Continuing its recent trend to update employers on COVID-19
safety, on April 13, 2020, the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) issued an Interim Enforcement Response Plan for
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) ("the Plan"),
providing specific guidance to all OSHA Regional Administrators and
State Plan Designees on how to investigate potential COVID-19
hazards. The guidance addresses how OSHA offices should allocate
resources for protecting workers across all industries.
Purpose
Over the last month and a half, employers have received an
increasing number of complaint letters from OSHA alleging a failure
to protect employees from exposure to COVID-19. Many of the
complaints relate to lack of personal protective equipment (PPE),
such as respirators, gloves and gowns, and lack of training related
to COVID-19 hazards. The Plan highlights that "OSHA should
investigate complaints, referrals, and employer-reported fatalities
and hospitalizations to
