Washington — OSHA’s proposed rule on infectious diseases in “health care and other high-risk environments” has been submitted to the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for final review.
According to the Spring 2024 regulatory agenda, the proposal is aimed at protecting workers from hazards such as MRSA, COVID-19, tuberculosis, measles, and “new and emerging infectious disease threats.”
Along with health care, the rule could apply to “other occupational settings where employees can be at increased risk of exposure to individuals who are potentially infectious.” Among them:
- Emergency response
- Correctional facilities
- Homeless shelters
- Drug treatment programs
- Laboratories
- Pathologists
- Coroners’ offices
- Medical examiners
- Mortuaries
OIRA could complete its review and OSHA could publish the proposed rule before Inauguration Day on Jan. 20. However, the rule’s progress will likely stall after President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in.
OSHA previously submitted a final rule concerning COVID-19 in health care settings to OIRA. That rule has remained under review since Dec. 7, 2022, and may be scrapped from the regulatory agenda under the next administration.
