June 23, 2021

Cal/OSHA met last Thursday, June 17, to consider updates to the Emergency Temporary Standards, following a confusing and complicated sequence of meetings .

The update, however, includes some good news. The board voted to adopt the revisions which will bring the state closer into alignment with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control. More specifically, the updated revisions will:

• Allow vaccinated employees to go without masks indoors
• Remove physical distancing requirements
• Requires employers to document the vaccination status of their staff by:
  • Copying and keeping a record of vaccination cards
  • Keeping a record of employees who have shown cards (but employers don’t keep copies)
  • Keeping a record of employees who self-attest to being vaccinated
• Requires employers to provide N95 masks to employees who request them

Cal/OSHA has already provided an FAQ that you can find here. Additionally, Governor Newsom signed an Executive Order putting the revision into effect immediately, so there will not be the usual 10-day wait period.