OSHA 3990-03 2020

Guidance on Preparing 

Workplaces for COVID-19
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970

“To assure safe and healthful working conditions for 

working men and women; by authorizing enforcement 

of the standards developed under the Act; by assisting 

and encouraging the States in their efforts to assure 

safe and healthful working conditions; by providing 

for research, information, education, and training in 

the field of occupational safety and health.”

This guidance is not a standard or regulation, and 

it creates no new legal obligations. It contains 

recommendations as well as descriptions of 

mandatory safety and health standards. The 

recommendations are advisory in nature, 

informational in content, and are intended to assist 

employers in providing a safe and healthful workplace. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Act requires 

employers to comply with safety and health standards 

and regulations promulgated by OSHA or by a state 

with an OSHA-approved state plan. In addition, the 

Act’s General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1), requires 

employers to provide their employees with a 

workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause 

death or serious physical harm.

Material contained in this publication is in the public 

domain and may be reproduced, fully or partially, without 

permission. Source credit is requested but not required.

This information will be made available to sensoryimpaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 

693-1999; teletypewriter (TTY) number: 1-877-889-5627. 
Guidance on Preparing 

Workplaces for COVID-19

U.S. Department of Labor

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

OSHA 3990-03 2020
Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

About COVID-19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

How a COVID-19 Outbreak Could Affect Workplaces. . . . . . . . . 6

Steps All Employers Can Take to Reduce

Workers’ Risk of Exposure to SARS-CoV-2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Classifying Worker Exposure to SARS-CoV-2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Jobs Classified at Lower Exposure Risk (Caution): 

What to Do to Protect Workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Jobs Classified at Medium Exposure Risk: 

What to Do to Protect Workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Jobs Classified at High or Very High Exposure Risk: 

What to Do to Protect Workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Workers Living Abroad or Travelling Internationally. . . . . . . . . 25

For More Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

OSHA Assistance, Services, and Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

OSHA Regional Offices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

How to Contact OSHA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
GUIDANCE ON PREPARING WORKPLACES FOR COVID-19

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Introduction

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory disease 

caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It has spread from China to 

many other countries around the world, including the United 

States. Depending on the severity of COVID-19’s international 

impacts, outbreak conditions—including those rising to the level 

of a pandemic—can affect all aspects of daily life, including 

travel, trade, tourism, food supplies, and financial markets.

To reduce the impact of COVID-19 outbreak conditions on 

businesses, workers, customers, and the public, it is important 

for all employers to plan now for COVID-19. For employers who 

have already planned for influenza pandemics, planning for 

COVID-19 may involve updating plans to address the specific 

exposure risks, sources of exposure, routes of transmission, 

and other unique characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 (i.e., compared 

to pandemic influenza viruses). Employers who have not 

prepared for pandemic events should prepare themselves 

and their workers as far in advance as possible of potentially 

worsening outbreak conditions. Lack of continuity planning can 

result in a cascade of failures as employers attempt to address 

challenges of COVID-19 with insufficient resources and workers 

who might not be adequately trained for jobs they may have to 

perform under pandemic conditions.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 

developed this COVID-19 planning guidance based on traditional 

infection prevention and industrial hygiene practices. It focuses on 

the need for employers to implement engineering, administrative, 

and work practice controls and personal protective equipment 

(PPE), as well as considerations for doing so.

This guidance is intended for planning purposes. Employers 

and workers should use this planning guidance to help 

identify risk levels in workplace settings and to determine 

any appropriate control measures to implement. Additional 

guidance may be needed as COVID-19 outbreak conditions 

change, including as new information about the virus, its 

transmission, and impacts, becomes available.
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers 

for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides the 

latest information about COVID-19 and the global outbreak: 

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov.

The OSHA COVID-19 webpage offers information specifically 

for workers and employers: www.osha.gov/covid-19.

This guidance is advisory in nature and informational in 

content. It is not a standard or a regulation, and it neither 

creates new legal obligations nor alters existing obligations 

created by OSHA standards or the Occupational Safety and 

Health Act (OSH Act). Pursuant to the OSH Act, employers 

must comply with safety and health standards and regulations 

issued and enforced either by OSHA or by an OSHA-approved 

State Plan. In addition, the OSH Act’s General Duty Clause, 

Section 5(a)(1), requires employers to provide their employees 

with a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause 

death or serious physical harm. OSHA-approved State Plans 

may have standards, regulations and enforcement policies that 

are different from, but at least as effective as, OSHA’s. Check 

with your State Plan, as applicable, for more information. 

About COVID-19

Symptoms of COVID-19

Infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can 

cause illness ranging from mild to severe and, in some cases, 

can be fatal. Symptoms typically include fever, cough, and 

shortness of breath. Some people infected with the virus have 

reported experiencing other non-respiratory symptoms. Other 

people, referred to as asymptomatic cases, have experienced 

no symptoms at all.

According to the CDC, symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in 

as few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure.
GUIDANCE ON PREPARING WORKPLACES FOR COVID-19

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How COVID-19 Spreads

Although the first human cases of COVID-19 likely resulted 

from exposure to infected animals, infected people can spread 

SARS-CoV-2 to other people.

The virus is thought to 

spread mainly from personto-person, including:

■ Between people who 

are in close contact 

with one another (within 

about 6 feet).

■ Through respiratory 

droplets produced when an infected person coughs or 

sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of 

people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching 

a surface or object that has SARS-CoV-2 on it and then 

touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this 

is not thought to be the primary way the virus spreads.

