COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

The Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) requires employers to implement the Governor’s "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order by following the Healthy Washington – Roadmap to Recovery guidance. Employers must ensure social distancing for employees and customers, frequent and adequate employee hand-washing, and that sick employees stay home. Employers must also provide basic workplace hazard education about coronavirus and how to prevent transmission in languages best understood by employees. 

Use the information and resources on this page to help keep everyone safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have other specific questions on how you can maintain a safe and healthy workplace, contact a DOSH consultant near you.

Workplace Discrimination

It is against the law for any employer to take any adverse action such as firing or threats against a worker for exercising safety and health rights such as raising safety and health concerns to their employer, participating in union activities concerning safety and health matters, filing a safety and health complaint or participating in a DOSH investigation. Workers have 30 days to file their complaint with L&I DOSH and/or with Federal OSHA.

General Information Masks and respiratory protection

General Guidance

Respirator Program Resources

Fit Testing

Industry- and Topic-Specific Resources

Agriculture

Cleanup and Sanitization

Construction

Childcare

Death care

Dentistry

    Food Processing

      Health Care

      Janitorial work

      Long Term Care Facilities

          Schools

          Trucking/Transportation

          Working from home/Telecommuting

          Requirements & Policies

          Emergency Rule - Prohibited business activities and compliance with conditions for operations.

          L&I adopted an emergency rule effective on May 26, 2020, and updated that emergency rule most recently on May 26, 2021: WAC 296-800-14035 - 2019 Novel coronavirus prohibited business activities and compliance with conditions for operations.

          Under the emergency rule:

          • Employers must not allow employees to perform work where a business activity is prohibited by an emergency proclamation.
          • Employers must comply with all conditions for operation required by emergency proclamation, including Safe Start phased reopening requirements for all business and any industry specific requirements.

          Temporary Worker Housing Emergency Rule

          L&I has adopted Additional requirements to protect occupants in temporary worker housing from 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) exposure (WAC 296-307-16102). This emergency rule supersedes the May 7, 2021, emergency rule as conditions have changed due to the updated guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding mask use and physical distancing for fully vaccinated individuals. These emergency rules are effective May 28, 2021 through September 25, 2021.

          Some of the requirements in the emergency rule include:

          • Educate occupants in a language or languages understood by the occupants on COVID-19;
          • Provide occupants cloth face coverings;
          • Ensure physical distancing of occupants when at housing sites, which includes all cooking, eating, bathing, washing, recreational, and sleeping facilities;
          • Ensure frequent cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces;
          • Identify and isolate occupants with suspect and confirmed positive cases; and
          • Submit to the Department of Health a revised temporary worker housing management plan that demonstrates how the operator will comply with the emergency rule requirements.

          DOSH Directives

          These policies provide guidelines to L&I staff when enforcing WACs (Washington Administrative Codes).

          Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Rules

          Accident Prevention Program (APP)

          Airborne Contaminants

          Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

          Respirators/Respiratory Protection

          Related Resources