventilation, physical distancing and mask use in accordance with CDPH requirements, including in facility sleeping quarters and other common areas. Section 5199(e) requires employers to use feasible engineering and work practice controls to minimize employee exposures to aerosol transmissible pathogens. This is true even when that firefighter performs tasks that do not necessarily involve potential exposure to ATDs, for example, responding to non-EMS calls and otherwise traveling in fire department vehicles performing routine tasks, such as training and maintenance and engaging in the normal routines of a fire station, including meals and sleeping. If the firefighter performs emergency medical services (EMS) duties such as those of a paramedic, emergency medical technician or first responder, or if the firefighter otherwise provides support in the field to those performing EMS duties, the firefighter has occupational exposure to ATDs as defined in section 5199 and is therefore covered by section 5199, not the COVID-19 Prevention regulations. However, a firefighter must be protected from COVID-19 under one of the standards. Q: Can a firefighter be subject to both the COVID-19 Prevention regulations and section 5199 at different times?Ī: No, a firefighter cannot be subject to both the COVID-19 Prevention regulations and section 5199.Q: Can an employer at a workplace covered by section 5199 deem all employees on site to have occupational exposure to COVID-19 and exempt them from the COVID-19 Prevention regulations?Ī: If the employer provides all employees with protections under its ATD Exposure Control Plan and has incorporated those employees into the plan in accordance with section 5199 because they have an occupational exposure to COVID-19, then those employees would not be subject to the COVID-19 Prevention regulations.This is true even when an employee who has occupational exposure performs tasks that do not include exposure to ATDs, for example, when a hospital nurse who performs patient care spends time in the hospital's human resources office. In a facility or operation that is covered by section 5199, employees with occupational exposure to ATDs are covered by the requirements of section 5199, and not the COVID-19 Prevention regulations. Q: Can an employee in a single workplace be subject to both the COVID-19 Prevention regulations and section 5199 at different times?Ī: No.8, § 5199), as having occupational exposure to aerosol transmissible diseases (ATDs), such as administrative employees who work only in an office environment separated from patient care facilities. ![]() Q: Does the COVID-19 Prevention regulations apply to any facility that is subject to the Aerosol Transmissible Diseases (ATD) standard?Ī: The COVID-19 Prevention regulations apply to employees at these facilities who are not identified in the employer's Aerosol Transmissible Diseases Exposure Control Plan, as required under California's Aerosol Transmissible Diseases standard (Cal.However, the rule does not apply to business travel by employees unless they are sharing a room or suite. 8, § 3205.2) applies when a person is working from a hotel arranged for or provided by the employer. The regulation on employer-provided housing (Cal. Q: Do the COVID-19 Prevention regulations apply to employees who are working from remote locations other than their home?Ī: No, the regulations do not apply to employees an employer assigns to telework but who choose to work elsewhere, such as at a hotel or rental property.However, the measures that the employer must implement to comply with the COVID-19 Prevention regulations will reflect this type of limited exposure. Q: Do the COVID-19 Prevention regulations apply to workplaces with only one employee who has brief contact with other persons?Ī: Yes, the COVID-19 Prevention regulations apply to such workplaces (unless they fall into one of the exceptions listed above).However, the COVID-19 Prevention regulations apply only when employees work at the workplace or are exposed at work, and not when they work from home. Q: Do the COVID-19 Prevention regulations apply to employees who split their work time between home and the workplace?Ī: Yes.Employees working from a location chosen by the employee that is not under the control of the employer (for instance, an employee teleworking from a café or a friend's home).Employees who are covered by the Aerosol Transmissible Diseases regulation ( Cal.Work locations where there is only one employee who does not have contact with other people.Q: Which employers must comply with the COVID-19 Prevention regulations?Ī: The COVID-19 Prevention regulations apply to all employers, employees, and places of employment with the following exceptions:.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |