Virginia has adopted new workplace safety standards to protect employees from Covid-19.

The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry’s Safety and Health Codes Board approved the temporary, emergency standards, which are anticipated to take effect the week of July 27.

The newly adopted standards require all employers to:

• Mandate social distancing measures and face coverings for employees in customer-facing positions and when social distancing is not possible.
• Regularly clean high-contact surfaces, including bathrooms and shared tools or equipment.
• Provide easy and frequent access for employees to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer.
• Assess workplaces for potential hazards that can cause exposure to Covid-19 and put in place an infectious disease preparedness and response plan for high-risk employees.
• Notify all employees within 24 hours if a coworker tests positive for the virus.

According to the new standards, employees who are known or suspected to be positive for Covid-19 cannot return to work for 10 days or until they receive two consecutive negative tests; however the Fairfax County Health Department encourages businesses to follow the time-based approach in accordance with CDC guidelines.

These first-in-the-nation regulations also require additional steps be taken for employees that have a medium to higher risk of exposure to the disease.

Companies must classify whether jobs are “very high,” “high,” “medium,” and “lower” based on potential exposure to known or suspected sources for Covid-19:

• Very high risk jobs include those that expose workers to known or suspected sources for the virus, including doctors performing intubations and lab workers.
• High risk jobs are those that put employees within six feet from possible exposure, including health care workers, first responders, and morticians.
• Medium risk jobs include teachers, daycare workers, restaurant employees, grocery store and other retail workers, and personal care employees at hair and nail salons.
• Lower risk employees are those who have minimal occupational contact with other employees or the public. Exposure risks can be minimized through telework or the installation of physical measures, such as floor-to-ceiling physical barriers made from materials like plexiglass.

The adopted workplace standards, infectious disease preparedness and response plan templates, and training guidance will be posted on the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry website  when available.

The new emergency temporary standards will remain in place for six months until replaced with a permanent standard or repealed.