COVID-19 Updates in the Workplace Series

Home•Courses•COVID-19 Updates in the Workplace Series

This free webinar series presented by OSHA Authorized Trainer and ERC Course Director, Alba Vazquez, discussed ways you can keep your employees safe at work and how to prepare re-opening your workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic.

These 1-hour sessions covered brief overviews and updates from trusted sources to keep workers, managers and staff safe while working during the pandemic.

As of June 3, 2022, this series has ended. Starting August 6th, 2021, this series was hosted every month. Starting October 23rd, 2020, this weekly series was hosted every other week. This series has been converted into a general Cal/OSHA Safety Updates Series hosted each month now.

 

June 3, 2022: COVID-19 and Cal/OSHA's Inspection Process

After this session participants will:
  1. Review the Cal/OSHA’s surprise inspection process
  2. Prepare a protocol for their facility in case of an OSHA inspection
  3. Understand the appeals process and review some of the most cited safety violations for general and construction industries

May 6, 2022: COVID-19 updates and its relation to Heat Illness: Ensuring compliance with the Cal/OSHA regulation during the hot summer months

Learning Objectives:
  1. List some of the factors that affect our workforce with age and their relation to the tasks performed
  2. Briefly describe RMIs (repetitive motion injuries) tips for avoiding repetitive motion injuries and WMSDs as we age
  3. Discuss practical solutions to improved productivity amongst workers 55 and older

April 1, 2022: Ergonomics and the Aging Workforce

Learning Objectives:
  1. List some of the factors that affect our workforce with age and their relation to the tasks performed
  2. Briefly describe RMIs (repetitive motion injuries) tips for avoiding repetitive motion injuries and WMSDs as we age
  3. Discuss practical solutions to improved productivity amongst workers 55 and older

March 11, 2022: The Latest COVID-19 Challenges & Re-Focusing Your Safety Efforts in Other Areas at the Workplace

Learning Objectives:

  1. Discuss 5 of the most commonly asked questions derived from the re-adoption of the ETS standard for COVID-19 prevention
  2. Review some of the fundamentals of safety and the reason why focusing on other areas at the workplace is still worth your safety efforts
  3. Describe Slip, trip and fall hazards and the reason why they raise your Worker’s Compensation rates

February 11, 2022: COVID-19 – What’s New?

Learning Objectives:

  1. Define and understand the difference between quarantine and isolation, and how it relates to return-to-work criteria under the COVID-19 readopted ETS
  2. Discuss important tools for hazard assessment for the purposes of COVID-19 prevention and other safety issues where hazard assessment is needed
  3. What employers need to know when implementing both a COVID-19 ETS prevention program and the Aerosol transmissible disease exposure control program

January 7, 2022: How to Plan Your Safety Calendar for 2022 (& Briefly Discuss How to Deal with Omicron at the Workplace)

Lessons Objectives:

  1. Mention two methods they can use to put together a safety activities calendar for the new year.
  2. Describe where to find updates to integrate into your safety training sessions (Here, we will discuss how to deal with omicron, CDC shortened isolation guidelines as well and some COVID updates as well).
  3. Understand the importance of doing Cal/OSHA compliant sessions. Elements of training and where to find them.

December 3, 2021: The Holidays & COVID-19: An Employer’s Guide to Staying Compliant

Lessons Objectives:

  1. Describe how to best manage the traveling issues with your workforce, including when to get tested and who must pay for testing after traveling
  2. Mention 3 different ways to celebrate the holidays with your workforce while staying within your COVID-19 prevention policy
  3. Understand some of the OSHA log record keeping challenges when you have confirmed work related COVID-19 cases at work

November 5, 2021: COVID-19 Update: The Mandates, Challenges, and How to Keep Your Organization Compliant 

Lessons Objectives:

  1. List at least 3 of the current Cal/OSHA requirements that still stand for COVID-19 prevention and that differ from current public health orders (October 27th update)
  2. Mention some of the challenges the vaccine mandates are imposing on employers in regards to employee safety
  3. Describe some of the safety issues outside of COVID-19 that continue to be overlooked by employers and may bring about issues of citations and violations at their places of employment, including a review of their current COVID-19 prevention programs

October 1, 2021: How Employers Continue to Get Cited by Cal/OSHA and the Laws that Apply Beyond the ETS (Emergency Temporary Standard)

Learning Objectives:

