Farmworker housing emergency rules increase worker safety during pandemic

TUMWATER, Wash.—New emergency rules adopted today regarding temporary farmworker housing will help increase worker safety and reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). The rules detail specific steps required at farms where temporary workers live in licensed temporary housing facilities.

The emergency rules, a joint effort between the state departments of Labor & Industries (L&I) and Health, take effect on May 18. They spell out several required steps to increase physical distancing, improve cleaning and sanitizing, and reduce the chance of a large outbreak or spreading of coronavirus related to temporary worker housing at farms.

Protecting workers from coronavirus

Under the emergency rules, employers must provide occupants of temporary worker housing with cloth face coverings and ensure physical distancing at housing sites, which includes all cooking, eating, bathing, washing, recreational and sleeping facilities.

Farms are required to frequently clean and disinfect surfaces in housing and must identify and isolate workers with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19.

L&I has issued coronavirus workplace safety guidance for numerous industries including agriculture, grocery workers, janitorial workers, and construction. All are available on the L&I Division of Occupational Safety and Health coronavirus webpage, located here: https://www.lni.wa.gov/safety-health/safety-topics/topics/coronavirus

The nature of the outbreak changes daily so it’s important for everyone to have the most current information. L&I has a COVID-19 webpage, (https://www.lni.wa.gov/agency/outreach/novel-coronavirus-outbreak-covid-19-resources) and there’s important information on the Department of Health and the state Coronavirus Response (COVID-19) (https://coronavirus.wa.gov) sites.

Information is the best resource to keep workers and the public as safe as possible. L&I urges employers to stay as informed as possible, and to take all measures necessary to keep Washington workers safe and healthy.