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  • SOH Worker Safety Order

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    Governor Tom Wolf
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    Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine signed an order directing protections for critical workers who are employed at businesses that are authorized to maintain in-person operations during the COVID-19 disaster emergency.

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    20200415 SOH Worker Safety Order

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    Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine signed an order directing protections for critical workers who are employed at businesses that are authorized to maintain in-person operations during the COVID-19 disaster emergency.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    218K views5 pages

    SOH Worker Safety Order

    Uploaded by

    Governor Tom Wolf
    Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine signed an order directing protections for critical workers who are employed at businesses that are authorized to maintain in-person operations during the COVID-19 disaster emergency.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 5

    Order of the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of

    Health Directing Public Health Safety Measures for


    Businesses Permitted to Maintain In-person Operations
    The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a contagious disease that is rapidly
    spreading from person to person in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. COVID-19 can
    be transmitted from people who are infected with the virus even if they are asymptomatic
    or their symptoms are mild, such as a cough. Additionally, exposure is possible by touching
    a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching one’s mouth, nose, or eyes.

    COVID-19 is a threat to the public’s health, for which the Secretary of Health may
    order general control measures, including, but not limited to, closure, isolation, and
    quarantine. This authority is granted to the Secretary of Health pursuant to Pennsylvania
    law. See Section 5 of the Disease Prevention and Control Law, 35 P.S. §§ 521.1, 521.5;
    sections 2102 and 2106 of the Administrative Code of 1929, 71 P.S. §§ 532, 536; and the
    Department of Health’s (Department’s) regulations at 28 Pa. Code §§ 27.60-27.68 (relating
    to disease control measures; isolation; quarantine; movement of persons subject to isolation
    or quarantine; and release from isolation and quarantine). Particularly, the Secretary has
    the authority to take any disease control measure appropriate to protect the public from the
    spread of infectious disease. See 35 P.S. § 521.5; 71 P.S. §§ 532(a), 1402(a); 28 Pa. Code
    § 28.60.

    Recognizing that certain life-sustaining businesses in the Commonwealth must


    remain open despite the need for strong mitigation to slow the spread of the virus, I am
    ordering certain actions to be taken by employers and their employees to protect their
    health and lives, the health and lives of their families, and the health and lives of the
    residents of the Commonwealth who depend upon their services. Special consideration is
    required to protect not only customers, but the workers needed to run and operate these
    establishments.

    As cleaning, disinfecting, and other maintenance and security services performed


    by building service employees are critical to protecting the public health by reducing
    COVID-19 infection in the Commonwealth, I previously directed building safety measures
    in an Order that went into effect at 12:01 a.m. on April 6, 2020. Similarly, based upon the
    manner of COVID-19's continued and extensive spread in the Commonwealth and in the
    world, and its danger to Pennsylvanians, I have determined that an additional appropriate
    disease control measure is the further direction of safety measures for all employees and
    visitors at life-sustaining businesses that have remained open during the COVID-19
    disaster emergency.

    Accordingly, on this date, April 15, 2020, to protect the public from the spread of
    COVID-19, I hereby order:
    A. A business that is authorized to maintain in-person operations, other than health
    care providers, pursuant to the Orders that the Governor and I issued on March
    19, 2020, as subsequently amended, shall implement, as applicable, the
    following social distancing, mitigation, and cleaning protocols:

    (1) in addition to maintaining pre-existing cleaning protocols established in


    the business, as specified in paragraph (2) below, clean and disinfect high-
    touch areas routinely in accordance with guidelines issued by the Centers
    for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in spaces that are accessible
    to customers, tenants, or other individuals;

    (2) maintain pre-existing cleaning protocols established by the business for


    all other areas of the building;

    (3) establish protocols for execution upon discovery that the business has
    been exposed to a person who is a probable or confirmed case of COVID-
    19, including:

    a. close off areas visited by the person who is a probable or confirmed


    case of COVID-19. Open outside doors and windows and use
    ventilation fans to increase air circulation in the area. Wait a
    minimum of 24 hours, or as long as practical, before beginning
    cleaning and disinfection. Cleaning staff should clean and disinfect
    all areas such as offices, bathrooms, common areas including but
    not limited to employee break rooms, conference or training rooms
    and dining facilities, shared electronic equipment like tablets, touch
    screens, keyboards, remote controls, and ATM machines used by
    the ill person, focusing especially on frequently touched areas;

    b. identify employees that were in close contact (within about 6 feet


    for about 10 minutes) with a person with a probable or confirmed
    case of COVID-19 from the period 48 hours before symptom onset
    to the time at which the patient isolated;

    i. If the employee remains asymptomatic, the person should


    adhere to the practices set out by the CDC in its April 8,
    2020 Interim Guidance for Implementing Safety Practice
    for Critical Infrastructure Workers Who May Have Had
    Exposure to a Person with Suspected or Confirmed
    COVID-19;

    ii. If the employee becomes sick during the work day, the
    person should be sent home immediately. Surfaces in the
    employee’s workspace should be cleaned and disinfected.
    Information on other employees who had contact with the
    ill employee during the time the employee had symptoms

