Employers will rarely have to report COVID-19-related hospitalizations due to the virus’s lengthy incubation period, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) clarification on the reporting rules for work-related hospitalizations and fatalities.
Under this new interpretation, employers must more frequently report COVID-19-related deaths and must continue to record numerous COVID-19 cases among their employees.
The reporting requirement for fatalities from a work-related COVID-19 infection is triggered when an employee dies within 30 days of being exposed to COVID-19 at work.
The time limits on reporting hospitalizations and fatalities don’t apply to recording, OSHA noted. Employers still must record work-related cases of COVID-19 and fatalities.
For more information, visit https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/.
OSHA Fines More Businesses for COVID-19 Safety Violations
Employers that don’t comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards during the pandemic may face significant fines.
OSHA announced on Oct. 2 that the agency has cited 37 worksites for coronavirus-related violations and proposed a total of $484,069 in penalties since the pandemic began.
Although the agency hasn’t implemented any coronavirus-specific workplace safety standards, employers still must comply with existing standards that cover pandemic-related safety risks.
OSHA has cited employers for failing to take the following coronavirus-related actions:
- Implement a written respiratory protection program.
- Provide a medical evaluation, respirator fit test, training on the proper use of a respirator and personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Report an injury, illness or fatality.
- Properly record an injury or illness.
- Comply with the general duty clause.
