Adminstrative Controls
Administrative controls and safe work practices change policies and procedures for how workers perform job duties to ensure work activities are conducted safely. Examples of administrative controls that employers may find useful for protecting workers from SARS-CoV-2 include:
- Limiting the number of workers assigned to a particular shift in a facility and ensuring workstations are spaced at least 6 feet apart.
- Posting signage, in languages the workers understand, to remind workers, customers, and visitors to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet between one another and to practice regular hand hygiene.
- Providing training and information in languages the workers understand.
- Increasing the frequency of cleaning and disinfection within the work site.
- Encouraging or permitting workers to wear cloth face coverings, if appropriate, to help contain potentially infectious respiratory droplets.
Cleaning and Disinfecting
Employers should implement cleaning and disinfecting procedures that do not create hazards for employees. The procedures should require:
- Identifying and regularly cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces and objects, such as doorknobs, elevator buttons, equipment, tools, handrails, handles, controls, bathroom surfaces, and steering wheels.
- Informing employees and authorized representatives of protocols, including the frequency and scope of cleaning and disinfection.
- Prohibiting the sharing of PPE and items that employees come in regular physical contact. When you can't prevent sharing, it should be minimized. Items and equipment should be disinfected between uses by different people. The sharing of vehicles should be minimized to the extent feasible. High touchpoints (steering wheel, door handles, seatbelt buckles, armrests, shifter, etc.) should be disinfected between users.
- Cleaning and disinfecting areas, material, and equipment used by a COVID-19 case during the high-risk exposure period.
- Cleaning and disinfecting in a manner that does not create a hazard to employees.
- Addressing whether an outside service will be used or how the employees are properly equipped and trained.
Cleaning and Disinfection
We implement the following cleaning and disinfection measures for frequently touched surfaces:
[describe your workplace-specific measures, including:
- Ensuring adequate supplies and adequate time for it to be done properly.
- Informing the employees and authorized employee representatives of the frequency and scope of cleaning and disinfection.]
Should we have a COVID-19 case in our workplace, we will implement the following procedures: [describe how the cleaning and disinfection will be done of areas, materials, and equipment used by a COVID-19 case during the high-risk exposure period. Address whether an outside service will be used or how the employees you use are properly equipped and trained.]
For more information on cleaning and disinfection procedures, see OSHA's COVID-19 Control and Prevention webpage.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-5. What is an example of an administrative control designed to protect workers from the SARS-CoV-2 virus?
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