COVID19 Workplace Safety Standards: Mandatory in Massachusetts

By: Tim Kane, LIA, AAI, ARM

Tim Kane comes to C&S with over 30 years of experience, specializing in arborist insurance, landscapers’ insurance, snow removal insurance and general contractor insurance.

The four-phase approach to re-opening Massachusetts is underway.

If you’re re-opening your Massachusetts business in the coming weeks, here are four items to download (and complete), according to state guidelines:

COVID-19 control plan template – A template that satisfies the written control plan requirement for self-certification. NOTE: you don’t need to submit this plan to state officials. Simply keep it on file in case of a future outbreak or other incident.
Compliance attestation poster – A poster that customer-facing businesses are required to print, sign, and post in an area where all workers and visitors can see it.
Employer and Worker posters – These are posters that businesses can print and display to help describe the rules for maintaining social distancing, hygiene protocols, cleaning and disinfecting.

Here’s more on the state’s General Business Guidance to date, announced by Gov. Baker, as of 5/18/2020:

Social distancing

All persons, including employees, customers, and vendors should remain at least 6 feet apart to the greatest extent possible, both inside and outside workplaces.
Establish protocols to ensure that employees can practice adequate social distancing.
Provide signage for safe social distancing.
Require face coverings or masks for all employees.

Hygiene protocols

Provide hand washing capabilities throughout the workplace.
Ensure frequent hand washing by employees and adequate supplies to do so.
Provide regular sanitization of high touch areas, such as workplaces, equipment, screens, doorknobs, restrooms throughout work site.

Staffing and protocols

Provide training for employees regarding the social distancing and hygiene protocols.
Employees who are displaying COVID-19-like symptoms do not report to work.
Establish a plan for employees getting ill from COVID-19 at work, and a return-to-work plan.

Cleaning and disinfecting

Establish and maintain cleaning protocols specific to the business.
When an active employee is diagnosed with COVID19 workplace safety measures for cleaning and disinfecting must be performed.
Disinfection of all common surfaces must take place at intervals appropriate to said workplace.

We will update this list as additional guidelines or mandates become available. You may also be interested in this guide: 7 Steps to Reopening Your Business during COVID-19. Please don’t hesitate to contact our Massachusetts business insurance team with any questions about safely resuming your operations. Meanwhile, stay safe and be well.