OSHA Updates COVID Guidance for At-Risk Food Industry Workers

On August 13, OSHA issued updated guidance to help employers protect workers from the coronavirus. The guidance is specifically aimed at protecting workers in high-risk workplaces where not all workers many be vaccinated, such as:

• Manufacturing

• Meat, seafood, and poultry processing

• High volume retail and grocery

• Agricultural processing

The latest guidance:

• Recommends that fully vaccinated workers in areas of substantial or high community transmission should wear masks to protect unvaccinated workers

• Recommends that fully vaccinated workers who have close contacts with people with coronavirus should wear masks for up to 14 days unless they have a negative coronavirus test at least 3-5 days after such contact

• Clarifies recommendations to protect unvaccinated and other at-risk workers in the industries listed above

• Links to the latest guidance on K-12 schools and CDC statements on public transit

The recommendations to protect unvaccinated and other at-risk workers include the following:

• Physical distancing

• Staggering break times or providing separate break facilities

• Staggering arrival and departure times

• Providing visual cues such as floor markings to remind workers about physical distancing

• Requiring all workers, as well as encouraging or requiring customers and visitors, to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status

• Improving ventilation

For more information, see the OSHA press release or the full updated guidance.