Oregon OSHA charged with enforcing statewide mask mandate

Oregon OSHA charged with enforcing statewide mask mandate

With statewide requirements for face coverings going into effect July 1, OSHA has been made the lead on making sure the mandate is followed.

Of enforcing the order.

Newswatch 12's adam schumes spoke with an osha representativ e about its approach to enforcement.

Will the enforcement be proactive or reactive, you know, to the degree that we can, we always want to be a proactive, um, oregon osha system is set up to take, uh, and we have been doing this since early march, uh, absorb a number of complaints related to, uh covid-19.

So our system and program is set up for that.

Um, so our expectation and i should add, i mean, folks should feel free to be able to raise these concerns with the business.

Um, but they are absolutely welcome to do that first.

Um, if the situation merits it, but they are absolutely welcome to come to oregon osha and file a complaint.

Our system is set up to take those complaints in, um, screen them in a reasonable amount of time and evaluate them.

Um, there's a process that occurs, um, before we would ever get to the point of deciding whether an onsite inspection is needed.

And so that process in that complaint, um, uh, arena involves evaluating the allegations.

And more likely what we're going to do is contact an employer by phone or by email engage with the employer and if needed, clarify responsibilities, and also ask the question of what the employer is doing to address the situation.

So there is a process that occurs before we would ever talk about an inspection.

Um, and for that matter, the potential for violations to be identified in citations to be issued.

How does someone register a violation if they see one?

Um, yes.

So, uh, you know, folks are welcome to, uh, members of the public and, uh, of course, certainly workers are welcome to, uh, file a complaint.

If they have concerns.

Um, and, uh, and we would certainly take it from there and potentially have that back and forth, um, uh, where we're trying to get things on the right path.

Um, you know, the complaints that we receive are really tips.

And so, um, you know, that it's a beginning point, uh, to start from when we're trying to, um, get things moved on a better path, potentially if, if the employer isn't already on, on the right path, which is also possible.

Coming up in half an hour on newswatch 12 at 5- we'll explain what responsibilities businesses have and what potential penalties