On July 7th, the NYS Department of Labor released their Model Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Plan as directed by the NYS Hero Act signed into law in early May.
Employers of all sizes have until August 5th to adopt the model plan or write their own plan that meets or exceeds the standards set by the DOL. The plan that each employer uses will go into effect when an airborne infectious disease is designated by the New York State Commissioner of Health as a highly contagious communicable disease that presents a serious risk of harm to the public health.
The plan requires employers to identify what controls to take during an outbreak;
- Minimum controls
- Social distancing
- Health screening
- Disinfection
- Face coverings
- Stay-at-home policy
- Advanced controls
- Elimination of risky tasks
- Ventilation changes
- Installation of barriers
- Automatic disinfection systems
- Administrative controls
- Changing work shifts
- Limiting shared workstation or equipment
- Posting signage
- Cross training employees to adjust staffing levels and ensuring critical operations can proceed
The model plan also requires the employer to state the retaliation protections for employees and how to report any violations. The model plan and industry specific plans can be found at - NY HERO Act | Department of Labor
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