COVID-19 OSHA Guidance for Employers and Employees in Puerto Rico that Work Indoors with Cloth Face Coverings

The COVID-19 pandemic caused many businesses and institutions to temporarily close their doors early this year. As they’ve reopened, employees are typically required to wear face coverings to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
 
To help in this effort, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released guidance on the use of cloth face coverings, including a document specifically for those working in hot and humid indoor environments. OSHA’s COVID-19 Guidance on the Use of Cloth Face Coverings while Working Indoors in Hot and Humid Conditions states that employers should observe the following practices to protect against the spread of COVID-19 and the risk of heat-related illness:

• Acclimatize new and returning workers to environmental and work conditions while wearing cloth face coverings.
• Prioritize the use of cloth face coverings when workers are in close contact with others (less than 6 feet), such as during group travel or shift meetings.
• Allow workers to remove cloth face coverings when they can safely maintain at least 6 feet of physical distance from others.
• Evaluate the feasibility of wearing cloth face coverings for each worker and consider alternatives (e.g., face shields) when appropriate.  
• Increase the frequency of hydration and rest breaks in cooled environments.
• Incorporate at least 6 feet of physical distancing into break areas by staggering breaks, spacing workers, or limiting the number of workers on break at a time, where feasible.
• Enhance ventilation throughout the worksite, including in break areas, where feasible.
• Allow workers to return to personal vehicles during breaks to use air conditioning, when possible. Multiple workers should generally not return to the same car.
• If fans are used, avoid directing the fan so it pushes air over multiple people at the same time, since fans may increase the distance respiratory droplets can travel.
• Encourage workers to use cloth face coverings that optimize fit and comfort and are made out of breathable, moisture-wicking materials.
• Encourage workers to change cloth face coverings when wet, as wet face coverings make it more difficult to breathe and are not as effective. Provide clean replacement cloth face coverings or disposable face masks, as needed, for workers to change into throughout the work shift.
• Ensure workers use handwashing facilities or hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol often, as heat or moisture build-up may cause workers to put on and take off cloth face coverings frequently.
• Allow workers to wear personal passive cooling items (e.g., icepack vests, cooling bandanas) and loose-fitting and breathable clothes, as long as these items do not present a safety hazard.  
• Plan for heat emergencies and train workers on heat stress prevention and treatment.
• Increase the frequency of communication to workers and encourage workers to monitor themselves and others for signs of heat illness.

“It’s also important to remember that cloth face coverings should not be considered a substitute for engineering and administrative controls, safe work practices or necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), such as respirators,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “At Zimmetry, we have been busy all year helping companies and institutions safely reopen, and remain open, all across Puerto Rico and the rest of the Caribbean by assessing infection risks and implementing COVID-19 safeguards. Our infection control, industrial hygiene and building science professionals achieve this through building and ventilation assessments, workplace inspections, 3^rd party confirmation of cleaning and disinfection protocols, PPE consulting, and air and surface testing for a wide range of environmental pathogens.” 
 
Zimmetry also recently sponsored an educational video about OSHA’s COVID-19 Guidance on the Use of Cloth Face Coverings while Working Indoors in Hot and Humid Conditions that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/o--I_pbG9S8
 
To learn more about building assessments, infection control, environmental pathogens, indoor air quality (IAQ), PPE training or other industrial hygiene services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .
 
About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals and Fortune 500 companies. The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America. The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs and general environmental consulting services.

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Paul Cochrane

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