Vigilant Blog

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) recently replaced its temporary rules regarding masks and COVID-19 (coronavirus) vaccines in health care settings and schools with “permanent” rules, with the intent to rescind them when they’re no longer needed to prevent the spread of the virus. Meanwhile, Oregon’s general statewide indoor mask mandate (another temporary rule) is set…

On December 21, 2021, Oregon OSHA adopted minor changes to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) rules for all indoor workplaces as well as for employer-provided labor housing. They took effect immediately. Changes to the rules for all Oregon workplaces include the following: Physical distancing requirements have been eliminated, except in health care and transit settings.   Employers…

Question: We’re thinking of requiring employees who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19 (coronavirus) to wear an N95 mask at work, but would we have to implement a full respiratory protection program? Answer: No, if your primary reason for requiring an unvaccinated worker to wear a filtering facepiece respirator such as an N95 is for source control…

On August 27, 2021, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) published temporary regulations requiring masks to be worn outdoors as well as indoors, with limited exceptions, effective immediately. The new rules incorporate and replace the existing indoor mask requirements that we previously reported here. The added outdoor mask mandate says that regardless of vaccination against COVID-19…

On August 13, 2021, Oregon OSHA updated its workplace COVID-19 safety rules to be consistent with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA)’s general statewide emergency temporary rule requiring masks to be worn indoors in nearly all business settings as of August 13, 2021. (See our recent Alert on OHA’s mask mandate.) Employers must require employees, contractors, and…

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has released emergency temporary rules requiring masks to be worn indoors in nearly all business settings as of August 13, 2021, to reduce the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). The rules are in effect through February 8, 2022, unless rescinded sooner. The new rules define indoor spaces to include “public and…