BUSINESS GUIDANCE

Mandatory Safety Standards for Workplaces in Massachusetts

These new standards apply universally to all workplaces in Massachusetts, and are designed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission to employees and customers.

Overview

The Department of Public Health (DPH) and the COVID-19 Command Center developed new Mandatory Workplace Safety Standards in consultation with the Reopening Advisory Board. These new standards will apply universally to all reopening workplaces, and are designed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission to employees and customers during the first phase of reopening, and are applicable to all sectors and industries.

These safety standards have been supplemented by sector-specific safety protocols and recommended best practices, which provide further details and limited exceptions.

Social Distancing Policy

• All persons, including employees, customers, and vendors should remain at least six feet apart to the greatest extent possible, both inside and outside workplaces
• Establish protocols to ensure that employees can practice adequate social distancing
• Provide signage for safe social distancing
• Require face coverings or masks for all employees 

Hygiene Protocols

• Provide hand washing capabilities throughout the workplace
• Ensure frequent hand washing by employees and adequate supplies to do so
• Provide regular sanitization of high touch areas, such as workstations, equipment, screens, doorknobs, restrooms throughout work site

Staffing and Operations

• Provide training for workers regarding COVID-19 safety which includes at least:
• 1. Signs and symptoms of COVID-19;
  2. Risk of asymptomatic spread of COVID-19;
  3. Employee and employer requirements under COVID-19 Workplace Safety Regulations, including sector specific standards;
  4. Anti-retaliation protection available under 454 CMR 31.00
• Training shall be documented, and provided at no cost to the employee during working hours
• Employees who are displaying COVID19-like symptoms do not report to work
• Establish a plan for employees getting ill from Covid-19 at work, and a return-to-work plan
• Employers should take measures to ensure employees comply with all State-issued rules concerning out of state Travel for any employer-paid or -reimbursed travel

Cleaning and Disinfecting

• Establish and maintain cleaning protocols specific to the business
• When an active employee is diagnosed with COVID19, cleaning and disinfecting must be performed
• Disinfection of all common surfaces must take place at intervals appropriate to said workplace

 

Sector Specific Safety Protocols and Best Practices

Mandatory safety protocols and recommended best practices for sectors that were eligible to open in Phases 1, 2 and 3. Additional sector guidance for future phases will be issued at a later date. 

 

Information to help businesses meet the self-certification requirement.

All businesses must meet these requirements before reopening. 

• COVID-19 control plan template – Template that satisfies the written control plan requirement for self-certification (click on link, fill out the form and save/print for your records)

https://www.mass.gov/doc/covid-19-reopening-control-plan-template/download

• Compliance attestation poster – Poster that businesses are required to print, sign, and post in an area within the business premises that is visible to workers and visitors (click on link, download and print and then post at the store)

https://www.mass.gov/doc/compliance-attestation-poster-english/download