As part of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) efforts to keep our stakeholders up to date on the CDC and NIOSH COVID-19 response, below is a summary of new information posted this week.
General Resources
Critical Infrastructure Sector Response Planning Guidance
This guidance is on COVID-19 response planning for the critical infrastructure sector. Maintaining critical infrastructure operations during the COVID-19 pandemic is imperative for both public health and safety as well as community well-being. A COVID-19 response plan can help critical infrastructure employers prevent or slow the spread of COVID-19 in their workplaces and continue their essential business functions.
This guidance supplements the existing CDC Guidance for Implementing Safety Practices for Critical Infrastructure Workers Who May Have Had Exposure to a Person with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19.
Coping with Job Stress and Building Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic Fact Sheets
This new guidance for employees and healthcare personnel and first responders provides ways to recognize symptoms of stress, tips to cope and enhance resilience, and where to go for help. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we work, whether you are going into work or are working from home. Fear and anxiety about this disease can be overwhelming, and workplace stress can lead to burnout.
Fatigue in the Workplace Fact Sheet
This new fact sheet has information on strategies that workers and employers can use to manage workplace fatigue and work safely during COVID-19. The fact sheet includes tips to improve sleep and what to do if you feel too tired to work safely. It also has steps employers should take to reduce workplace fatigue for workers.
Respirator Purchasing Resources
Factors to Consider when Planning to Purchase Respirators From Another Country
This guidance provides information for potential purchasers of international respirators in making informed procurement and distribution decisions to keep their workers safe. When NIOSH approves a respirator, the user can be confident that the device will provide the expected level of protection, as long as it fits properly and is worn correctly. But when there is a shortage of NIOSH-approved filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs), as we are experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic, other reliable options must be found.
Industry Specific Resources
Long-haul Truck Drivers Fact Sheet
This fact sheet identifies these potential exposures to help drivers and their employers prevent the spread of respiratory illness. Long-haul truck drivers may be at risk for exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19. Potential exposures include close contact with others, including other drivers.
For More Information
For more information, please visit the COVID-19 webpage. To stay up to date on new developments, sign up for the COVID-19 newsletter.