People are thought to be most contagious when they are most 

symptomatic (i.e., experiencing fever, cough, and/or shortness 

of breath). Some spread might be possible before people 

show symptoms; there have been reports of this type of 

asymptomatic transmission with this new coronavirus, but this 

is also not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

Although the United States has implemented public health 

measures to limit the spread of the virus, it is likely that some 

person-to-person transmission will continue to occur. 

The CDC website provides the latest information about 

COVID-19 transmission: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/

about/transmission.html.

Medium exposure risk

jobs include those that 

require frequent and/or 

close contact with (i.e., 

within 6 feet of) other people 

who may be infected with 

SARS-CoV-2.
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

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How a COVID-19 Outbreak Could 

Affect Workplaces

Similar to influenza viruses, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes 

COVID-19, has the potential to cause extensive outbreaks. 

Under conditions associated with widespread person-toperson spread, multiple areas of the United States and other 

countries may see impacts at the same time. In the absence 

of a vaccine, an outbreak may also be an extended event. As a 

result, workplaces may experience: 

■ Absenteeism. Workers could be absent because they are 

sick; are caregivers for sick family members; are caregivers 

for children if schools or day care centers are closed; have 

at-risk people at home, such as immunocompromised 

family members; or are afraid to come to work because of 

fear of possible exposure. 

■ Change in patterns of commerce. Consumer demand for 

items related to infection prevention (e.g., respirators) is 

likely to increase significantly, while consumer interest in 

other goods may decline. Consumers may also change 

shopping patterns because of a COVID-19 outbreak. 

Consumers may try to shop at off-peak hours to reduce 

contact with other people, show increased interest in home 

delivery services, or prefer other options, such as drivethrough service, to reduce person-to-person contact. 

■ Interrupted supply/delivery. Shipments of items from 

geographic areas severely affected by COVID-19 may be 

delayed or cancelled with or without notification.

This illustration, created at the Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals 

ultrastructural morphology exhibited by the 

2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Note 

the spikes that adorn the outer surface of 

the virus, which impart the look of a corona 

surrounding the virion, when viewed electron 

microscopically. This virus was identified as 

the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness 

first detected in Wuhan, China.

Photo: CDC / Alissa Eckert & Dan Higgins
GUIDANCE ON PREPARING WORKPLACES FOR COVID-19

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Steps All Employers Can Take to 

Reduce Workers’ Risk of Exposure 

to SARS-CoV-2

This section describes basic steps that every employer can 

take to reduce the risk of worker exposure to SARS-CoV-2, the 

virus that causes COVID-19, in their workplace. Later sections 

of this guidance—including those focusing on jobs classified 

as having low, medium, high, and very high exposure risks—

provide specific recommendations for employers and workers 

within specific risk categories.

Develop an Infectious Disease Preparedness 

and Response Plan

If one does not already exist, develop an infectious disease 

preparedness and response plan that can help guide protective 

actions against COVID-19.

Stay abreast of guidance from federal, state, local, tribal, and/or 

territorial health agencies, and consider how to incorporate those 

recommendations and resources into workplace-specific plans.

Plans should consider and address the level(s) of risk 

associated with various worksites and job tasks workers 

perform at those sites. Such considerations may include:

■ Where, how, and to what sources of SARS-CoV-2 might 

workers be exposed, including:

{ The general public, customers, and coworkers; and

{ Sick individuals or those at particularly high risk 

of infection (e.g., international travelers who have 

visited locations with widespread sustained (ongoing) 

COVID-19 transmission, healthcare workers who have 

had unprotected exposures to people known to have, or 

suspected of having, COVID-19).

■ Non-occupational risk factors at home and in community 

settings.
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■ Workers’ individual risk factors (e.g., older age; 

presence of chronic medical conditions, including 

immunocompromising conditions; pregnancy).

■ Controls necessary to address those risks.

Follow federal and state, local, tribal, and/or territorial (SLTT) 

recommendations regarding development of contingency 

plans for situations that may arise as a result of outbreaks, 

such as:

■ Increased rates of worker absenteeism.

■ The need for social distancing, staggered work shifts, 

downsizing operations, delivering services remotely, and 

other exposure-reducing measures.

■ Options for conducting essential operations with a reduced 

workforce, including cross-training workers across different 

jobs in order to continue operations or deliver surge services.

■ Interrupted supply chains or delayed deliveries.

Plans should also consider and address the other steps that 

employers can take to reduce the risk of worker exposure to 

SARS-CoV-2 in their workplace, described in the sections below.

Prepare to Implement Basic Infection 

Prevention Measures

For most employers, protecting workers will depend on 

emphasizing basic infection prevention measures. As 

appropriate, all employers should implement good hygiene 

and infection control practices, including: 

■ Promote frequent and thorough hand washing, including 

by providing workers, customers, and worksite visitors with 

a place to wash their hands. If soap and running water are 

not immediately available, provide alcohol-based hand rubs 

containing at least 60% alcohol.

■ Encourage workers to stay home if they are sick. 

■ Encourage respiratory etiquette, including covering coughs 

and sneezes.
GUIDANCE ON PREPARING WORKPLACES FOR COVID-19

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■ Provide customers and the public with tissues and trash 

receptacles.

■ Employers should explore whether they can establish 

policies and practices, such as flexible worksites (e.g., 

telecommuting) and flexible work hours (e.g., staggered 

shifts), to increase the physical distance among 

employees and between employees and others if state 

and local health authorities recommend the use of social 

distancing strategies. 

