Workplace Solutions

Washington — Employers with fewer than 500 employees, as well as all government employers, must provide 80 hours of emergency paid sick leave to full-time workers who are in quarantine as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, seeking diagnosis or preventive care for the illness, or caring for affected family members, under legislation signed into law March 18 by President Donald Trump.

Washington — Employers looking for ways to protect their workers from exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic should adopt a team approach, according to NIOSH Director John Howard, who says that “it’s not too late” to develop a plan.

Washington — How can you minimize your risk of contracting – and potentially spreading – COVID-19? Does wearing a facemask help? If you suspect you may have the potentially deadly respiratory illness, what steps should you take before visiting an emergency room?

Montreal — To assist in the selection and purchase of slip-resistant footwear for the workplace, Canadian research organization IRSST has published a free online guide.

Washington — NIOSH, in conjunction with Wikipedia, has launched a yearlong campaign aimed at improving the free online encyclopedia’s content related to acoustics and the harmful effects of noise.

Washington — In an effort to preserve the supply of N95 filtering facepiece respirators during the COVID-19 pandemic, OSHA has temporarily suspended its requirement for annual respirator fit testing in the health care industry.

Silver Spring, MD — In response to the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the nation’s largest union and professional association of direct care registered nurses is petitioning OSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard to protect frontline workers, patients and the public from the potentially deadly respiratory illness.

Washington — House Education and Labor Committee Chair Bobby Scott (D-VA) and 20 other representatives are sponsoring a partisan bill that would require OSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard for health care facilities to implement comprehensive infectious disease exposure control plans.

DeKalb, IL — Programmers and developers of virtual reality applications should focus on minimizing potential ergonomic hazards for users of this fast-growing technology, say researchers from Northern Illinois and Oregon State universities.

Washington — Responding to the current outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed guidance for health care providers, businesses and schools in an effort to stem the spread of the potentially deadly respiratory illness in the United States.