OSHA Releases COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard


OSHA released its Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) related to COVID-19 on June 10, 2021. The ETS applies to all settings in which employees provide healthcare services or healthcare support services.


The ETS was developed in response to President Biden’s Executive Order directing OSHA to take actions to reduce the workplace risks of COVID-19 exposure to employees. The ETS addresses specific actions that should be taken and include:

  • Development of a COVID-19 plan
  • Implementation of a mini-respiratory protection plan
  • Implementation of employee screening (sample provided)
  • Appropriate cleaning and disinfection techniques
  • COVID-19 logs
  • Reporting of COVID-19 related in-patient hospitalizations and deaths
  • Employee notifications of potential exposures

OSHA standards represent best practices in employee health and safety. LHA Trust Funds recommends that all healthcare organizations review the ETS and incorporate standards as applicable whether OSHA has jurisdiction in your organization or not.


View ETS & Sample Forms

Content Related to this Article

04.25.2023
Claim Study

Patient Care At Risk: Preventing Medication Errors

This medication error case study discusses a tragic claim involving a newborn infant.

Learn More

04.10.2023
Article

Are You Meeting Workplace Violence Training Requirements?

Explore why your organization should develop an internal instructor trained in de-escalation techniques to conduct workpl...

Learn More

02.28.2023
Article

Tony York: “Healthcare security is essential.”

The LHA Trust Funds Workplace Violence Symposium features experts like healthcare security authority Tony York, preventio...

Learn More