Workplace safety and health regulations in California require employers to protect workers exposed to airborne infectious diseases such as the coronavirus. Cal/OSHA has posted guidance to help employers comply with these safety requirements and to provide workers information on how to protect themselves.
Cal/OSHA’s Aerosol Transmissible Diseases (ATD) standard (section 5199) requires protection for employees working at health care facilities, and other services and operations, including:
- Hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, clinics, medical offices, outpatient medical facilities, home health care, long-term health care facilities, hospices, medical outreach services, medical transport and emergency medical services
- Certain laboratories, public health services and police services that are reasonably anticipated to expose employees to an aerosol transmissible disease.
- Correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and drug treatment programs
- Any other locations when Cal/OSHA informs employers in writing that they must comply with the ATD Standard
To protect workers and prevent exposure to the virus, employers must develop and maintain the required programs and plans for their facility or operation. Cal/OSHA recommends the interim guidance, educational materials and model programs and plans below be reviewed with an employer’s existing procedures to ensure that workers are protected.
Health and Safety Guidance for Childcare Providers
Interim Guidance for Protecting Health Care Workers
- Guidance for hospital and laboratory workers on preventing exposure to coronavirus
- Guidance for health care facilities on the efficient use of respirator supplies
Interim Guidelines for Protecting Workers in General Industry
Educational Materials and Fact Sheets
- General Industry Guidance for Protecting Workers from Coronavirus (COVID-19) (PDF)
- Health Care Workers Guidance for Protecting Workers from Coronavirus (COVID-19) (PDF)
- Safety & Health Fact Sheet | Aerosol Transmissible Diseases (PDF)
- The California Workplace Guide to Aerosol Transmissible Diseases (PDF)
Model Written Plans and Programs
- Aerosol Transmissible Diseases Model Exposure Control Plan (Word)
- Aerosol Transmissible Diseases Model Laboratory Biosafety Plan (Word)
- Aerosol Transmissible Diseases Referring Employer Model Written Program (Word)
Other Resources