Site Safety: COVID-19 Prevention and Work Practice Controls

By March 31, 2020 Uncategorized

Worker Responsibilities

  • Frequently wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.  When soap and running water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand rub with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands that are visibly soiled.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow. 
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Employees who have symptoms (i.e., fever, cough, or shortness of breath) should notify their supervisor and stay home—DO NOT GO TO WORK.
  • Sick employees should follow CDC-recommended steps.  Employees should not return to work until the criteria to discontinue home isolation are met, in consultation with healthcare providers and state and local health departments.

General Job Site / Office Practices

  • Clean AND disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces such as workstations, keyboards, telephones, handrails, and doorknobs.  Dirty surfaces can be cleaned with soap and water prior to disinfection.  To disinfect, use products that meet EPA’s criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2external icon, the cause of COVID-19, and are appropriate for the surface.
  • Avoid using other employees’ phones, desks, offices, or other work tools and equipment, when possible.  If necessary, clean and disinfect them before and after use.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently used tools and equipment on a regular basis.
    • This includes other elements of the jobsite where possible.
    • Employees should regularly do the same in their assigned work areas.
  • Clean shared spaces such as trailers and break/lunchrooms at least once per day.
  • Disinfect shared surfaces (door handles, machinery controls, etc.) on a regular basis.
  • Avoid sharing tools with co-workers if it can be avoided.  If not, disinfect before and after each use. 
  • Arrange for any portable job site toilets to be cleaned by the leasing company at least twice per week and disinfected on the inside. 
  • Any trash collected from the jobsite must be changed frequently by someone wearing gloves.
  • In addition to regular PPE for workers engaged in various tasks (fall protection, hard hats, hearing protection), employers will also provide:
    • Gloves:  Gloves should be worn at all times while on-site.  The type of glove worn should be appropriate to the task.  If gloves are not typically required for the task, then any type of glove is acceptable, including latex gloves.  Gloves should not be shared if at all possible.
    • Eye protection:  Eye protection should be worn at all times while on-site.