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California adopts stricter workplace pandemic safety rules

Posted at 5:55 AM, Nov 20, 2020
and last updated 2020-11-20 08:55:43-05

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - California officials have approved stricter new safety regulations requiring employers to implement safety measures during the pandemic.

The state's Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board heard on Thursday approved an emergency temporary standard.

It requires businesses to educate employees on ways to prevent infection, provide free personal protective equipment and offer free COVID-19 testing to all employees if three or more employees are infected with the coronavirus within a 14-day period.

Business leaders testified that the broad-reaching standards were impractical.

Many workers told emotional stories about being infected. It's the latest state to adopt stricter new rules.