- As of March 12, 2022, masks are no longer required to be worn in many settings.
- Local health jurisdictions and individual businesses may still choose to require masking.
- Employees can wear masks if they choose to. Businesses can’t punish workers who wear a mask, take time off to get vaccinated, or seek treatment for COVID-19.
- Masks or respirators will continue to be required in health care settings, long-term care, and correctional facilities.
- Masks will continue to be required in all other locations when required by federal, state, county or other local law or mandate.
COVID-19 remains a serious workplace hazard, and businesses must continue to reduce risk of transmission for their workers. Risks vary from workplace to workplace. Tracking the statewide COVID-19 community transmission levels will help employers ensure their COVID-19 hazard assessment and controls are aligned with the latest data.
COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
Use the information and resources on this page to help keep everyone safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have other specific questions on how you can maintain a safe and healthy workplace, contact a DOSH consultant near you.
Workplace Discrimination
It is against the law for any employer to take any adverse action such as firing or threats against a worker for exercising safety and health rights such as raising safety and health concerns to their employer, participating in union activities concerning safety and health matters, filing a safety and health complaint or participating in a DOSH investigation. Workers have 30 days to file their complaint with L&I DOSH and/or with Federal OSHA.
- L&I Requirements and Guidance for Preventing COVID-19 (Updated March 11, 2022)
- Sample COVID-19 Plan for Small Employers (under revision)
- Coronavirus Basics For Employees (PowerPoint training for employers to customize with their worksite-specific information) (under revision)
- Capacitación básica sobre el coronavirus (Spanish)
- Questions and Answers: New Reporting, Notification, and PPE Requirements for Public Health Emergencies Involving Infectious or Contagious Diseases
- Questions and Answers: Protecting High-Risk Employees from Discrimination During Public Health Emergencies
- COVID-19 Guidance on Ventilation in the Workplace
Guidance from other agencies
- COVID-19 Reopening Guidance for Businesses and Workers (Governor Inslee's office)
- Guidance for Non-Health Care Businesses and Organizations during COVID-19 (Dept. of Health) Includes information on vaccination, face coverings, and testing.
- COVID-19: Airflow Patterns Matter - American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH)
- Sequence for safely putting on and removing Personal Protective Equipment. Printable PDF (CDC)
Masks & Face Coverings Resources
- Which Mask for Which Task (F414-168-000) (under revision)
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) Common Questions Regarding Worker Face Covering and Mask Requirements (under revision)
- Choosing to mask up when you're not required - Questions & Answers
- Understanding the Difference Between Surgical Masks and N95 (CDC)
- Washington Coronavirus Hazard Considerations for Employers (except COVID-19 care in hospitals & clinics): Face coverings, masks, and respirator choices. Updated September 21, 2021, to cover vaccinated worker status. (under revision)
Respirator Program Resources
- Medical Evaluation Questionnaire for Respirator Use
- Translated versions of Medical Evaluation Questionnaire for Respirator Use:
Language A-R | Language S-V |
---|---|
Amharic | Somali |
Cambodian - Khmer | Spanish |
Chinese - Simplified and Chinese - Traditional | Tagalog |
Korean | Tigrinya |
Punjabi | Vietnamese |
Russian |
- Advisory Information for Employees Who Voluntarily Use Respirators
- Translated versions of Advisory Information for Employees Who Voluntarily Use Respirators:
Language A-R Language S-V Amharic Somali Cambodian - Khmer Spanish Chinese - Simplified and Chinese - Traditional Tagalog Korean Tigrinya Punjabi Vietnamese Russian
- Translated versions of Advisory Information for Employees Who Voluntarily Use Respirators:
- Respirator Program Planning Checklist For Required Use of N95s and Other Tight-Fitting Air-Purifying Respirators
- Respirator Program Template and Guide for N95 Use
- Respirator Program Template and Guide for N95 Use (For Long-term care facilities)
Fit Testing
- Respirator Fit Testing (pre-COVID overview) and Spanish version
- Respirator Fit Testing Using Sweet and/or Bitter Solutions (U of Cincinnati Video)
- Seven Steps to Correctly Wear a Respirator at Work (OSHA Poster, available in 16 languages)
Agriculture
Cleanup and Sanitization
Dentistry
Health Care
- Preventing the spread of COVID-19 in Healthcare Workers and Patients (Joint DOH & L&I Hazard Alert)
- Respirator Program Template and Guide for N95 use at Long Term Care Facilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Respirator Use to Prevent COVID-19 During Health Care Staff Shortages - February, 2022
- Ethylene Oxide Sterilization Systems should not be used to sterilize filtering facepiece respirators (N-95s)! - Hazard Alert
- Information for Healthcare Professionals (CDC)
- Healthcare Provider Resources & Recommendations (DOH)
Long Term Care Facilities
Schools
- Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance & Resources (Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction)
- Requirements and Guidance to Mitigate COVID-19 Transmission in K-12 Schools, Child Care, Early Learning, Youth Development, and Day Camp Programs (Dept. of Health)
- What to do if a Person is Symptomatic or if You Receive an Exposure Notification or are Identified as a Close Contact (Dept. of Health infographic)
Working from home/Telecommuting
Emergency Rule - Prohibited business activities and compliance with conditions for operations.