  1. Describe the difference between the terms “isolation” and “quarantine” and its relationship with the updates to the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 emergency standard dated September 21, 2021
  2. List the most common Cal/OSHA citations that employers continue to receive and that go beyond the ETS current requirements
  3. Find the latest publications and materials by Cal/OSHA that continue to help protect workers when providing effective and compliant COVID-19 prevention training and education

September 3, 2021: What Cal/OSHA is Not Talking About in the Current COVID-19 Laws

Learning Objectives:

  1. Learn 2 different terms that are not mentioned in current Cal/OSHA requirements that affect how you communicate with your workers regarding COVID-19 cases at work
  2. Formulate a preliminary “cheat sheet” to aid employers in communicating with employees during this surge of COVID-19 cases and the Delta variant
  3. Discuss testing protocols that are different from current Cal/OSHA requirements and how to continue improving your written policy

August 6, 2021: COVID-19 Updates

Learning Objectives:

  1. Understand how the new Delta Variant changes the way you do business
  2. List the most urgent steps they need to take in order to update their COVID-19 prevention policy
  3. How to utilize the Cal/OSHA model program for the purposes of compliance with the ETS standard and the latest changes related to this document

July 9, 2021: COVID-19 Summary of Changes and Practical Application - Part 2

Learning Objectives:

  1. Mention three practical ways of safely transitioning between the Nov 30th version of the Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS)and the June 17th revision
  2. Discuss when a vaccination card is not really proof of vaccination and why
  3. Discuss the two instances where respiratory protection is required per the ETS-June 17th revision
  4. Describe what we have learned from past violations and citations from Cal/OSHA to employers in regards to the “voluntary use” of respirators at work and how to avoid the fines

June 25, 2021: Get in Compliance with the Cal/OSHA June 17th COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standard

Learning Objectives:

  1. 1. Understand when this new revised language takes effect and the main changes in the regulation
    2. Mention how this changes will apply to practical real-life worksite and work activity situations
    3. Review some of the most recent Cal/OSHA citations to employers in regards to COVID-19 prevention issues and how to avoid the fines.

June 11, 2021: COVID-19 ETS: What the June 3rd Revision Will Bring to Your Workplace

Learning Objectives:

  1. Understand the timelines for the implementation of this emergency standard and its proposed changes
  2. Mention at least two of the most interesting challenges employers will face while implementing these changes (i.e., N95 masks under voluntary use, unvaccinated vs. vaccinated employees, vaccination terminology, face coverings, etc)
  3. Briefly review the language of the proposed changes in the drafted regulation that may be implemented by June 15th

May 28, 2021: Cal/OSHA Updates to your COVID-19 Prevention Plan in accordance with the May 12th CDPH Public Health Recommendations

Learning Objectives:

  1. List the main changes to the Cal/OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard
  2. Understand the key updates by the California Department of Public Health released on May 12th 2021 regarding COVID-19 public health recommendations for fully vaccinated people and how they affect the workplace
  3. How the new recommendations affect the return to work requirements for “non-outbreak” settings specially if you have “fully vaccinated” employees who have been exposed to COVID-19 cases at work

May 14, 2021: Indoor Heat Illness and COVID-19

Learning Objectives:

  1. Review the latest draft of the standard for California employers in relation to Indoor heat illness prevention
  2. List requirements for water, rest and cool-down areas and the challenges with the current COVID-19 restrictions, mask wearing and distancing protocols
  3. Describe at least two of the most common violations of indoor heat illness and the types of employers who are most likely to get inspected and cited by Cal/OSHA

April 30, 2021: COVID-19 at the Workplace: What You Should Know to Prevent Violations & Citations

Learning Objectives:

  1. Discuss the COVID-19 April 20th updates for businesses here in California.
  2. Understand some of the current challenges such as vaccinations, ventilation, mask wearing during heat, etc., in relation to the implementation of the Cal/OSHA mandated CPP (Corona virus prevention plan)
  3. List three of the most common (and recent) violations that Cal/OSHA is issuing to employers in California due to the COVID-19 ETS and the Aerosol Transmissible Disease standards.

