SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Ahead of a planned meeting two days after the state reopens, Cal/OSHA's Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board has recommended that the agency not require fully vaccinated workers to wear masks indoors after June 15.
This is in contrast to the current guidelines that began in November 2020 requiring all workers to wear a face mask. Those regulations are still in effect.
This week, Cal/OSHA reversed its June 3 decision to require all workers to wear a mask unless they were in a room of fully vaccinated individuals. Now, the agency is expected to meet on June 17 to establish a new set of rules following the state's reopening.
The board issued several recommended revisions to last year's regulations, including:
- Fully vaccinated workers do not need to wear face coverings except in certain situations during outbreaks or in settings that the CDPH requires them regardless of vaccinations status
- Fully vaccinated employees do not need to be tested or to quarantine after close contact unless they have symptoms
- Employers must make COVID-19 testing to unvaccinated employees who have symptoms as well as vaccinate workers who have symptoms after close contact with a COVID-19 case
- Employers must verify and document the vaccination status of fully vaccinated workers if they do not wear masks indoors
- Workers must be allowed to wear a face-covering if they chose without fear of retaliation from employers
- Physical distancing requirements have been eliminated except for certain employees during major outbreaks
- Employers must provide workers who are not fully vaccinated with respirators for voluntary use, upon request and at no cost.
- Employer-provided housing and transportation is exempt from the regulations where all residents and vehicle occupants are fully vaccinated
- Employers must evaluate ventilation systems to maximize outdoor air and increase filtration efficiency, and evaluate the use of additional air cleaning systems
The board recommended that Cal/OSHA continue to establish and maintain a COVID-19 prevention program.
Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said he expected the workplace safety agency to adopt mask rules that are in line with the state, meaning virtually no masking requirements for people vaccinated against the coronavirus.
