Nevada OSHA Provides Guidance On Monkeypox
October 20, 2022
On October 12, 2022, the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration (NV OSHA) published a guidance for “high-risk establishments” regarding monkeypox. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has determined that healthcare professionals, laboratory personnel, veterinarians, and similar professions are at a higher risk of monkeypox exposure.
The guidance reminds all employers that they are required to monitor working conditions at worksites, identify hazards that are causing or are likely to cause harm to their employees, and implement effective methods to control those hazards. NV OSHA provides several resources for employers on monkeypox.
Healthcare employers should follow the Infection Prevention and Control of Monkeypox in Healthcare Settings guidance issued by the CDC. Other high-risk establishments should consider contact and droplet infection control precautions such as: hygiene requirements, personal protective equipment, and proper cleaning and disinfection procedures. If there is exposure to the virus, employers should follow the CDC’s isolation procedures, offer telework or flexible, non-punitive sick leave to workers with monkeypox, and monitor the health of close contacts. NV OSHA cautions that “in general, people who have been exposed to monkeypox do not need to quarantine or be restricted from work if they remain asymptomatic.”
If you have questions about this guidance or your obligations to protect employees from monkeypox, please contact a KZA attorney.
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