Karen Buesing and Martin Dix co-authored an article for ABA Health eSource guiding healthcare employers on how to manage the workplace during the COVID-19 global pandemic.
“Because COVID-19 spreads primarily as a result of close exposure to an infected person, healthcare employees are at higher risk of infection. While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has a standard to protect employees from the spread of bloodborne pathogens and requires that employers provide employees personal protection equipment (PPE), it currently has no standard for the spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19. However on March 9, 2020, OSHA issued its Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, a 32-page document offering recommendations for keeping workplaces safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. OSHA noted in the preface that the guidance "is not a standard or regulation." However, it reminded employers of their general duty under OSHA to provide a workplace "free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm.”