Non-emergency regulations designed to keep California workers safe from COVID-19 were approved Saturday and will be enforceable for the next two years.
California’s Department of Industrial Relations announced that the COVID-19 Prevention Non-Emergency Regulations requiring employers to protect workers from coronavirus hazards went into effect after they were approved by the Office of Administrative Law.
The regulations will remain in effect through Feb. 3, 2025, with recordkeeping requirements to remain in effect until Feb. 3, 2026.
Employers are mandated to take additional active steps to protect workers from exposure to COVID-19, including maintaining injury and illness prevention programs that address COVID-19 as a workplace hazard and includes mitigation measures, and make COVID-19 testing available for free to employees regardless of vaccination status.
The regulations also force employers to review health department guidance to ensure proper indoor workplace ventilation regardless of company size.
This article was first published in Business Insurance.