■ Discourage workers from using other workers’ phones, desks, 

offices, or other work tools and equipment, when possible.

■ Maintain regular housekeeping practices, including routine 

cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces, equipment, and 

other elements of the work environment. When choosing 

cleaning chemicals, employers should consult information 

on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved 

disinfectant labels with claims against emerging viral 

pathogens. Products with EPA-approved emerging viral 

pathogens claims are expected to be effective against 

SARS-CoV-2 based on data for harder to kill viruses. Follow 

the manufacturer’s instructions for use of all cleaning and 

disinfection products (e.g., concentration, application 

method and contact time, PPE). 

Develop Policies and Procedures for Prompt 

Identification and Isolation of Sick People, 

if Appropriate

■ Prompt identification and isolation of potentially infectious 

individuals is a critical step in protecting workers, 

customers, visitors, and others at a worksite.

■ Employers should inform and encourage employees to 

self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 if they 

suspect possible exposure. 

■ Employers should develop policies and procedures for 

employees to report when they are sick or experiencing 

symptoms of COVID-19. 
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■ Where appropriate, employers should develop policies 

and procedures for immediately isolating people who have 

signs and/or symptoms of COVID-19, and train workers to 

implement them. Move potentially infectious people to a 

location away from workers, customers, and other visitors. 

Although most worksites do not have specific isolation 

rooms, designated areas with closable doors may serve as 

isolation rooms until potentially sick people can be removed 

from the worksite. 

■ Take steps to limit spread of the respiratory secretions of 

a person who may have COVID-19. Provide a face mask, 

if feasible and available, and ask the person to wear it, if 

tolerated. Note: A face mask (also called a surgical mask, 

procedure mask, or other similar terms) on a patient or 

other sick person should not be confused with PPE for 

a worker; the mask acts to contain potentially infectious 

respiratory secretions at the source (i.e., the person’s nose 

and mouth).

■ If possible, isolate people suspected of having COVID-19 

separately from those with confirmed cases of the virus 

to prevent further transmission—particularly in worksites 

where medical screening, triage, or healthcare activities 

occur, using either permanent (e.g., wall/different room) or 

temporary barrier (e.g., plastic sheeting).

■ Restrict the number of personnel entering isolation areas.

■ Protect workers in close contact with (i.e., within 6 feet of) 

a sick person or who have prolonged/repeated contact 

with such persons by using additional engineering and 

administrative controls, safe work practices, and PPE. 

Workers whose activities involve close or prolonged/

repeated contact with sick people are addressed further in 

later sections covering workplaces classified at medium and 

very high or high exposure risk.
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Develop, Implement, and Communicate about 

Workplace Flexibilities and Protections

■ Actively encourage sick employees to stay home.

■ Ensure that sick leave policies are flexible and consistent 

with public health guidance and that employees are aware 

of these policies. 

■ Talk with companies that provide your business with 

contract or temporary employees about the importance 

of sick employees staying home and encourage them to 

develop non-punitive leave policies.

■ Do not require a healthcare provider’s note for employees 

who are sick with acute respiratory illness to validate their 

illness or to return to work, as healthcare provider offices 

and medical facilities may be extremely busy and not able 

to provide such documentation in a timely way.

■ Maintain flexible policies that permit employees to stay home 

to care for a sick family member. Employers should be aware 

that more employees may need to stay at home to care for 

sick children or other sick family members than is usual.

■ Recognize that workers with ill family members may need 

to stay home to care for them. See CDC’s Interim Guidance 

for Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in Homes and 

Residential Communities: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-

ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent-spread.html.

■ Be aware of workers’ concerns about pay, leave, safety, 

health, and other issues that may arise during infectious 

disease outbreaks. Provide adequate, usable, and 

appropriate training, education, and informational material 

about business-essential job functions and worker health 

and safety, including proper hygiene practices and the 

use of any workplace controls (including PPE). Informed 

workers who feel safe at work are less likely to be 

unnecessarily absent.
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■ Work with insurance companies (e.g., those providing 

employee health benefits) and state and local health 

agencies to provide information to workers and customers 

about medical care in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak.

Implement Workplace Controls

Occupational safety and health professionals use a framework 

called the “hierarchy of controls” to select ways of controlling 

workplace hazards. In other words, the best way to control 

a hazard is to systematically remove it from the workplace, 

rather than relying on workers to reduce their exposure. 

During a COVID-19 outbreak, when it may not be possible to 

eliminate the hazard, the most effective protection measures 

are (listed from most effective to least effective): engineering 

controls, administrative controls, safe work practices (a type 

of administrative control), and PPE. There are advantages 

and disadvantages to each type of control measure when 

considering the ease of implementation, effectiveness, and 

cost. In most cases, a combination of control measures will be 

necessary to protect workers from exposure to SARS-CoV-2.

In addition to the types of workplace controls discussed below, 

CDC guidance for businesses provides employers and workers 

with recommended SARS-CoV-2 infection prevention strategies 

to implement in workplaces: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-

ncov/specific-groups/guidance-business-response.html.

Engineering Controls

Engineering controls involve isolating employees from workrelated hazards. In workplaces where they are appropriate, these 

types of controls reduce exposure to hazards without relying on 

worker behavior and can be the most cost-effective solution to 

implement. Engineering controls for SARS-CoV-2 include:

■ Installing high-efficiency air filters.

■ Increasing ventilation rates in the work environment.

