WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE A WORKPLACE COVID-19 EXPOSURE?

When to report to Public Health

POSITION STATEMENT: Santa Cruz County Public Health no longer requires general employers (from non-congregate settings and workplaces that do NOT fall under Cal/OSHAs Aerosol Transmissible Diseases standard) to report small workplace outbreaks. Instead, Public Health will align with Cal/OSHA requirements and request that employers report via the Shared Portal for Outbreak Tracking (SPOT) when there are 20 or more COVID-19 cases in an exposed group within a 30-day period. (Please refer to Cal/OSHA FAQs for further detail.)

SPOT Reporting Guide
SPOT Intake Form English, Spanish

PREVENTION TIPS & RESOURCES
Be Ready for COVID-19 at Your Workplace
Protect your employees and the community by following these health and safety guidelines.
Wear a well-fitted mask in indoor spaces.
N95 and KN95 provide the best protection
Visit Updated Masks-Coronavirus COVID-19 Response (ca.gov), CDPH Masking Guidance: Face Coverings Questions & Answers (ca.gov).

Increase ventilation and filtration
Due to the airborne nature of COVID, ventilation is very important. Ventilation and filtration replaces air that contains the virus with cleaner air. Whenever possible:

  • Use MERV 13 air filters
  • Run portable HEPA air filters
Visit CDPH Updated Ventilation Guidance: Interim Guidance for Ventilation, Filtration, and Air Quality in Indoor Environments (ca.gov).

For recommendations on breakrooms, carpooling and testing, visit Cal/OSHA and the CDPH Occupational Health Branch. Additional resources can be found here from the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

Employers are no longer required to maintain a standalone COVID-19 Prevention Plan. Instead, employers must now address COVID-19 as a workplace hazard under the requirements found in section 3203 (Injury and Illness Prevention Program, IIPP), and include their COVID-19 procedures to prevent this health hazard in their written IIPP or in a separate document.

Additional Resources