OSHA Standards Applicable to COVID-19

OSHA Standards Applicable to COVID-19

OSHA does not have a specific standard covering novel coronavirus COVID-19 but some OSHA requirements are relevant to preventing occupational exposure to COVID-19.

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) standards (29 CFR 1910 Subpart I), which requires gloves, eye and face protection, and respiratory protection.
• Respiratory Protection  Standard (29 CFR 1910.134).
• Temporary guidance related to enforcement of respirator annual fit-testing requirements for healthcare.
• Bloodborne Pathogens standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) applies to occupational exposure to human blood and other potentially infectious materials that typically do not include respiratory secretions that may transmit COVID-19. However, the provisions of the standard offer a framework that may help control some sources of the virus, including exposures to body fluids (e.g., respiratory secretions) not covered by the standard.