April 16, 2021: COVID-19 in California - Reopening the State

  1. List some of the steps employers must take in order to fully reopen by June 15th2021
  2. Describe the relationship between vaccination and the COVID-19 emergency standard for employers and employees
  3. Review some of the COVID-19 non-compliance issues that continue to occur in businesses and places of employment and helpful tips to avoid an OSHA inspection

April 2, 2021: Workplace Violence During the Pandemic

Learning Objectives:

  1. Understand how the healthcare and social services sector is affected by violence at work and the importance of the Cal/OSHA rule
  2. Explain how co-worker confrontations must be addressed in your company’s workplace violence policy
  3. List common traits indicative of violent behavior in order to include "active shooter preparedness”  in your workplace violence policies

March 5, 2021: The Cal/OSHA Emergency Standard's Requirements: A Step-by-Step Approach on Handling COVID-19 Cases at Work

Learning Objectives:

  1. Know the first step to take when someone calls with COVID-19 symptoms
  2. Understand where to find the information in the New Cal/OSHA Emergency Standard
  3. Draft a sample protocol for managers and supervisors to follow once employees start calling with symptoms or notification of being a positive COVID-19 case

February 19, 2021: Equipo de Proteccion Personal durante esta pandemia de COVID-19

Learning Objectives (Objetivos de Aprendizaje):

  1. Enlistar los artículos mas comunes de Equipo de Protección Personal (EPP) que están disponibles o en alta demanda en esta etapa de la pandemia de COVID-19
  2. Entender los nuevos requerimientos en relación al equipo de protección personal impuestos por la nueva ley de acuerdo a Cal/OSHA
  3. Analizar el uso de las mascarillas medicas en oposición a los respiradores filtrantes de particulas como EPP para los trabajadores en el sector de salud y en el contexto de esta pandemia

February 5, 2021: Personal Protective Equipment during COVID-19

Learning Objectives:

  1. List the most common types of PPE currently available or in short supply at this stage of the pandemic
  2. Understand the new PPE requirements imposed by OSHA
  3. Analyze the use of medical face masks versus particulate respirators as a component of PPE for health care workers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

January 22, 2021: How to Improve Your Safety Program in 2021 in Three Easy Steps

Learning Objectives:

  1. Implement an effective Safety Committees as the first step towards improvement of your company’s safety program for 2021
  2. Draft a safety training curriculum that will improve your compliance with Cal/OSHA requirements in 2021
  3. Describe the pitfalls of safety committees and poorly designed safety training curriculums

January 8, 2021: New Year, New Cal/OSHA Requirements

Learning Objectives:

  1. Summarize the most recent updates in safety regulations by Cal/OSHA that will continue to affect all industries, businesses and healthcare in California
  2. Understand the relation between the reporting requirements and hospitalizations as required by Cal/OSHA (including COVID-19 hospitalizations)
  3. Review some of the respiratory protection changes made by OSHA and Cal/OSHA in regards to fit testing and shortage guidance

December 18th, 2020: AB685 and the New Cal/OSHA Emergency Standard: How to deal with COVID-19 cases at work while complying with both rules

After this one hour session participants will be able to:

  1. Understand the basic requirements of AB685 and how it relates to the new Emergency Standard
  2. Mention how to incorporate industry specific guidelines regarding engineering and administrative controls as required by the new Emergency Standard
  3. List some of the current challenges employers are having while dealing with COVID-19 cases at work in relation to testing, accuracy of testing and return to work protocols

December 4, 2020: How the New COVID-19 Emergency Standard (in place starting Nov 30th) Affects Your Company

After this one hour session participants will be able to:

  1. Compare the new COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) to your current policies and procedures
  2. Review and analyze at least 7 of the most critical required components of the new COVID-19 ETS effective now
  3. Understand testing and training at the workplace under this new requirements

November 20, 2020: COVID-19 on the Rise: Steps to Deal with a Positive COVID-19 Case at Work

Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify the basic steps on what to do if any of your employees reports being a positive case of COVID-19
  2. List the basic steps on what to do when more than one employee report being positive for COVID-19
  3. Identify the elements of your COVID-19 plan that must be updated with information pertaining on how to deal with positive COVID-19 cases

November 6, 2020: Your COVID-19 Prevention Plan: Risk Assessment and Designation of PPE

Learning Objectives:

  1. List 3 updates to current guidelines to include in your COVID-19 prevention programs
  2. Review two different methods to perform COVID-19 employee risk assessments
  3. Mention the difference between a JHA and a PPE certification of assessment form in relation to the preparation of your COVID-19 prevention plan

October 23, 2020: How to Write Your COVID-19 Policy

Learning Objectives:

  1. Mention at least the first 3 steps to consider when writing your own COVID-19 Policy
  2. Describe the two documents that you need to use in order to write your own COVID-19 policy
  3. Mention how to incorporate your Aerosol Transmissible Disease Exposure Control plan along with your COVID-19 program

