May 29, 2020

New COVID-19 requirements released for Washington agriculture

On May 28, Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee released Proclamation 20-57, “Concerning the Health of Agricultural Workers” which provides required protections that must be in place by June 4. Full details of requirements can be found here: COVID-19 Agricultural Safety Plan (pdf).

There are several requirements detailed such as,

• Mandated employee training, with key content that must be addressed through educational materials and training
• Cloth facial coverings must be worn by every employee not working alone on the jobsite
• Employers, operators, and providers must supply, at no cost to employees, all PPE mandated by these requirements, including gloves, goggles, face shields, and face masks. PPE must be clean and available each workday.
• Required temperature check and symptom review at the beginning of each shift
• Required disinfection of high touch surfaces at start of work, before and after morning break, lunch, and afternoon break
• Requirement to document and maintain a COVID-19 Response Plan
• For outdoor worksites, hand-washing stations must be placed within 110 yards of employees at all times (this requirement is typically ¼ mi for GAP audit purposes)
• For indoor worksites, employers are required to implement a physical distancing plan

This by no means covers everything.

During a May 28 press conference, L&I emphasized that growers/operators should use their consultation services to help address any questions they have with the new requirements.

– Washington State University