OSHA National News Release 06/10/2021

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Hi, I am wondering if there is any additional information on the OSHA National News Release. I believe in Webinar #22 Dr. Berman mentioned she was going to help and create a “guide book”? Is it available? When/where can we find it? Thanks for everything all of you do! Truly appreciated! Lou

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There is a group of SOAPM members working on this.

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Ok- my practice tests all patients who have any symptoms that could be covid BEFORE the patient comes in the door. Are we exempt? Are we not? (It is our staff that goes outside and swabs them in their car). Please help! @SKB

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Great question! You are not exempt because you are still providing face-to-face triage/treatment of possible (and sometimes confirmed) COVID-19 cases at your worksite.

From “Is your workplace covered by the COVID-19 Healthcare ETS?”

Does the workplace meet ALL of the following conditions?
 It is a non-hospital ambulatory care setting
 ALL non-employees are screened prior to entry; and
 People with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not
permitted to enter.

If you’re treating patients outside, you’ve just expanded the “workplace” to include the outdoor areas. From the OSHA ETS definitions section: https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/covid-19-healthcare-ets-reg-text.pdf

Workplace means a physical location (e.g., fixed, mobile) where the employer’s
work or operations are performed.

So what’s a physical location?

Physical location means a site (including outdoor and indoor areas, a structure, or
a group of structures) or an area within a site where work or any work-related activity
(e.g., taking breaks, going to the restroom, eating, entering, or exiting work) occurs. A
physical location includes the entirety of any space associated with the site (e.g.,
workstations, hallways, stairwells, breakrooms, bathrooms, elevators) and any other
space that an employee might occupy in arriving, working, or leaving.

So since you have employees who are asked to work outside in patient care, and you see at-risk patients outside, you’re still obliged to follow the ETS.