Cal/OSHA Posts Guidance on Protecting Workers from Monkeypox

[Mary Wilson]

DIR
State of California
California Department of Industrial Relations

NEWS RELEASE
Release Number: 2022-72
Date: September 15, 2022

Sacramento—Cal/OSHA has posted guidance on monkeypox (MPX) to ensure workers in California are protected from the aerosol transmissible disease. This guidance applies to workplaces covered by the Aerosol Transmissible Diseases (ATD) standard, including health care facilities, medical transport, police, public health services and more.

Monkeypox (MPX) spreads primarily by close or direct contact, but can also become airborne. Regulations require employers to:

• Implement a written program to prevent or reduce the transmission of aerosol transmissible diseases specific to the workplace and operations.
• Provide and ensure the use of respiratory protection.
• Ensure that personal protective equipment (PPE) is provided and used by employees exposed to persons with or suspected to have MPX, or to linens or surfaces that may contain the virus.
• Implement written procedures for exposure incidents.
• Report the exposure to the local health officer.

Cal/OSHA’s Aerosol Transmissible Diseases (ATD) Standard has differing requirements for three different types of employers – (1) referring employers, (2) laboratories, and (3) all other employers.

https://www.dir.ca.gov/DIRNews/2022/...y%20protection.

[Mary Wilson]

STATE OF CALIFORNIA Gavin Newsom, Governor

DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

DIVISION OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

PROTECTING WORKERS FROM MONKEYPOX (MPX) FOR EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS COVERED BY THE AEROSOL TRANSMISSIBLE DISEASES STANDARD (TITLE 8 SECTION 5199)

September 13, 2022

CONTENTS

WHAT IS MONKEYPOX (MPX) .................................................. ............. 2
MONKEYPOX TRANSMISSION...................................... ......................... 2
SYMPTOMS .................................................. .......................................... 3

CAL/OSHA ATD STANDARD REQUIREMENTS FOR MPX..................... 3

Covered workplaces ................................... ............................................. 3

Laboratories that may handle materials containing the MPX virus............ 5

Hospitals and All Other Employers Covered by the ATD Standard .......... 6


Homeless Shelters, Drug Treatment Programs and Correctional/Detention Facilities (Jails and other facilities that house inmates or detainees)....................... 7

Respiratory Protection........................................ ...................................... 8
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)............................................. .......... 9
Responding to MPX Exposure Incidents .................................................. . 9

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND INFORMATION ..................................10

https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/document...x-guidance.pdf