Can the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cite workplace COVID-19 violations? Yes, they can.

OSHA recently published Common COVID-19 Citations: Helping Employers Better Protect Workers and Comply with OSHA Regulations.

By understanding which workplace hazards have most often resulted in OSHA citations, employers can better ensure they are adequately protecting their staff. 

Federal OSHA
Standard Cited         Violation Description

1910.134(e)(1)         The employer did not provide a medical evaluation before the worker was fit-tested or used the respirator.

1910.134(e)(2)(ii)     The medical evaluation was missing information required in mandatory Appendix C (OSHA Respirator Medical Evaluation Questionnaire) of the standard.

1910.134(f)(1)         The employer did not perform an appropriate fit test for a tight-fitting facepiece respirator.

1910.134(f)(5)         The employer did not ensure that an employee was fit tested prior to using the respirator the first time, whenever a different respirator facepiece was used (size, style, model or make), and annually thereafter. 

1910.134(f)(5)         The employer did not administer a fit test using a protocol in Appendix A (Fit Testing Procedures) of the standard. 

1910.134(c)(2)(i)     The employer determined that voluntary respirator use was permissible but did not provide the respirator users with the mandatory information from Appendix D (Information for Employees Using Respirators When Not Required Under Standard). 

1910.134(c)(3)        The employer did not designate a qualified program administrator to administer or oversee the respiratory protection program and conduct the required evaluations of program effectiveness. 

1910.134(k)            The employer did not provide effective training, and basic information as described in Appendix D (Information for Employees Using Respirators When Not Required Under Standard). The training must be comprehensive, understandable, and recur annually, and more often if necessary. 

1910.134(k)(3)        The employer did not provide training before the employee used a respirator in the workplace. 

1910.134(k)(5)(i)     The employer did not retrain employees about changes in the workplace or the type of respirator when previous training was obsolete. 

1910.134(k)(6)        The employer allowed voluntary use of respirators but did not provide the required information on voluntary use of respirators in mandatory Appendix D (Information for Employees Using Respirators When Not Required Under Standard).