OSHA Ends COVID-19 Healthcare Rulemaking
The agency’s focus now shifts to broader infectious disease protections in healthcare.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Jan 17, 2025
OSHA has officially ended its efforts to finalize a COVID-19 safety rule for healthcare workers. Launched as an Emergency Temporary Standard in June 2021, the proposal aimed to protect healthcare employees from occupational exposure to the virus.
According to a recent release, public comments and hearings on the proposed rule continued through mid-2022, leading OSHA to submit a draft version to the White House Office of Management and Budget in December of that year. However, President Biden’s signing of House Joint Resolution 7 in April 2023 officially ended the national COVID-19 emergency, reducing the urgency for specific pandemic-related regulations.
The move indicates OSHA’s intent to address comprehensive infectious disease risks rather than maintaining a sole focus on COVID-19. The agency considers this broader approach “the most effective and efficient use of agency resources” to ensure long-term worker safety against multiple health threats in healthcare. OSHA’s decision highlights evolving federal strategies for managing workplace health risks as the pandemic wanes.
More information on the decision is available to read on the Federal Register.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.