Michigan’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) updated its COVID-19 Emergency Rules. The revisions became effective on May 24 and will remain in effect until October 14, 2021. These revisions are in response to revised guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about masking and distancing standards related to employees that are fully vaccinated.
The revised rules now state that:
- Employers may allow all employees to come into work at the company location as the remote working requirement has been eliminated. The option to work remotely, however, is a decision made by the company and an employee.
- Employees must self-screen their health status before coming to work each day and employers are no longer required to perform daily temperature screenings. Employers must retain records only for non-vaccinated employees or contractors.
- A fully vaccinated person is not required to wear a face covering or to maintain a six-foot distance from other people, either inside or outside of a building.
- Employers must keep records that note their employees’ vaccination status. The type of record is not specified. Employees whose vaccination status is unknown must be treated as unvaccinated for purposes of the rules.
- Employers must post signs that inform employees that people who are not fully vaccinated must wear a face-coverings and maintain appropriate distance from others.
- Employers have the option to require employees and visitors to a facility to wear face coverings and maintain social distancing protocols despite the revisions to the emergency rules.
- The other COVID-19 protocols based on CDC recommendations must still be followed such as whether a close contact of a COVID-19 positive person must quarantine, cleaning and disinfecting standards, etc.CDC recently revised their recommendations on cleaning and sanitation and the sanitation requirements have been scaled back.
The Rules continue to require companies to have a Preparedness & Response Plan, which should be updated to reflect the updates to the COVID-10 Emergency Rules.
PRINTING United Alliance is keeping the industry updated on workplace safety requirements related to COVID-19. These changes are rapidly evolving, and if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Marci Kinter, mkinter@printing.org , Gary Jones, gjones@printing.org, or Adriane Harrison, aharrison@printing.org