The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have updated their guidance on COVID-19, allowing long term care facilities to simplify some of their processes.
In February 2025, OSHA stopped enforcing the special COVID-19 log required under the Healthcare Emergency Temporary Standard. At that time, employers still had to follow the usual OSHA recordkeeping rules for work-related COVID-19 cases. OSHA went further in March 2026. Under its current enforcement policy, OSHA will not cite covered employers for failing to:
- Record COVID-19 cases on the OSHA 300 Log; or
- Report COVID-related hospitalizations or fatalities to OSHA.
After reviewing the changes to both OSHA and CDC guidance, facilities may consider making the following changes:
- No longer routinely investigating every employee COVID-19 case for OSHA recordkeeping purposes.
- No longer routinely adding COVID-19 cases to the OSHA 300 Log.
- Facilities must continue following all infection-control, CMS, public health, workers’ compensation, and internal procedures.
- Serious, unusual, or clearly work-related cases may still be reviewed individually.
This is a positive change for long term care facilities, reducing unnecessary investigations, duplicate paperwork, and confusion about OSHA recordkeeping, while maintaining appropriate protections for employees and residents.