OSHA Officially Gives Up on COVID Healthcare Rules
Published Date: 1/15/2025
Rule
Summary
OSHA is ending its COVID-19 safety rules for healthcare workers starting January 15, 2025. This means hospitals and clinics no longer have to follow special COVID-19 workplace protections from OSHA. While this change cuts regulatory costs, healthcare workers should still stay alert and follow other health guidelines to stay safe.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
OSHA ends COVID-19 healthcare ETS
If you work in healthcare, OSHA is terminating the COVID-19 healthcare rulemaking effective January 15, 2025. That means the emergency temporary standard (ETS) for occupational exposure to COVID-19 in healthcare will no longer serve as the proposed permanent rule after that date.
OSHA will pursue broader infectious diseases rule
OSHA says it will focus its resources on completing an Infectious Diseases standard for healthcare that would address COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. OSHA states this broader standard is intended to provide protections to healthcare workers from occupational exposure to many infectious diseases, including future variants.
Recordkeeping and reporting stay permanent
Certain COVID-19 recordkeeping and reporting rules at 29 CFR 1910.502(q) and (r) remain permanent and in effect. Employers in healthcare must continue to follow those log and reporting requirements even though the broader COVID-19 rulemaking is terminated.
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