The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released information for workers and employers about the evolving coronavirus outbreak that was identified in China. The resource provides guidance and resources for preventing exposures to the coronavirus, officially named COVID-19.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Chinese authorities identified the new coronavirus which has resulted in human infections in China and several other countries, including the United States. Infected patients have also spread the virus to healthcare workers. The CDC’s COVID-19 webpage lists the latest updates.

At this time there is no evidence of widespread transmission in the United States and without sustained human-to-human transmission, most American workers are not at significant risk of infection. Exposure risk may be elevated for some workers ho interact with potentially infected travels from abroad, including this who work in:

• Healthcare
• Deathcare
• Laboratories
• Airline operations
• Border protection
• Solid waste and wastewater management
• Travel to areas, including parts of China, where the virus is spreading

There is more to learn about the transmissibility, severity, and other features associated with COVID-19 as the outbreak and the investigation continue. Infected people can spread it through respiratory secretions, particularly through coughing or sneezing. The spread from person-to-person is most likely among close contacts (around 6 feet), according to the CDC. It is yet unknown if a person can get COVID-19 through touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or possibly eyes.

In addition to OSHA’s guidance employers and employees should consult CDC guidance specific to COVID-19.

OSHA provides resources on hazard recognition, medical information, control and prevention and applicable OSHA standards.

Read more from OSHA here.