CS317264-B 06/02/2020

Facility Assessment Checklist for Evaluation of Coronavirus 

Disease (COVID-19) Assessment and Control Plans 

For Meat and Poultry Processing Facilities

Using Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 

and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Meat and poultry processing facilities should utilize the guidance issued by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety 

and Health Administration (OSHA) for the Meat and Poultry Processing industry to operate while preventing the spread of COVID-19. 

All meat and poultry processing facilities developing plans for continuing operations in the setting of COVID-19 occurring among workers or in the 

surrounding community should consider:

• working with appropriate state and local public health officials;

• incorporating relevant aspects of CDC/OSHA guidance, including but not limited to, the CDC’s Critical Infrastructure Guidance; and, 

• incorporating guidance from authoritative sources or regulatory bodies as needed. 

This checklist is intended to be used to help determine if facilities are utilizing the CDC/OSHA guidance to implement practices and protocols for operating 

while safeguarding workers and the community.

Meat and poultry processing facilities should create an overall hazard assessment and control plan for COVID-19 based on elements in the CDC/OSHA 

guidance. A written COVID-19 Control and Assessment Plan is the basis of the overall workplace response.

Assessment Information

Date of assessment:

Facility name:

Facility address:

Point of contact: Phone number:
2

COVID-19 Control and Assessment Plan

Written plan(s) in place with these elements: Comments

One or more coordinators responsible for elements 

of the plan

Coordinator contact information shared with all workers

State and local public health partners identified 

and actively involved

Periodic worksite assessments identified 

(note frequency of assessments)

Covers all persons at facility (e.g., visitors, 

contractors, workers)

Role of testing considered

Role of workplace contact tracing considered

System in place to monitor trends in absenteeism

Plan established to continue essential business 

functions in case of higher than normal absenteeism

Plan includes all necessary controls implemented at the 

facility – per checklist below

Collect feedback for improving the plan from workers 

and managers
3

Controls

The following checklist summarizes the best practice controls described in the CDC/OSHA guidance. The controls and activities 

described below are the components of the overall plan noted above. 

Not every row would necessarily need to be checked “Yes” to have an effective program and an effective set of controls in 

place at a given facility. Judgment and consultation are necessary between the worksites and a qualified occupational safety 

and health professional (assisted as needed by CDC/NIOSH project officer(s) and state and local public health entities) to 

determine that the activities and controls in place at the facility meet the intent of the CDC/OSHA guidance as appropriate 

for that worksite.

Ability to Maintain Social Distancing

Activities Organized by Goals Yes No Partial or 

Alternative Comments

Physical distancing is in place where possible

Work environment configured for spacing 

at least 6 ft apart

Alignment of workstations allow for at least 

6 ft spacing

Workers not facing each other when possible

Table and chair spacing in break rooms is at 

least 6 ft apart

Alternative break areas identified (e.g., 

training and conference rooms, outside tents)

Use of physical barriers, such as partitions, to 

separate workers in production areas, when 

6 ft spacing is not possible

Partitions present in break areas (e.g., lunch 

areas, break rooms, prayer rooms)

Workers are able to maintain distance from 

others (at least 6 ft) when clocking in or out

Workers are able to maintain distance from 

others (at least 6 ft) when in locker rooms, 

changing areas, break areas, smoking areas, 

and rest rooms

Workers designated to monitor and facilitate 

distancing on processing floor lines

Visual cues (floor markings, signs in 

appropriate languages) used throughout 

plant to promote social distancing
4

Activities Organized by Goals Yes No Partial or 

Alternative Comments

Shifts have been adjusted to 

promote distancing

Arrival and departure times staggered

Break times and/or meals staggered

Encourage workers to avoid carpooling if 

possible, or provide guidelines for controls 

that can be used during carpooling (e.g., 

limiting the number of persons per vehicle as 

much as possible, use of cloth masks, cleaning 

and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces after 

each trip)

Promote Hand Hygiene

Activities Organized by Goals Yes No Partial or 

Alternative Comments

Hand sanitizer stations with at least 60% 

alcohol available in multiple locations 

(preferably touch-free) or handwashing 

stations; promote frequent and thorough 

handwashing

Touch-free clock in/out stations (if possible)

Provide training on hand hygiene and cough/

sneeze etiquette

Has the number of breaks been increased to 

allow for additional opportunities to practice 

hand hygiene?

If carpooling cannot be avoided, encourage 

workers to use hand hygiene before entering 

vehicle and at destination 

If carpooling cannot be avoided, encourage use 

of cloth face coverings while in vehicle

If carpooling cannot be avoided, encourage 

workers to use cough/sneeze etiquette 

in vehicles
5

Identify and Exclude Sick Workers from Working

Activities Organized by Goals Yes No Partial or 

Alternative Comments

Does the facility have procedures in place for 

workers to report illness before arrival?

Is a screening strategy for all persons entering 

facility in place?

Temperature less than 100.4o F (38.0oC)

Symptoms (cough, shortness of breath)

Is there a plan for workers identified as having 

fever or symptoms?

