COVID-19 Updates for June 5, 2020
Overview of Updates within this article:
- Masks: This will be enforced by DOSH. Beginning Monday, June 8th, all employees will be required to wear a cloth facial covering with some exceptions. Employers must provide facial coverings. Employers must also post signage at their place of business strongly encouraging customers to wear cloth facial coverings.
- Six-Foot Distancing Rule: Close contact is now defined as someone who was within 6 feet of someone with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes.
- Travel: The 14-day quarantine requirement has been lifted for interstate travel and only applies to international travel within Washington state.
- New Training on COVID-19: The training is available in both English and Spanish and is posted on the DOSH Coronavirus/COVID-19 Topic Page
MASKS
This will be enforced by DOSH.
- Beginning Monday, June 8th, all employees will be required to wear a cloth facial covering, except when working alone in an office, vehicle, or at a job site, or when the job has no in-person interaction.
- Employers must provide cloth facial coverings to employees unless their exposure dictates a higher level of protection under the Department of Labor and Industries’ safety and health rules and guidance. Refer to Coronavirus Facial Covering and Mask Requirements for additional details. Employees may choose to wear their own facial coverings at work, provided it meets the minimum requirements.
- Employers must also post signage at their place of business strongly encouraging customers to wear cloth facial coverings. Businesses are encouraged to require customers to wear cloth facial coverings, in order to protect employees from exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace. You can use either sample poster provided by the government or create your own: Sample 1 Poster to Print or Sample 2 Poster for Employers To Print .
- Please keep this link as a resource for FAQ on face coverings.
- Which mask for which task resource.
Mask Q&A: From Emails the Approach Safety Team is Receiving
Question: Is working in a cubicle alone considered an engineering control and can they NOT wear a face covering while working in a cubicle?
Answer: Yes if the walls are high enough to act as a full barrier. However, you must wear a mask when leaving the cubicle
Question: In a manufacturing facility. If an employee is working on a piece of equipment alone and the nearest person is 15 feet away is that considered an engineering control, and can they NOT wear a facial covering?
Answer: Only if working alone, if others can pass within 6 feet of the work area as mask must be worn.
Question: Can construction and/or non-construction employees drive together in a vehicle while wearing N95s with a JHA and proper fit testing etc.
Answer: Yes, both must wear an N-95 and be fit tested. It would be a good idea to keep the air flowing so open the windows.
Question: In an office setting do they have to wear a face covering when walking down the hall to the restroom if they do not plan on ‘running’ into anyone?
Answer: If the employee leaves the cubicle a mask must be worn. A mask must also be worn by all employees coming into the cubicle area.
SIX FOOT DISTANCING RULE
The State DOH updated the definition of a COVID-19 close contact to align with new CDC guidance. It states that a close contact is defined as someone who was within 6 feet of someone with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes.
TRAVEL
The 14-day quarantine requirement has been lifted for interstate travel and only applies to international travel within Washington state.
