MIOSHA offering one-on-one COVID-19 consultation to businesses

Lansing, MI — Michigan OSHA, along with the state’s Department of Labor and Employment Opportunity, has launched a program intended to support and educate employers – via one-on-one consultation – on workplace safety regulations related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Employers in the state are expected to comply with emergency temporary rules from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) and follow federal guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and OSHA, including the latter agency’s guidance on preparing workplaces for COVID-19.

“Michigan businesses and workers need support during these challenging times,” Sean Egan, COVID-19 workplace safety director for LEO, said in a Sept. 8 press release. “Education is essential with new guidance and directives regularly changing as we continue to battle with COVID-19. We want to help employers understand and apply directives so they can comply, stay open and stay safe.”

Participants in the MIOSHA Ambassador Program will work directly with employers, using a 16-page assessment form to evaluate workplace safety precautions. The program will focus on workplaces with a higher risk of community transmission, such as bars, restaurants, retail stores, gas stations, convenience stores, bowling alleys and gyms. Ambassadors won’t propose citations or issue penalties.

To assist the program, MIOSHA has an ambassador toolkit with resources such as a reopening checklist, posters, fact sheets for employers and workers, a sample COVID-19 preparedness and response plan, and a list of MIOSHA guidelines.

“Collaboration is key in the effort to stop the spread of COVID-19,” MIOSHA Director Bart Pickelman said in the release. “Throughout the pandemic, we’ve heard from many employers and employees wanting to clarify regulations and determine how they apply to their specific workplace. This ambassador effort will bring that education and support directly to businesses across the state.”