L&I adopted an emergency rule effective on May 26, 2020, and updated that emergency rule most recently on March 15, 2022: WAC 296-800-14035 - 2019 Novel coronavirus prohibited business activities and compliance with conditions for operations.
Under the emergency rule:
- Employers must not allow employees to perform work where a business activity is prohibited by an emergency proclamation.
- Employers must comply with all conditions for operation required by emergency proclamation, including Safe Start phased reopening requirements for all business and any industry specific requirements.
Temporary Worker Housing Emergency Rule
L&I has adopted Additional requirements to protect occupants in temporary worker housing from 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) exposure (WAC 296-307-16102). These emergency rules are effective May 20, 2022 through September 16, 2022.
Some of the requirements in the emergency rule include:
- Educate occupants in a language or languages understood by the occupants on COVID-19;
- Provide occupants face coverings/masks;
- Comply with the bed placement and bunk bed use requirements under the permanent rule in WAC 296-307-16170;
- Submit to the Department of Health a revised temporary worker housing management plan that demonstrates how the operator will comply with the emergency rule requirements;
- Updated requirements related to screening and isolation of suspect SARS-CoV-2 and positive SARS-CoV-2 cases as follows:
- Removes the requirement to provide thermometers to each occupant or training a person to check all occupants temperatures daily, instead operators must ensure that an adequate number or “no touch” or “no contact” thermometers be available for occupants to use.
- Updates the requirement to notify local health officers and provide transportation for any needed medical evaluation upon identification of any individual known to have or suspected of having SARS-CoV-2.
- Updates terms referring to confirmed cases.
- Requires the identification of close contacts in accordance with the Washington State Department of Health or local health officer close contact definition.
- Updates the quarantine and isolation requirements for close contacts and individuals who test positive for COVID to follow current DOH guidance, which could vary by vaccination status. Adds that close contacts must follow the DOH guidance for symptom monitoring and masking post-exposure, and that close contacts of a suspect SARS-CoV-2 case that is ruled out do not need to continue to be treated as close contacts.
- Maintains the requirements for daily licensed health care professional visits for employees in isolation with symptoms. For asymptomatic employees in isolation employees, a licensed health care professional visit is required upon initial placement in isolation and upon request of the asymptomatic employee or the licensed health care professional.
- Removes the requirements related to vaccine verification. Operators may need to verify vaccine status to determine quarantine requirements for close contacts under the DOH guidance.
DOSH Directives
These policies provide guidelines to L&I staff when enforcing WACs (Washington Administrative Codes).
- Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Inspections in High-Hazard Industries NEP (DOSH Directive 2.80). Updated August 25, 2021.
- Annual Fit-Testing, Respiratory Protection and Face Coverings during COVID-19 Pandemic (DOSH Directive 11.80 - Temporary Enforcement Guidance) Updated July 7, 2021. (under revision)
- Expiring Training and Certifications During the COVID-19 Outbreak (DOSH Directive 1.60 - Temporary Enforcement Guidance, Updated 5/9/2022, Expires 10/1/2022)
- General Coronavirus Prevention Under Stay Home-Stay Healthy Order (DOSH Directive 1.70) Updated: September 15, 2021 (under revision)
Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Rules
Accident Prevention Program (APP)
- All industries, except Agriculture: WAC 296-800-140
- Agriculture: Chapter 296-307, WAC Part B
- Some industries have additional requirements. Search Safety & Health rules for all APP requirements
Airborne Contaminants
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- All industries, except Agriculture: WAC 296-800-160
- Agriculture: Chapter 296-307, WAC Part H
- Public Health Emergency Voluntary Personal Protective Equipment Usage, WAC 296-62-601 (Effective 4/6/2022 through 8/4/2022)
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This emergency rule language has been translated into the following languages:
Amharic Somali Cambodian Spanish Chinese Simplified Tigrinya Chinese Traditional Ukrainian Korean Vietnamese Russian Language A-R Language S-V
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- Some industries have additional requirements. Search Safety & Health rules for PPE requirement
Reporting and Notifications
- Public Health Emergency Reporting and Notification Requirements for Infectious and Contagious Diseases, WAC 296-62-600 (Effective 4/6/2022 through 8/4/2022)
This emergency rule language has been translated into the following languages:
Amharic Somali Cambodian Spanish Chinese Simplified Tigrinya Chinese Traditional Ukrainian Korean Vietnamese Russian Language A-R Language S-V
Respirators/Respiratory Protection
- Chapter 296-842, WAC, Respirators
- Make sure voluntary use of respirators is safe. (WAC 296-842-11005)
- Develop and maintain a written program. (WAC 296-842-12005)