■ Installing physical barriers, such as clear plastic 

sneeze guards.
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■ Installing a drive-through window for customer service.

■ Specialized negative pressure ventilation in some settings, 

such as for aerosol generating procedures (e.g., airborne 

infection isolation rooms in healthcare settings and 

specialized autopsy suites in mortuary settings).

Administrative Controls

Administrative controls require action by the worker or employer. 

Typically, administrative controls are changes in work policy 

or procedures to reduce or minimize exposure to a hazard. 

Examples of administrative controls for SARS-CoV-2 include:

■ Encouraging sick workers to stay at home.

■ Minimizing contact among workers, clients, and 

customers by replacing face-to-face meetings with virtual 

communications and implementing telework if feasible. 

■ Establishing alternating days or extra shifts that reduce 

the total number of employees in a facility at a given time, 

allowing them to maintain distance from one another while 

maintaining a full onsite work week.

■ Discontinuing nonessential travel to locations with ongoing 

COVID-19 outbreaks. Regularly check CDC travel warning 

levels at: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers.

■ Developing emergency communications plans, including a 

forum for answering workers’ concerns and internet-based 

communications, if feasible.

■ Providing workers with up-to-date education and training 

on COVID-19 risk factors and protective behaviors (e.g., 

cough etiquette and care of PPE). 

■ Training workers who need to use protecting clothing 

and equipment how to put it on, use/wear it, and take 

it off correctly, including in the context of their current 

and potential duties. Training material should be easy to 

understand and available in the appropriate language and 

literacy level for all workers.
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Safe Work Practices

Safe work practices are types of administrative controls that 

include procedures for safe and proper work used to reduce 

the duration, frequency, or intensity of exposure to a hazard. 

Examples of safe work practices for SARS-CoV-2 include:

■ Providing resources and a work environment that promotes 

personal hygiene. For example, provide tissues, no-touch 

trash cans, hand soap, alcohol-based hand rubs containing 

at least 60 percent alcohol, disinfectants, and disposable 

towels for workers to clean their work surfaces. 

■ Requiring regular hand washing or using of alcohol-based 

hand rubs. Workers should always wash hands when they 

are visibly soiled and after removing any PPE.

■ Post handwashing signs in restrooms. 

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 

While engineering and administrative controls are considered 

more effective in minimizing exposure to SARS-CoV-2, PPE 

may also be needed to prevent certain exposures. While 

correctly using PPE can help prevent some exposures, it 

should not take the place of other prevention strategies. 

Examples of PPE include: gloves, goggles, face shields, face 

masks, and respiratory protection, when appropriate. During 

an outbreak of an infectious disease, such as COVID-19, 

recommendations for PPE specific to occupations or job tasks 

may change depending on geographic location, updated 

risk assessments for workers, and information on PPE 

effectiveness in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Employers 

should check the OSHA and CDC websites regularly for 

updates about recommended PPE.

All types of PPE must be:

■ Selected based upon the hazard to the worker.

■ Properly fitted and periodically refitted, as applicable 

(e.g., respirators).
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■ Consistently and properly worn when required.

■ Regularly inspected, maintained, and replaced, 

as necessary.

■ Properly removed, cleaned, and stored or disposed of, 

as applicable, to avoid contamination of self, others, or 

the environment.

Employers are obligated to provide their workers with PPE 

needed to keep them safe while performing their jobs. The 

types of PPE required during a COVID-19 outbreak will be 

based on the risk of being infected with SARS-CoV-2 while 

working and job tasks that may lead to exposure.

Workers, including those who work within 6 feet of patients 

known to be, or suspected of being, infected with SARS-CoV-2 

and those performing aerosol-generating procedures, need to 

use respirators: 

■ National Institute for Occupational Safety and 

Health (NIOSH)-approved, N95 filtering facepiece 

respirators or better must be used in the context of a 

comprehensive, written respiratory protection program 

that includes fit-testing, training, and medical exams. 

See OSHA’s Respiratory Protection standard, 29 CFR 

1910.134 at www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/

standardnumber/1910/1910.134.

■ When disposable N95 filtering facepiece respirators are 

not available, consider using other respirators that provide 

greater protection and improve worker comfort. Other 

types of acceptable respirators include: a R/P95, N/R/P99, 

or N/R/P100 filtering facepiece respirator; an air-purifying 

elastomeric (e.g., half-face or full-face) respirator with 

appropriate filters or cartridges; powered air purifying 

respirator (PAPR) with high-efficiency particulate arrestance 

(HEPA) filter; or supplied air respirator (SAR). See CDC/

NIOSH guidance for optimizing respirator supplies at: 

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/respirators-strategy. 
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■ Consider using PAPRs or SARs, which are more protective 

than filtering facepiece respirators, for any work operations 

or procedures likely to generate aerosols (e.g., cough 

induction procedures, some dental procedures, invasive 

specimen collection, blowing out pipettes, shaking or 

vortexing tubes, filling a syringe, centrifugation). 

■ Use a surgical N95 respirator when both respiratory 

protection and resistance to blood and body fluids is needed. 

■ Face shields may also be worn on top of a respirator to 

prevent bulk contamination of the respirator. Certain 

respirator designs with forward protrusions (duckbill 

style) may be difficult to properly wear under a face shield. 

Ensure that the face shield does not prevent airflow through 

the respirator.

