Guidance: Non-Healthcare Businesses & Worksites

CA Safe Reopening

COVID-19 Response Recommendations for Businesses & Worksites

Disease Prevention Guidance

Disease Reporting

Resources

 

Last Updated: 3/21/2023

 

Disease Prevention Guidance

On December 15, 2022, the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board voted to adopt the COVID-19 Prevention Non-Emergency Regulations . These regulations went into effect February 3, 2023 and will remain in effect for two years after the effective date, except for the recordkeeping subsections that will remain in effect for three years. These regulations apply to most workers in California who are not covered by the Aerosol Transmissible Diseases standard 

Face Covering

Ventilation

Employers must review CDPH and Cal/OSHA Interim Guidance for Ventilation, Filtration, and Air Quality in Indoor Environments  Employers must also develop, implement, and maintain effective methods to prevent COVID-19 transmission by improving ventilation.

Testing

  • Employers must make COVID-19 testing available at no cost and during paid time to employees following a close contact.
  • Make testing available at no cost to employees, including to all employees in the exposed group during an outbreak or a major outbreak.
  • Provide testing in a manner that ensures employee confidentiality.

Isolation

Per Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Prevention Non-Emergency Regulations employers must exclude COVID-19 cases from the workplace until they are no longer an infection risk and implement policies to prevent transmission after close contact.

For both vaccinated and unvaccinated persons, follow the CDPH Isolation Guidance for those diagnosed with COVID-19 and Orange County Health Officer Orders as it relates to isolation. 

Vaccination

  • Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Prevention Non-Emergency Regulations do not require COVID vaccination and vaccination status is not needed to be determined to implement the regulations.
  • OCHCA continues to strongly recommend that all of those who are eligible receive COVID-19 vaccines both the primary series and the updated (bivalent) booster vaccines.  To know if you are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines see CDC’s Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines Including Boosters.

 

Disease Reporting

  • Employers are no longer required to report individual cases or outbreaks to OCHCA.
  • Employers are required to maintain records of COVID-19 cases and immediately report serious illness (deaths, serious occupational illnesses, and serious injuries) to Cal/OSHA, consistent with existing regulations. 
  • Employers must report large outbreaks (20 cases or more) directly to Cal/OSHA must now report major outbreaks to Cal/OSHA.
  • The information must be provided to the local health department, Cal/OSHA, the Department of Public Health, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health immediately upon request.

 

Resources