October 9, 2020: Bloodborne Pathogens During COVID-19

Learning Objectives:

  1. Review the scope of this very important regulation and determine if it applies to their place of employment
  2. Describe what Cal/OSHA recommends EVERY employer should do during this COVID-19 pandemic regarding Bloodborne Pathogens
  3. Enlist the actual Exposure Control Plan requirements under section 5193 of the Cal/OSHA regulations

October 2, 2020: A Review of Compliance Issues During These COVID-19 Times

Learning Objectives:

  1. List at least 3 key issues of compliance for all employers under the new AB 685 in effect January 1st, 2021.
  2. Describe 2 key obligations that employers have in order to protect workers at skilled nurse facilities.
  3. Describe 3 key obligations that employers have in order to protect workers at warehouse and logistic facilities.

September 25, 2020: What Safety Training Topics to Include While Updating Your Safety Programs

Learning Objectives:

  1. Create a list of safety training topics as required per Cal/OSHA
  2. Highlight the training topics of most importance for the Healthcare, construction and manufacturing industries during this COVID-19 pandemic
  3. Understand some of the updates Cal/OSHA has issued to the infection prevention requirements during this COVID-19 pandemic

September 18, 2020: Citations and Penalties to Employers during COVID-19

Learning Objectives:

  1. List two reasons why employers are getting cited during this COVID-19 pandemic
  2. Analyze the most significant parts of the California Code of Regulations Title 8 Section 3203 that are being used by Cal/OSHA representatives to issue citations to employers
  3. Mention at least two real life case scenarios regarding COVID-19 at work and how employers are staying compliant and avoiding fines

September 11, 2020: Wildfire Safety During COVID-19 Pandemic

Learning Objectives:

  1. List the requirements this emergency regulation imposes on employers to to protect workers in areas affected by wildfire smoke
  2. Identify the components of a training session while still complying with current COVID-19 CDC guidelines for social distancing and mask wearing among other requirements
  3. Analyze if your company must comply with the requirement for an N95 respirator when the AQI (Air Quality Index) for PM2.5 is less than 151

September 4, 2020: Safety During COVID-19 Pandemic Times: Time to Update your Safety Plans

Learning Objectives:

  1. Determine the frequency and schedule to update each of your employer’s safety related Cal/OSHA plans
  2. List the safety programs and plans that are most commonly cited by OSHA which are also being overlooked during this COVID-19 pandemic
  3. Identify the current safety emphasis programs in California that employers must be aware of in order to review and update related programs and policies

August 28, 2020: COVID-19 Business Practices- Tips to Keep You OSHA-Complaint While Following the Newest CDC & OSHA Guidelines

After this session participants will be able to:

  1. Determine when COVID-19 testing is recommended for your employees
  2. Review at least 2 of the newest COVID-19 recommended guidelines for the healthcare industry issued by OSHA and Cal/OSHA
  3. Review at least 2 of the newest COVID-19 recommended guidelines for other industries such as construction, food industry, hair salons and truck drivers

August 21, 2020: Emergency Action Plan: What You Should Include in Your Program During this Pandemic

After this session participants will be able to:

  1. Assign a responsible person to review the contents of their organization’s Emergency Action Program
  2. Determine if COVID-19 is the type of emergency that must be included in your organization’s Action Plan
  3. Discuss the type of training that must take place once your Emergency Action Plan has been formulated

August 14, 2020: Workplace Violence During this COVID-19 Pandemic: Is your company in violation of a Cal/OSHA standard?

Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify the types of industries that are mandated to have a written Workplace Violence Plan in California
  2. Design a workplace violence training program that is compliant with Title 8 CCR Section 3342(f)
  3. List 3 different reasons to have a workplace violence policy or plan in place during this COVID-19 pandemic

August 7, 2020: Cal/OSHA Updates and Newly Added Guidance Regarding COVID-19

Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify at least 2 ways of browsing the Cal/OSHA website for newest information regarding COVID-19
  2. Mention at least 3 different tools to stay compliant with Cal/OSHA's updates
  3. Review a list of most frequently asked questions made by employees to Cal/OSHA regarding COVID-19 and lack of compliance by employers

July 31, 2020: An Updated Guide for Industries with the Most Incidence of COVID-19

Learning Objectives:

