E M E R G E N C Y T E M P O R A R Y S T A N D A R D

F A C T S H E E T

COVID-19 Healthcare ETS

As part of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) 

commitment to protect workers and deliver stronger worker safety requirements, 

the agency has issued a COVID-19 Healthcare Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) 

that establishes new requirements to protect workers from exposure to the 

coronavirus in all settings, with some exceptions, where any employee provides 

healthcare services or healthcare support services. 

This healthcare ETS is aimed at protecting 

workers facing the highest COVID-19 hazards—

those working in healthcare settings where 

suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients are 

treated. This includes employees in hospitals, 

nursing homes, and assisted living facilities;

emergency responders; home healthcare 

workers; and employees in ambulatory care 

settings where suspected or confirmed COVID19 patients are treated. The ETS exempts fully 

vaccinated workers from masking, distancing, 

and barrier requirements when in well-defined 

areas where there is no reasonable expectation 

that any person with suspected or confirmed 

COVID-19 will be present. This fact sheet 

highlights some of the new requirements of the 

ETS; employers should consult the standard for 

full details. 

The ETS generally requires employers to:

 Conduct a hazard assessment and 

implement a COVID-19 plan for each 

workplace. Engage employees in the 

development of the plan.

 Screen and triage patients, clients, residents, 

delivery people and other visitors and nonemployees entering the setting for 

symptoms of COVID-19. Implement patient 

management strategies.

 Develop and implement policies and 

procedures to adhere to Standard and 

Transmission-Based Precautions in 

accordance with CDC guidelines.

 Provide and ensure employees wear 

facemasks when indoors and when 

occupying a vehicle with another person for 

work purposes.

 Provide and ensure employees wear 

respirators and other personal protective 

equipment (PPE) for exposure to people 

with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and 

for aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) on 

a person with suspected or confirmed 

COVID-19.

 Provide respirators and other PPE in 

accordance with Standard and TransmissionBased Precautions.
2

 For AGPs on persons with suspected or 

confirmed COVID-19, limit employees 

present to only those essential, perform 

procedures in an airborne infection isolation 

room (AIIR), if available, and clean and 

disinfect surfaces and equipment.

 Keep employees at least 6 feet apart from all 

other people when indoors.

 Install cleanable or disposable solid barriers 

at fixed work spaces in non-patient areas 

where employees are not separated from 

others by at least 6 feet.

 Follow standard practices for cleaning and 

disinfection of surfaces and equipment in 

accordance with CDC guidelines in patient 

care areas, resident rooms, and for medical 

devices and equipment. In all other areas, 

clean high-touch surfaces and equipment at 

least once a day. Provide alcohol-based hand 

rub that is at least 60% alcohol or provide 

readily accessible handwashing facilities.

 Ensure employer-owned or controlled HVAC 

systems are used according to 

manufacturer’s instructions and design 

specifications, and that air filters are rated 

Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV)

13 or higher if the system allows it.

 Screen employees before each work day 

and shift.

 Notify certain employees if a person who 

has been in the workplace is COVID-19 

positive.

 Remove employees who have suspected or 

confirmed COVID-19, certain COVID-19 

symptoms, or have had close contact to a 

person who is COVID-19 positive in the 

workplace. In some cases, provide pay and 

benefits to employees removed from the 

workplace.

 Provide reasonable time and paid leave for 

vaccinations and vaccine side effects (offset 

by tax credits for employers with fewer than 

500 employees).

 Train employees on workplace policies and 

procedures regarding COVID-19 in a 

language they understand.

 Record all employee cases of COVID-19 on a 

COVID-19 log without regard to occupational 

exposure. Report work-related COVID-19 

fatalities to OSHA within 8 hours of 

employer knowledge and work-related

COVID-19 in-patient hospitalizations within 

24 hours.

The ETS also contains a mini respiratory 

protection program. State plans may have 

different requirements.

Read the full text of the ETS at 

osha.gov/coronavirus/ets. 

This Fact Sheet is intended to provide information about the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard. The Occupational Safety and Health Act requires 

employers to comply with safety and health standards promulgated by OSHA or by a state with an OSHA-approved state plan. However, this Fact Sheet is not 

itself a standard or regulation, and it creates no new legal obligations.

1-800-321-OSHA (6742) | TTY 1-877-889-5627 | www.osha.gov

OSHA FS-4123 06 2021