    2
    and 48 hours prior to symptoms should be compiled.
    Others at the workplace with close contact within 6 feet of
    the employee during this time would be considered
    exposed;

    iii. Promptly notify employees who were close contacts of any


    known exposure to COVID-19 at the business premises,
    consistent with applicable confidentiality laws;

    iv. ensure that the business has a sufficient number of


    employees to perform the above protocols effectively and
    timely;

    c. implement temperature screening before an employee enters the


    business, prior to the start of each shift or, for employees who do not
    work shifts, before the employee starts work, and send employees
    home that have an elevated temperature or fever of 100.4 degrees
    Fahrenheit or higher. Ensure employees practice social distancing
    while waiting to have temperatures screened;

    d. employees who have symptoms (i.e., fever, cough, or shortness of


    breath) should notify their supervisor and stay home;

    e. sick employees should follow CDC-recommended steps.


    Employees should not return to work until the CDC criteria
    to discontinue home isolation are met, in consultation with
    healthcare providers and state and local health departments.
    Employers are encouraged to implement liberal paid time off for
    employees who do not return to work as set forth above.

    (4) stagger work start and stop times for employees when practicable to
    prevent gatherings of large groups entering or leaving the premises at the
    same time;

    (5) provide sufficient amount of space for employees to have breaks and
    meals while maintaining a social distance of 6 feet, while arranging
    seating to have employees facing forward and not across from each other
    in eating and break settings;

    (6) stagger employee break times to reduce the number of employees on


    break at any given time so that appropriate social distancing of at least 6
    feet may be followed;

    (7) limit persons in employee common areas (such as locker or break rooms,
    dining facilities, training or conference rooms) at any one time to the
    number of employees that can maintain a social distance of 6 feet;

    3
    (8) conduct meetings and trainings virtually (i.e., by phone or through the
    internet). If a meeting must be held in person, limit the meeting to the
    fewest number of employees possible, not to exceed 10 employees at one
    time, and maintain a social distance of 6 feet;

    (9) provide employees access to regular handwashing with soap, hand


    sanitizer, and disinfectant wipes and ensure that common areas (including
    but not limited to break rooms, locker rooms, dining facilities, rest rooms,
    conference or training rooms) are cleaned on a regular basis, including
    between any shifts;

    (10) provide masks for employees to wear during their time at the business,
    and make it a mandatory requirement to wear masks while on the work
    site, except to the extent an employee is using break time to eat or drink,
    in accordance with the guidance from the Department of Health and the
    CDC. Employers may approve masks obtained or made by employees in
    accordance with Department of Health guidance;

    (11) ensure that the facility has a sufficient number of employees to perform
    all measures listed effectively and in a manner that ensures the safety of
    the public and employees;

    (12) ensure that the facility has a sufficient number of personnel to control
    access, maintain order, and enforce social distancing of at least 6 feet;

    (13) prohibit non-essential visitors from entering the premises of the business;
    and

    (14) ensure that all employees are made aware of these required procedures by
    communicating them, either orally or in writing, in their native or
    preferred language, as well as in English or by a methodology that allows
    them to understand.

    B. In addition to the above, the following measures apply to businesses, other than
    health care providers, that serve the public within a building or a defined area:

    (1) where feasible, businesses should conduct business with the public by
    appointment only and to the extent that this is not feasible, businesses must
    limit occupancy to no greater than 50% of the number stated on the
    applicable certificate of occupancy at any given time, as necessary to reduce
    crowding in the business, and must maintain a social distance of 6 feet at
    check-out and counter lines, and must place signage throughout each site to
    mandate social distancing for both customers and employees;

    4
    (2) based on the building size and number of employees, alter hours of business
    so that the business has sufficient time to clean or to restock or both;

    (3) install shields or other barriers at registers and check-out areas to physically
    separate cashiers and customers or take other measures to ensure social
    distancing of customers from check-out personnel, or close lines to maintain
    a social distance between of 6 feet between lines;

    (4) encourage use of online ordering by providing delivery or pick-up options;

    (5) designate a specific time for high-risk and elderly persons to use the
    business at least once every week if there is a continuing in-person
    customer-facing component;

    (6) require all customers to wear masks while on premises, and deny entry to
    individuals not wearing masks, unless the business is providing medication,
    medical supplies, or food, in which case the business must provide
    alternative methods of pick-up or delivery of such goods; however,
    individuals who cannot wear a mask due to a medical condition (including
    children under the age of 2 years per CDC guidance) may enter the premises
    and are not required to provide documentation of such medical condition;

    (7) in businesses with multiple check-out lines, only use every other register,
    or fewer. After every hour, rotate customers and employees to the
    previously closed registers. Clean the previously open registers and the
    surrounding area, including credit card machines, following each rotation;

    (8) schedule handwashing breaks for employees at least every hour; and

    (9) where carts and handbaskets are available for customers’ use, assign an
    employee to wipe down carts and handbaskets before they become available
    to each customer entering the premises.

    This Order shall take effect immediately and be enforceable as of 8:00 p.m. on April
    19, 2020.

    ________________________________
    Rachel Levine, MD
    Secretary of Health

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