Over the past month, WSDA has been in active discussion with the Division of Occupational Safety & Health (DOSH), about directives it has issued related to mask and respirator requirements for dental offices and other work settings. The relevant directives are DOSH Directive 11.80 and DOSH Directive 1.70. In addition, DOSH has published an educational document entitled “Which Mask for Which Task?” that is informed by Directive 11.80.

As you will see in the below listed correspondence, WSDA has sought clarity around inconsistencies between Directives 11.80 and 1.70. WSDA has also advocated that dental care providers be held to a mask standard that is consistent with CDC guidelines for dental settings and for workers at a higher risk for COVID-19 transmission (as dental offices must currently follow guidelines more strict than those for workers in DOSH’s “Extremely High-Risk” category). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), no clusters of personnel who have tested positive for COVID-19 have been reported in dental settings or among dental healthcare personnel.

• WSDA communication dated June 3, 2020
• DOSH response dated June 11, 2020
• WSDA response dated June 17, 2020

To date, the issues identified by WSDA remain; however, DOSH is continuing to enforce a portion of DOSH Directive 1.70, which states that dental workers within 3 feet of an aerosolized dental procedure must wear a fit-tested N95 or KN95 respirator.

WSDA has engaged several parties on this issue and will continue to strongly advocate for DOSH to modify this Directive. While our efforts are ongoing, we have also put together a list of additional information and resources to help members comply with the current DOSH requirements. Please make sure to review what has been provided.

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