■ Consider factors such as function, fit, ability to 

decontaminate, disposal, and cost. OSHA’s Respiratory 

Protection eTool provides basic information on respirators 

such as medical requirements, maintenance and care, 

fit testing, written respiratory protection programs, and 

voluntary use of respirators, which employers may also 

find beneficial in training workers at: www.osha.gov/SLTC/

etools/respiratory. Also see NIOSH respirator guidance at: 

www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/respirators.

■ Respirator training should address selection, use (including 

donning and doffing), proper disposal or disinfection, 

inspection for damage, maintenance, and the limitations 

of respiratory protection equipment. Learn more at: www.

osha.gov/SLTC/respiratoryprotection.

■ The appropriate form of respirator will depend on the 

type of exposure and on the transmission pattern of 

COVID-19. See the NIOSH “Respirator Selection Logic” 

at: www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2005-100/default.html or the 

OSHA “Respiratory Protection eTool” at www.osha.gov/

SLTC/etools/respiratory.
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Follow Existing OSHA Standards

Existing OSHA standards may apply to protecting workers 

from exposure to and infection with SARS-CoV-2.

While there is no specific OSHA standard covering SARSCoV-2 exposure, some OSHA requirements may apply to 

preventing occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Among the 

most relevant are:

■ OSHA’s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) standards 

(in general industry, 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I), which require 

using gloves, eye and face protection, and respiratory 

protection. See: www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/

standardnumber/1910#1910_Subpart_I. 

{ When respirators are necessary to protect workers or 

where employers require respirator use, employers 

must implement a comprehensive respiratory protection 

program in accordance with the Respiratory Protection 

standard (29 CFR 1910.134). See: www.osha.gov/lawsregs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.134. 

■ The General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1) of 

the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970, 

29 USC 654(a)(1), which requires employers to furnish to 

each worker “employment and a place of employment, 

which are free from recognized hazards that are causing 

or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.” 

See: www.osha.gov/laws-regs/oshact/completeoshact. 

OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) 

applies to occupational exposure to human blood and other 

potentially infectious materials that typically do not include 

respiratory secretions that may transmit SARS-CoV-2. 

However, the provisions of the standard offer a framework 

that may help control some sources of the virus, including 

exposures to body fluids (e.g., respiratory secretions) not 

covered by the standard. See: www.osha.gov/laws-regs/

regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.1030. 
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The OSHA COVID-19 webpage provides additional information 

about OSHA standards and requirements, including 

requirements in states that operate their own OSHA-approved 

State Plans, recordkeeping requirements and injury/illness 

recording criteria, and applications of standards related to 

sanitation and communication of risks related to hazardous 

chemicals that may be in common sanitizers and sterilizers. 

See: www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/standards.html.

Classifying Worker Exposure to 

SARS-CoV-2

Worker risk of occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2, the 

virus that causes COVID-19, during an outbreak may vary from 

very high to high, medium, or lower (caution) risk. The level 

of risk depends in part on the industry type, need for contact 

within 6 feet of people known to be, or suspected of being, 

infected with SARS-CoV-2, or requirement for repeated or 

extended contact with persons known to be, or suspected of 

being, infected with SARS-CoV-2. To help employers determine 

appropriate precautions, OSHA has divided job tasks into 

four risk exposure levels: very high, high, medium, and lower 

risk. The Occupational Risk Pyramid shows the four exposure 

risk levels in the shape of a pyramid to represent probable 

distribution of risk. Most American workers will likely fall in the 

lower exposure risk (caution) or medium exposure risk levels.

Occupational Risk Pyramid 

for COVID-19
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Very High Exposure Risk

Very high exposure risk jobs are those with high potential for 

exposure to known or suspected sources of COVID-19 during 

specific medical, postmortem, or laboratory procedures. 

Workers in this category include:

■ Healthcare workers (e.g., doctors, nurses, dentists, 

paramedics, emergency medical technicians) performing 

aerosol-generating procedures (e.g., intubation, cough 

induction procedures, bronchoscopies, some dental 

procedures and exams, or invasive specimen collection) on 

known or suspected COVID-19 patients.

■ Healthcare or laboratory personnel collecting or handling 

specimens from known or suspected COVID-19 patients 

(e.g., manipulating cultures from known or suspected 

COVID-19 patients).

■ Morgue workers performing autopsies, which generally 

involve aerosol-generating procedures, on the bodies of 

people who are known to have, or suspected of having, 

COVID-19 at the time of their death.

High Exposure Risk

High exposure risk jobs are those with high potential for 

exposure to known or suspected sources of COVID-19. Workers 

in this category include:

■ Healthcare delivery and support staff (e.g., doctors, 

nurses, and other hospital staff who must enter patients’ 

rooms) exposed to known or suspected COVID-19 patients. 

(Note: when such workers perform aerosol-generating 

procedures, their exposure risk level becomes very high.)

■ Medical transport workers (e.g., ambulance vehicle 

operators) moving known or suspected COVID-19 patients 

in enclosed vehicles.

■ Mortuary workers involved in preparing (e.g., for burial or 

cremation) the bodies of people who are known to have, or 

suspected of having, COVID-19 at the time of their death.
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Medium Exposure Risk

Medium exposure risk jobs include those that require 

frequent and/or close contact with (i.e., within 6 feet of) 

people who may be infected with SARS-CoV-2, but who are 

not known or suspected COVID-19 patients. In areas without 

ongoing community transmission, workers in this risk group 

may have frequent contact with travelers who may return 

from international locations with widespread COVID-19 

transmission. In areas where there is ongoing community 

transmission, workers in this category may have contact with 

the general public (e.g., schools, high-population-density work 

environments, some high-volume retail settings).

