OSHA Issues New Respiratory Protection Guidance

Health care workers in long-term care facilities are at high risk of becoming infected with the coronavirus—OSHA’s new respiratory guidance aims to protect them from exposure.

  • By Nikki Johnson-Bolden
  • Nov 04, 2020

OSHA issued a respiratory protection guidance that focuses on protecting nursing home, assisted living and long-term facility workers from coronavirus exposure on October 30.

The guidance suggests that employees at such facilities use cloth face coverings, face masks or authorized surgical masks. Workers should wear this PPE the entire time they are inside the facility, regardless of whether they are displaying COVID-19 symptoms.

Health care workers who maintain close contact with residents of long-term care facilities are instructed to use a NIOSH-approved N95 filtered mask or an equivalent that suits the OSHA Respiratory Protection standard.

More information on OSHA’s guidelines for respiratory protection in assisted living facilities can be found at osha.gov.

About the Author

Nikki Johnson-Bolden is an Associate Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety.

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