Skip to main content

Department of Labor logo
UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Subscribe
  • YouTube
MENU

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Contact UsFAQA to Z Index

English Español

  • OSHA
    • OSHA
    • About OSHA
    • Find an OSHA Office
    • State Plans
    • Careers
    • Freedom of Information Act
  • Standards
    • Standards
    • Law and Regulations
    • Federal Registers
    • Open for Comment
    • Regulatory Agenda
    • Standard Interpretations
    • Training Requirements by Standard
  • Enforcement
  • Topics
      • Topics
      • Employer Help
      • Worker Rights
      • Fall Prevention
      • Heat
      • Personal Protective Equipment
      • Recordkeeping Requirements and Forms
      • Trenching and Excavation
      • By Sector
      • Agriculture
      • Construction
      • Federal Agencies
      • Healthcare
      • Maritime
      • Oil and Gas
      • Warehousing
      • Key Topics
      • 10- or 30-Hour Training Cards
      • Enforcement
      • Hazard Communication
      • Safety and Health Programs
      • Whistleblower Protections
  • HELP AND RESOURCES
      • Help and Resources
      • Annual Inspection Data
      • Data and Statistics
      • E-Tools
      • Establishment Search
      • Fatality Reports
      • File a Complaint
      • Publications
      • Safety and Health Topics Pages
      • Suicide Prevention
      • Training
      • Videos
      • Compliance Assistance Resources
      • Compliance Assistance Specialists
      • Consultation Services
      • Cooperative Programs
      • Small Business Resources
  • NEWS
    • News
    • Federal Registers
    • Newsroom
    • News Releases
    • QuickTakes Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • FAQ
  • A to Z Index

English Español

  1. QuickTakes
  2. August 17, 2020

August 17, 2020 • Volume 19, Issue 14 • A twice-monthly newsletter with information about workplace safety and health.

OSHA QuickTakes - OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Coronavirus Response

OSHA signed an alliance with the North American Meat Institute to provide guidance and training to protect workers in the meatpacking and processing industry.

NAMI - North American Meat Institute
Steps to Protect Automotive Workers from Exposure to Coronavirus - screenshot
COVID-19 Resources

A new poster, available in English and Spanish, lists steps to protect automotive service workers from exposure to coronavirus.

Pandemic Safety Partnership

McCarthy Construction partnered with OSHA and used health screenings, face coverings, and social distancing to protect workers during a medical facility construction project.

Partnership - An OSHA Cooperative Program
Safe + Sound Week - August 10-16, 2020
Safe + Sound Week

Thank you to the thousands of businesses and organizations that helped make Safe + Sound Week a success.

Fall Prevention

The seventh annual National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction has been rescheduled for September 14-18.

September 14-18, 2020
Disaster response worker
Disaster Response

OSHA has information to protect workers responding to hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and other natural disasters.

Alliance Promotes Safety

The Global Cold Chain Alliance is partnering with OSHA to serve as an ambassador for workplace safety.

Alliance - An OSHA Cooperative Program
Gavel
Court Decision

A judge upheld OSHA citations and penalties issued to a manufacturer that falsely claimed violations were abated.

Read about more OSHA enforcement cases.
Social Media

Follow @OSHA_DOL on Twitter. For more safety and health resources and information, visit the U.S. Department of Labor's social media accounts:

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
Safe + Sound Week starts today! Join the national conversation about workplace safety and health: osha.gov/safeandsoundweek - #SafeAndSoundAtWork
COVID-19 Q&A
Question

Does wearing a medical/surgical mask or cloth face covering cause unsafe oxygen levels or harmful carbon dioxide levels to the wearer?

Answer

No. Medical masks, including surgical masks, are routinely worn by healthcare workers throughout the day as part of their personal protective equipment ensembles and do not compromise their oxygen levels or cause carbon dioxide buildup. They are designed to be breathed through and can protect against respiratory droplets, which are typically much larger than tiny carbon dioxide particles. Consequently, most carbon dioxide particles will either go through the mask or escape along the mask’s loose-fitting perimeter. Some carbon dioxide might collect between the mask and the wearer’s face, but not at unsafe levels.

Like medical masks, cloth face coverings are loose-fitting with no seal and are designed to be breathed through. Workers may easily remove their medical masks or cloth face coverings periodically (and when not in close proximity with others) to eliminate any negligible buildup of carbon dioxide that might occur. Cloth face coverings and medical masks can help prevent the spread of potentially infectious respiratory droplets from the wearer to their co-workers, including when the wearer has COVID-19 and does not know it.

OSHA Twitter QuickTakes RSS Department of Labor - YouTube

SUBSCRIBE

SEND FEEDBACK

ARCHIVE

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20210
www.osha.gov | 202-693-1999

Do not want to get emails from us? You can unsubscribe here. (We will miss you!)

Department of Labor logo
UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety & Health Administration

200 Constitution Ave NW

Washington, DC 20210

800-321-6742 (OSHA)

TTY

www.OSHA.gov

Federal Government

  • White House
  • Severe Storm and Flood Recovery Assistance
  • Disaster Recovery Assistance
  • DisasterAssistance.gov
  • USA.gov
  • No Fear Act Data
  • U.S. Office of Special Counsel

Occupational Safety & Health

  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • A - Z Index
  • Freedom of Information Act - OSHA
  • Read The OSHA Newsletter
  • Subscribe to the OSHA Newsletter
  • OSHA Publications
  • Office of Inspector General

About This Site

  • Freedom of Information Act - DOL
  • Privacy & Security Statement
  • Disclaimers
  • Important Web Site Notices
  • Plug-ins Used by DOL
  • Accessibility Statement