Updated Cal OSHA Requirements

On December 14, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order, updating the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) emergency temporary standard.  

This executive order took effect immediately and updates the current guidance regarding the recommended length of quarantine for individuals exposed to COVID-19. The new guidance, similar to the Federal CDC quarantine guidelines, is as follows: 

• All asymptomatic close contacts (within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) may discontinue quarantine after Day 10 from the date of last exposure with or without testing.

• During critical staffing shortages when there are not enough staff to provide safe patient care, essential critical infrastructure workers in the following categories are not prohibited from returning after Day 7 from the date of last exposure if they have received a negative PCR test result from a specimen collected after Day 5:

  • Exposed asymptomatic health care workers; and

  • Exposed asymptomatic emergency response and social service workers who work face to face with clients in the child welfare system or in assisted living facilities.

• All exposed asymptomatic contacts permitted to reduce the quarantine period to less than 14 days must:

  • Adhere strictly to all recommended non-pharmaceutical interventions, including wearing face coverings at all times, maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet from others and the interventions required below, through Day 14.

  • Use surgical face masks at all times during work for those returning after Day 7 and continue to use face coverings when outside the home through Day 14 after last exposure.

  • Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms through Day 14 and if symptoms occur, immediately self-isolate and contact their local public health department or healthcare provider and seek testing. 

• Context and Considerations

  • Local health jurisdictions may be more restrictive than the above guidance. 

  • Health care employers with critical staffing shortages and lacking the staff to provide safe patient care may use Contingency Capacity Strategies as described by CDC where asymptomatic healthcare personnel (including in skilled nursing facilities during an outbreak when all staff are considered potentially exposed) are allowed to work with a surgical mask or respirator, but still report temperature and absence of symptoms each day until 14 days after exposure. 

  • Persons who reside or work in a high-risk congregate living setting (e.g. skilled nursing facilities, prisons, jails, shelters) or persons residing or working with severely immunosuppressed persons (e.g. Bone marrow or solid organ transplants, chemotherapy) should still quarantine for 14 days in the absence of staffing shortages.

Employers must ensure their COVID Prevention Plan and procedures comply with this new executive order. Contact us for more information or assistance with your prevention plan.