Lower Exposure Risk (Caution)

Lower exposure risk (caution) jobs are those that do not 

require contact with people known to be, or suspected of 

being, infected with SARS-CoV-2 nor frequent close contact 

with (i.e., within 6 feet of) the general public. Workers in this 

category have minimal occupational contact with the public 

and other coworkers.

Jobs Classified at Lower Exposure 

Risk (Caution): What to Do to 

Protect Workers

For workers who do not have frequent contact with the general 

public, employers should follow the guidance for “Steps All 

Employers Can Take to Reduce Workers’ Risk of Exposure 

to SARS-CoV-2,” on page 7 of this booklet and implement 

control measures described in this section.

Engineering Controls

Additional engineering controls are not recommended for 

workers in the lower exposure risk group. Employers should 

ensure that engineering controls, if any, used to protect workers 

from other job hazards continue to function as intended. 
GUIDANCE ON PREPARING WORKPLACES FOR COVID-19

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Administrative Controls

■ Monitor public health communications about COVID-19 

recommendations and ensure that workers have access 

to that information. Frequently check the CDC COVID-19 

website: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov.

■ Collaborate with workers to designate effective means of 

communicating important COVID-19 information.

Personal Protective Equipment

Additional PPE is not recommended for workers in the lower 

exposure risk group. Workers should continue to use the PPE, 

if any, that they would ordinarily use for other job tasks.

Jobs Classified at Medium Exposure 

Risk: What to Do to Protect Workers

In workplaces where workers have medium exposure risk, 

employers should follow the guidance for “Steps All Employers 

Can Take to Reduce Workers’ Risk of Exposure to SARS-CoV-2,” 

on page 7 of this booklet and implement control measures 

described in this section.

Engineering Controls

■ Install physical barriers, such as clear plastic sneeze guards, 

where feasible.

Administrative Controls

■ Consider offering face masks to ill employees and customers 

to contain respiratory secretions until they are able leave 

the workplace (i.e., for medical evaluation/care or to return 

home). In the event of a shortage of masks, a reusable face 

shield that can be decontaminated may be an acceptable 

method of protecting against droplet transmission. See CDC/

NIOSH guidance for optimizing respirator supplies, which 

discusses the use of surgical masks, at: www.cdc.gov/

coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/respirators-strategy.
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■ Keep customers informed about symptoms of COVID-19 and 

ask sick customers to minimize contact with workers until 

healthy again, such as by posting signs about COVID-19 in 

stores where sick customers may visit (e.g., pharmacies) or 

including COVID-19 information in automated messages sent 

when prescriptions are ready for pick up.

■ Where appropriate, limit customers’ and the public’s access to 

the worksite, or restrict access to only certain workplace areas.

■ Consider strategies to minimize face-to-face contact (e.g., drivethrough windows, phone-based communication, telework). 

■ Communicate the availability of medical screening or other 

worker health resources (e.g., on-site nurse; telemedicine 

services).

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

When selecting PPE, consider factors such as function, fit, 

decontamination ability, disposal, and cost. Sometimes, when 

PPE will have to be used repeatedly for a long period of time, a 

more expensive and durable type of PPE may be less expensive 

overall than disposable PPE. 

Each employer should select 

the combination of PPE that 

protects workers specific to 

their workplace.

Workers with medium 

exposure risk may need to 

wear some combination 

of gloves, a gown, a face 

mask, and/or a face shield 

or goggles. PPE ensembles 

for workers in the medium 

exposure risk category will 

vary by work task, the results 

of the employer’s hazard 

assessment, and the types of 

exposures workers have on 

the job.

High exposure risk jobs 

are those with high 

potential for exposure 

to known or suspected 

sources of COVID-19.

Very high exposure risk

jobs are those with high 

potential for exposure 

to known or suspected 

sources of COVID-19 

during specific medical, 

postmortem, or laboratory 

procedures that involve 

aerosol generation or 

specimen collection/

handling.
GUIDANCE ON PREPARING WORKPLACES FOR COVID-19

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In rare situations that would require workers in this risk 

category to use respirators, see the PPE section beginning on 

page 14 of this booklet, which provides more details about 

respirators. For the most up-to-date information, visit OSHA’s 

COVID-19 webpage: www.osha.gov/covid-19. 

Jobs Classified at High or Very 

High Exposure Risk: What to Do to 

Protect Workers

In workplaces where workers have high or very high exposure 

risk, employers should follow the guidance for “Steps All 

Employers Can Take to Reduce Workers’ Risk of Exposure 

to SARS-CoV-2,” on page 7 of this booklet and implement 

control measures described in this section.

Engineering Controls 

■ Ensure appropriate air-handling systems are installed and 

maintained in healthcare facilities. See “Guidelines for 

Environmental Infection Control in Healthcare Facilities” for 

more recommendations on air handling systems at: www.

cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5210a1.htm.

■ CDC recommends that patients with known or suspected 

COVID-19 (i.e., person under investigation) should be placed 

in an airborne infection isolation room (AIIR), if available.