  1. Describe the 3 work surfaces that represent the most problems for COVID-19 transmission right now
  2. Understand OSHA’s view regarding  the requirement to record COVID-19 cases on your OSHA logs
  3. Mention at least two of the most important updates you have to make to your COVID-19 policies and procedures at this time

July 17, 2020: Ergonomics During the Pandemic: What Cal/OSHA Requires from Employers

Learning Objectives:

  1. Analyze the four conditions under which this standard applies to their job or place of employment
  2. Identify the different types of work related disorders associated with this standard
  3. Describe the main components of an appropriate ergonomic work station while working from home

July 10, 2020: Incident Investigation During COVID-19

Learning Objectives:

  1. List the most important steps to an incident investigation per Cal/OSHA recommendations
  2. Categorize surface causes and root causes in order to present solutions and recommendations to management
  3. Be ready to employ incident investigation forms during COVID-19 exposures and other types of incidents at the workplace

June 26, 2020: Reviewing Key Industry Guidelines Now That More Businesses are Allowed to Re-Open

Learning Objectives:

  1. Mention the importance of reviewing current guidelines per your type of industry
  2. Describe key points to further revise your current business plans such as incident investigation and level of disease transmission in your business communities
  3. Address some of the general requirements for incident investigation that apply to COVID-19 cases

June 19, 2020: Reporting and Recording for Cal/OSHA during this COVID-19 pandemic

Learning Objectives:

  1. Discuss the reporting and recording requirement under Cal/OSHA laws, the difference between the two, and which employers need to comply
  2. Utilize OSHA resources in order to determine when to record a COVID-19 case on your CAL/OSHA mandated logs
  3. List at least 5 of the most common mistakes made by employers when recording injuries and illnesses on their Cal/OSHA logs

June 12, 2020: Step-by-step Guide for Employers Seeing Confirmed COVID-19 Cases at Work

Learning Objectives:

  1. Describe the importance of following industry specific CDC guidelines when re-opening your business and how this will help you when facing confirmed cases at work
  2. Determine what steps to follow whenever an employee has a confirmed case of COVID-19
  3. Determine how to start the process to investigate COVID cases, alert the local health department, and identify and isolate close workplace contacts of infected employee until they are tested

June 5, 2020: Strategies & Recommendations for Employers Responding to COVID-19 & Those Seeking to Resume Normal or Phased Business Operations

Learning Objectives:

  1. Discuss some of the CDC strategies recommended for businesses during this phased return to work
  2. Review job classifications and risk in order to prepare and implement a sound return to work program during this phased period
  3. Describe some of the options available for employers regarding engineering controls, administrative controls and PPE during this phased re-opening of businesses

May 22, 2020: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) During the COVID-19 Pandemic in SPANISH

May 15, 2020: The Aerosol Transmissible Disease Standard and COVID-19. Does this Cal/OSHA law apply to you during this pandemic

Learning Objectives:

  1. Define Aerosol Transmissible Disease (per Title 8 CCR Section 5199)
  2. Decide if the ATD regulation applies to your place of employment
  3. Provide two different updated tools for essential workers regarding ATD exposure to COVID-19 (updated respiratory protection guidance, what to do at work after being exposed, etc)

May 8, 2020: Hazard Communication and COVID-19

Learning Points:

  • The Elements of a label
  • The importance of a Safety Data Sheet while cleaning and disinfecting
  • The required elements of Employee Training per OSHA’S Hazard Communication law
  • Why Isopropyl alcohol is an appropriate chemical used to kill the virus that causes COVID-19 but does not appear on the EPA’s list of appropriate disinfectants

May 1, 2020: Avoiding OSHA Fines and Citations During COVID-19 Pandemic

Join us during this 1hr live webinar and let's chat and understand:

  • Why Are Employers Getting Cited During This Pandemic?
  • What Can You Do To Avoid The Fines?
  • We will discuss the safety requirements that are causing some employers to be cited by OSHA.
  • We will see some real life case scenarios and what is happening in the real world right now.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Describe at least 4 safety issues that currently affect employers and organizations during these COVID-19 pandemic and how these issues are turning into OSHA violations
  2. Mention at least two Real-life examples of employers/companies who have been cited by OSHA during this COVID-19 outbreak and develop strategies to prevent such violations and fines
  3. Explain the OSHA priority Inspection Process in order to prepare your organization and avoid citations and fines

Contact us:

Phone: 310-206-2304

Email: lmlorenzana@ucla.edu , erc@ph.ucla.edu