Michigan Issues Employer Safety Requirements During Coronavirus

MICHIGAN — The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration has released a set of emergency rules for employers to follow to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the state announced Wednesday.

MIOSHA is one of the first Occupational Safety and Health Administration programs to promulgate such rules clarifying the safety requirements employers must follow, according to the state.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Wednesday said she agreed with the need for a comprehensive set of emergency rules during the pandemic.

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“While most Michigan job providers are doing their part to slow the spread of COVID-19, these rules provide them with clarity regarding the necessary requirements to keep their workplaces safe and their employees healthy,” she said. “I will continue to work around the clock with my partners in labor and business to ensure protections for every Michigan worker.”

Under the emergency rules, businesses that resume in-person work must have a written COVID-19 preparedness and response plan and provide thorough training to their employees that covers workplace infection-control practices, the proper use of personal protection equipment, steps workers must take to notify the business or operation of any symptoms of COVID-19 or a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 and how to report unsafe working conditions, the state said in a news release.

MIOSHA’s emergency rules implement workplace safeguards for all Michigan businesses and specific requirements for industries.

The rules establish workplace safety requirements and employers should coordinate these requirements with the emergency order issued by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services restricting gathering sizes and requiring face coverings in public spaces and childcare facilities, the state said.

“As we reengage our economy, the Governor’s actions reiterate the importance to keep workplaces safe for employees and protect customers from COVID-19 transmission,” COVID-19 Workplace Safety Director Sean Egan said in a statement. “These rules will formalize the workplace safety guidelines previously in place, and are necessary to save lives. We will continue to educate workers and employers on requirements for businesses to get open and stay open.”

Since March 2020, employers have reported 30 worker deaths from COVID-19 in Michigan and 127 in-patient hospitalizations potentially linked to workplace exposure. MIOSHA has received over 3,800 complaints from employees reporting uncontrolled COVID-19 hazards in the workplace and 263 referrals from local government, including local health departments, indicating that businesses were not taking all the necessary measures to protect their employees from infection.