■ Use isolation rooms when available for performing 

aerosol-generating procedures on patients with known 

or suspected COVID-19. For postmortem activities, use 

autopsy suites or other similar isolation facilities when 

performing aerosol-generating procedures on the bodies 

of people who are known to have, or suspected of 

having, COVID-19 at the time of their death. See the CDC 

postmortem guidance at: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-

ncov/hcp/guidance-postmortem-specimens.html. OSHA 

also provides guidance for postmortem activities on its 

COVID-19 webpage: www.osha.gov/covid-19. 
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■ Use special precautions associated with Biosafety Level 3 

when handling specimens from known or suspected 

COVID-19 patients. For more information about biosafety 

levels, consult the U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services (HHS) “Biosafety in Microbiological and 

Biomedical Laboratories” at www.cdc.gov/biosafety/

publications/bmbl5.

Administrative Controls

If working in a healthcare facility, follow existing guidelines 

and facility standards of practice for identifying and isolating 

infected individuals and for protecting workers. 

■ Develop and implement policies that reduce exposure, such 

as cohorting (i.e., grouping) COVID-19 patients when single 

rooms are not available. 

■ Post signs requesting patients and family members to 

immediately report symptoms of respiratory illness on 

arrival at the healthcare facility and use disposable face 

masks.

■ Consider offering enhanced medical monitoring of workers 

during COVID-19 outbreaks.

■ Provide all workers with job-specific education and training 

on preventing transmission of COVID-19, including initial 

and routine/refresher training.

■ Ensure that psychological and behavioral support is 

available to address employee stress.

Safe Work Practices

■ Provide emergency responders and other essential 

personnel who may be exposed while working away from 

fixed facilities with alcohol-based hand rubs containing at 

least 60% alcohol for decontamination in the field. 
GUIDANCE ON PREPARING WORKPLACES FOR COVID-19

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Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Most workers at high or very high exposure risk likely need 

to wear gloves, a gown, a face shield or goggles, and either 

a face mask or a respirator, depending on their job tasks and 

exposure risks. 

Those who work closely with (either in contact with or within 

6 feet of) patients known to be, or suspected of being, infected 

with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, should wear 

respirators. In these instances, see the PPE section beginning 

on page 14 of this booklet, which provides more details 

about respirators. For the most up-to-date information, also 

visit OSHA’s COVID-19 webpage: www.osha.gov/covid-19. 

PPE ensembles may vary, especially for workers in laboratories 

or morgue/mortuary facilities who may need additional 

protection against blood, body fluids, chemicals, and other 

materials to which they may be exposed. Additional PPE may 

include medical/surgical gowns, fluid-resistant coveralls, 

aprons, or other disposable or reusable protective clothing. 

Gowns should be large enough to cover the areas requiring 

protection. OSHA may also provide updated guidance for PPE 

use on its website: www.osha.gov/covid-19.

NOTE: Workers who dispose of PPE and other infectious waste 

must also be trained and provided with appropriate PPE.

The CDC webpage “Healthcare-associated Infections” 

(www.cdc.gov/hai) provides additional information on 

infection control in healthcare facilities.

Workers Living Abroad or Travelling 

Internationally

Employers with workers living abroad or traveling on international 

business should consult the “Business Travelers” section of the 

OSHA COVID-19 webpage (www.osha.gov/covid-19), which also 

provides links to the latest:
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

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■ CDC travel warnings: www.cdc.gov/

coronavirus/2019- ncov/travelers

■ U.S. Department of State (DOS) travel advisories: 

travel.state.gov

Employers should communicate to workers that the DOS cannot 

provide Americans traveling or living abroad with medications 

or supplies, even in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak.

As COVID-19 outbreak conditions change, travel into or out of 

a country may not be possible, safe, or medically advisable. 

It is also likely that governments will respond to a COVID-19 

outbreak by imposing public health measures that restrict 

domestic and international movement, further limiting the U.S. 

government’s ability to assist Americans in these countries. It 

is important that employers and workers plan appropriately, 

as it is possible that these measures will be implemented 

very quickly in the event of worsening outbreak conditions in 

certain areas. 

More information on COVID-19 planning for workers living and 

traveling abroad can be found at: www.cdc.gov/travel. 

For More Information

Federal, state, and local government agencies are the best 

source of information in the event of an infectious disease 

outbreak, such as COVID-19. Staying informed about the latest 

developments and recommendations is critical, since specific 

guidance may change based upon evolving outbreak situations. 

Below are several recommended websites to access the most 

current and accurate information:

■ Occupational Safety and Health Administration website: 

www.osha.gov

■ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website: 

www.cdc.gov

■ National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 

website: www.cdc.gov/niosh
GUIDANCE ON PREPARING WORKPLACES FOR COVID-19

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OSHA Assistance, Services, 

and Programs

OSHA has a great deal of information to assist employers in 

complying with their responsibilities under OSHA law. Several 

OSHA programs and services can help employers identify 

and correct job hazards, as well as improve their safety and 

health program.

Establishing a Safety and Health Program

Safety and health programs are systems that can substantially 

reduce the number and severity of workplace injuries and 

illnesses, while reducing costs to employers. 

Visit www.osha.gov/safetymanagement for more information.

Compliance Assistance Specialists

OSHA compliance assistance specialists can 

provide information to employers and workers about OSHA 

standards, short educational programs on specific hazards 

or OSHA rights and responsibilities, and information on 

additional compliance assistance resources. 

Visit www.osha.gov/complianceassistance/cas or call 1-800-

321-OSHA (6742) to contact your local OSHA office.

No-Cost On-Site Safety and Health Consultation 

Services for Small Business

OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program offers no-cost and 

confidential advice to small and medium-sized businesses in 

all states, with priority given to high-hazard worksites. On-Site 

consultation services are separate from enforcement and do 

not result in penalties or citations. 

