Oregon Finalizes COVID-19 Worker Safety Rules

This week, the State of Oregon issued a final COVID-19 worker protection standard, replacing its temporary rule adopted six months ago. The final  rule, effective on May 4th with certain provisions phasing in over time, is slated to stay in effect until state officials declare the COVID-19 emergency over.

The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Oregon OSHA) drafted the updated rule following the process required for non-emergency rules, including holding public hearings and receiving and addressing written comments. The new rule mirrors the state's temporary standard with minor changes. Employers with ten or more employees must have a written infection control plan in place that meets the core requirements. But employers that already assessed the COVID-19 risks their workers face, developed an infection control plan, and conducted training to comply with the earlier measure do not need to repeat those efforts. In short, workplace precautions put