SC OSHA plans to adopt a standard that will address all infectious diseases in the workplace, including COVID-19, as an alternative to Federal OSHA's COVID standard, which went in effect in June 2021.
As a state plan state, South Carolina is required to adopt standards that are the same or at least as effective as the requirements of Federal OSHA standards.
SC OSHA made the decision to create an alternative standard following input from South Carolina stakeholders, a review of SC OSHA's COVID-19 compliance data (i.e. health industry-related fatalities, hospitalizations, complaints and inspections), and data received from the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control and the CDC.