For more information or to find the local On-Site Consultation 

office in your state, visit www.osha.gov/consultation, or call 

1-800-321-OSHA (6742).
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

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Under the consultation program, certain exemplary employers 

may request participation in OSHA’s Safety and Health 

Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). Worksites that 

receive SHARP recognition are exempt from programmed 

inspections during the period that the SHARP certification is valid.

Cooperative Programs

OSHA offers cooperative programs under which businesses, 

labor groups and other organizations can work cooperatively 

with OSHA. To find out more about any of the following 

programs, visit www.osha.gov/cooperativeprograms. 

Strategic Partnerships and Alliances

The OSHA Strategic Partnerships (OSP) provide the opportunity 

for OSHA to partner with employers, workers, professional or 

trade associations, labor organizations, and/or other interested 

stakeholders. Through the Alliance Program, OSHA works with 

groups to develop compliance assistance tools and resources 

to share with workers and employers, and educate workers and 

employers about their rights and responsibilities.

Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP)

The VPP recognize employers and workers in the private sector 

and federal agencies who have implemented effective safety 

and health programs and maintain injury and illness rates below 

the national average for their respective industries.

Occupational Safety and Health Training

OSHA partners with 26 OSHA Training Institute Education 

Centers at 37 locations throughout the United States to 

deliver courses on OSHA standards and occupational safety 

and health topics to thousands of students a year. For more 

information on training courses, visit www.osha.gov/otiec.
GUIDANCE ON PREPARING WORKPLACES FOR COVID-19

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OSHA Educational Materials

OSHA has many types of educational materials to assist employers 

and workers in finding and preventing workplace hazards. 

All OSHA publications are free at www.osha.gov/publications

and www.osha.gov/ebooks. You can also call 1-800-321-OSHA 

(6742) to order publications.

Employers and safety and health professionals can sign-up for 

QuickTakes, OSHA’s free, twice-monthly online newsletter with 

the latest news about OSHA initiatives and products to assist 

in finding and preventing workplace hazards. To sign up, visit 

www.osha.gov/quicktakes.

OSHA Regional Offices

Region 1

Boston Regional Office

(CT*, ME*, MA, NH, RI, VT*)

JFK Federal Building

25 New Sudbury Street, Room E340 

Boston, MA 02203

(617) 565-9860 (617) 565-9827 Fax 

Region 2

New York Regional Office

(NJ*, NY*, PR*, VI*)

Federal Building

201 Varick Street, Room 670

New York, NY 10014

(212) 337-2378 (212) 337-2371 Fax

Region 3

Philadelphia Regional Office

(DE, DC, MD*, PA, VA*, WV)

The Curtis Center

170 S. Independence Mall West, Suite 740 West

Philadelphia, PA 19106-3309

(215) 861-4900 (215) 861-4904 Fax
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

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Region 4 

Atlanta Regional Office

(AL, FL, GA, KY*, MS, NC*, SC*, TN*)

Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center

61 Forsyth Street, SW, Room 6T50

Atlanta, GA 30303

(678) 237-0400 (678) 237-0447 Fax

Region 5

Chicago Regional Office

(IL*, IN*, MI*, MN*, OH, WI)

John C. Kluczynski Federal Building 

230 South Dearborn Street, Room 3244

Chicago, IL 60604

(312) 353-2220 (312) 353-7774 Fax

Region 6

Dallas Regional Office

(AR, LA, NM*, OK, TX)

A. Maceo Smith Federal Building 

525 Griffin Street, Room 602

Dallas, TX 75202

(972) 850-4145 (972) 850-4149 Fax

Region 7

Kansas City Regional Office

(IA*, KS, MO, NE)

Two Pershing Square Building

2300 Main Street, Suite 1010

Kansas City, MO 64108-2416

(816) 283-8745 (816) 283-0547 Fax

Region 8

Denver Regional Office

(CO, MT, ND, SD, UT*, WY*)

Cesar Chavez Memorial Building

1244 Speer Boulevard, Suite 551

Denver, CO 80204

(720) 264-6550 (720) 264-6585 Fax
GUIDANCE ON PREPARING WORKPLACES FOR COVID-19

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Region 9 

San Francisco Regional Office

(AZ*, CA*, HI*, NV*, and American Samoa, 

Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands)

San Francisco Federal Building 

90 7th Street, Suite 2650

San Francisco, CA 94103

(415) 625-2547 (415) 625-2534 Fax

Region 10

Seattle Regional Office

(AK*, ID, OR*, WA*)

Fifth & Yesler Tower

300 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1280

Seattle, WA 98104

(206) 757-6700 (206) 757-6705 Fax

*These states and territories operate their own OSHA-approved job safety 

and health plans and cover state and local government employees as well as 

private sector employees. The Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, New Jersey, New 

York and Virgin Islands programs cover public employees only. (Private sector 

workers in these states are covered by Federal OSHA). States with approved 

programs must have standards that are identical to, or at least as effective as, 

the Federal OSHA standards.

Note: To get contact information for OSHA area offices, OSHA-approved state 

plans and OSHA consultation projects, please visit us online at www.osha.gov

or call us at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742).
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

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How to Contact OSHA

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, 

employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful 

workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure 

these conditions for America’s working men and women by 

setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education 

and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov or call 

OSHA at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), TTY 1-877-889-5627.

For assistance, contact us.

We are OSHA. We can help.
For more information:

Occupational

Safety and Health

Administration

www.osha.gov (800) 321-OSHA (6742)

U.S. Department of Labor