OSHA Issues Guidance for Meatpacking, Respirators

Tuesday, April 28, 2020 | 0

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued guidance for keeping meat processing workers safe during the COVID-19 epidemic, as well as separate guidance on reusing disposable N95 face masks that have been decontaminated.

OSHA recommends vaporous hydrogen peroxide, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation or moist heat, such as in an oven, to decontaminate masks. Microwave-generated steam or liquid hydrogen peroxide could also be suitable, the agency said.

Autoclaving, isopropyl alcohol, soap, dry microwave irradiation, chlorine bleach, disinfectant wipes and ethylene oxide are not considered acceptable.

“Employers should investigate the effectiveness of any particular decontamination method used for the specific filtering facepiece respirator model to be decontaminated,” OSHA said in a statement. “Employers should be able to demonstrate the effectiveness of any decontamination method used against the likely contaminant(s) (i.e., pathogens) of concern, and that the decontamination method used does not produce additional safety hazards.”

In separate guidance for meat processors, OSHA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide information about:

• Cleaning of shared meatpacking and processing tools.
• Screening employees for the coronavirus before they enter work facilities.
• Managing workers who are showing symptoms of the coronavirus.
• Implementing appropriate engineering, administrative and work practice controls.
• Using appropriate personal protective equipment.
• Practicing social distancing at the workplace.

"As essential workers, those in the meatpacking and processing industries need to be protected from coronavirus for their own safety and health,” said Loren Sweatt, principal deputy assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health, in a statement. “OSHA's newest guidance document outlines steps employers can take to provide a safe and healthy workplace for workers in the meatpacking and processing industries.”