Encouraging self-isolation and contacting 

a healthcare provider

Providing information on 

return-to-work policies

Informing human resources, worker health 

unit (if available), and supervisor while 

maintaining worker confidentiality

Health and safety considerations for screeners

Engineering controls (e.g., barriers) to 

promote distancing are in place

Screeners that need to be within 6 ft of 

workers have appropriate personal protective 

equipment (PPE), which may include gloves, 

gown, face shield, and facemask or respirator

A plan in place for workers who become 

ill at work

Alerting management when a worker is 

experiencing symptoms including fever

Identifying close contacts at work for 48 hours 

before symptoms began

Separating ill worker from others and 

send home

Disinfecting the workstation, tools, and locker 

area of the ill worker

Protections are in place for personnel 

managing ill workers (distancing, 

appropriate PPE)
6

Activities Organized by Goals Yes No Partial or 

Alternative Comments

Sick leave policies and incentive programs 

ensure that ill workers are not in the workplace

No bonuses based on attendance

Encouraging workers with symptoms or ill 

household members to stay home without 

fear of punishment

Policies are communicated to workers

There is a return-to-work policy for 

asymptomatic, exposed workers

Policy is consistent with CDC Critical 

Infrastructure Guidance; workers can continue 

to work with additional safety precautions 

provided they remain asymptomatic

Policy is developed in consultation with state 

and local health departments

There is a return-to-work policy for workers 

with COVID-19

Policy is consistent with CDC interim guidance 

for ending home isolation

Policy is developed in consultation with state 

and local health departments

A plan exists to inform those in contact with ill 

workers of possible exposure and the plan

Maintains confidentiality as required by the 

Americans with Disability Act

Includes working with state and local 

health department to identify close 

contacts of ill workers

The facility has considered cohorting workers

The facility always assigns groups of workers 

to same shift with same coworkers

The facility's use of lunchrooms is by 

individual departments or in shifts with 

cleaning in between; making sure there is 

time in between shifts to allow for cleaning 

or minimized contact

On-site occupational healthcare personnel 

are following CDC and OSHA guidance for 

healthcare and emergency response personnel 

as applicable
7

 Provide Education, Training, and Communication

Activities Organized by Goals Yes No Partial or 

Alternative Comments

Education, training, and communication are 

provided in languages and literacy levels 

appropriate to workforce

A worker education program is in place to 

prevent spread of COVID-19 and to identify 

symptoms

Worker education program covers signs and 

symptoms of COVID-19

Worker education program covers risks for 

workplace exposures

Worker education program covers avoiding 

touching the mouth, nose, and eyes

Worker education program covers 

hand hygiene

Signage is posted in the facility that 

encourages staying home when sick, cough 

and sneeze etiquette, proper hand hygiene 

practices, and social distancing

Cleaning/Sanitizing/Disinfection

Activities Organized by Goals Yes No Partial or 

Alternative Comments

One shift reserved for cleaning and 

sanitization following USDA guidelines and 

OSHA safety regulations to protect 

the cleaning team

Cleaning and disinfection of commonly 

touched surfaces after each carpool trip (e.g., 

door handles, handrails, seatbelt buckles)

Cleaning and sanitization protocols are in 

place for tool-intensive operations and food 

contact surfaces

Disinfection protocols including increased 

frequency and supplies are in place.

Disinfection protocols are in place for 

common areas
8

Activities Organized by Goals Yes No Partial or 

Alternative Comments

Disinfection protocols are in use for frequently 

touched surfaces (e.g., faucets, microwave 

or refrigerator handles or vending machine 

touchpads)

Disinfection protocols are in use for physical 

barriers (if present)

Proper disinfectants are in use (refer to 

EPA list N and USDA regulations for food 

production areas) with appropriate PPE

High-touch areas are disinfected frequently 

during each shift (note frequency) and 

appropriate time allowed in between each 

shift to accommodate cleaning

Products are applied at the appropriate 

concentration for the appropriate contact time

Provide PPE, as Appropriate 

Activities Organized by Goals Yes No Partial or 

Alternative Comments

Employer has conducted a hazard assessment 

to determine PPE needs for routine operations, 

not limited to COVID-19

Appropriate PPE is in use based on 

hazard assessment

Continuing the usual PPE program, including 

regular training and emphasis on disinfection 

and storage

Stressing hand hygiene before and after 

handling PPE
9

Provide Cloth Face Coverings, as Appropriate

Activities Organized by Goals Yes No Partial or 

Alternative Comments

Determination on facility policy for cloth face 

covering requirement/recommendation has 

been made

Employer is providing readily available clean 

cloth face coverings

Policies ensure proper wearing, laundering, 

and disposal of cloth face coverings

Considered use of face shields

Face shields may help keep face covering and 

glasses clean

Face shields provide additional barrier 

protection

Face shields are appropriately used and stored

Employer has considered allowing voluntary 

use of filtering facepiece respirators (such as 

an N95, if available)

Evaluate and Maintain Ventilation

Activities Organized by Goals Yes No Partial or 

Alternative Comments

Employer has considered consulting with a 

heating, ventilation/air-conditioning engineer 

to ensure adequate ventilation (if applicable)

Fans are arranged to minimize blowing air 

from worker to worker (if applicable)

Personal cooling fans have been removed, 

if applicable

Employer has taken steps to prevent heat 

hazards if fans are removed