California releases monkeypox and workplace guidelines — Occupational Health and Safety
California issues monkeypox and workplace guidelines
The guidelines are intended to protect workers from disease and apply to employers under the Aerosol Transmissible Diseases (ATD) standard.
Over the summer, the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a public health emergency. Now, a state has released guidance on how to protect workers from illness in the workplace.
Earlier this month, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health released the tips for workplaces under “the Aerosol Transmissible Diseases (ATD) Standard“, according to a Press release.
According to the guidelines, workplaces that fall under this category must use a written program to “prevent or reduce the transmission of aerosol-borne diseases” and use “written procedures for exposure incidents,” according to the press release. .
Employers must also provide their employees with respiratory protection and ensure that they comply with it. The same goes for PPE for people who may be exposed to or have monkeypox. Any exposure must also be reported. To see the details of the regulations, visit dir.ca.gov.
From September 28there have been 25,341 cases of monkeypox in the United States. Many cases are in California, 4,886, and New York, 3,895, with Florida, Texas and Georgia also ranking high.
The CDC is also providing guidance on preventing the virus in certain workplaces. Personal health must use PPE correctly. For those who work in an environment where people share accommodation, the CDC has various guidelines on responding to positive cases. It is recommended that people who may be exposed to the virus at work obtain vaccinated.
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