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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 116 / Monday, June 21, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
generally appropriate as a substitute for a facemask because they are less effective at reducing the risk of droplet and potential airborne transmission.
However, face shields do offer some protection from droplet transmission and are, accordingly, required by the ETS to be used in any circumstance where, for example, an individual may not be able to wear a facemask due to a medical condition or due to other hazards e.g., heat stress, arc flash fire hazards. In such limited and often temporary situations, a face shield may be the most effective measure to add a layer of protection to reduce workers overall COVID19 transmission risk, particularly when combined with other protective measures.
Additionally, OSHA recognizes that face shields can provide some additional protection when used in addition to a facemask by protecting the wearers eyes and preventing their facemask from being contaminated with respiratory droplets from other persons.
This additional protection may be particularly useful for employees who cannot avoid close contact with others or are unable to work behind barriers.
Accordingly, the ETS allows employers to require face shields in addition to facemasks where employment circumstances might warrant the additional protection.
OSHA has always considered recognized consensus standards, with design and construction specifications, when determining the PPE requirements of the agencys standards, as required by the OSH Act 29 U.S.C. 655b8 and the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act 15 U.S.C. 272 note.
The agency has already incorporated by reference the ANSI/ISEA Z87.1, Occupational and Educational Personal Eye and Face Protection Devices consensus standard for face shields in its Eye and Face Protection standard 29
CFR 1910.133. In this ETS the agency will incorporate by reference more recent editions of the ANSI/ISEA
standard than are currently provided for in the existing standard. Additionally, for the limited purpose of complying with the ETS, the agency will also allow any face shield that meets the criteria outlined in the definition of face shield found in the definition sections of the ETS. That is: 1 Certified to the ANSI/ISEA Z87.12010, 2015, or 2020
standard; or 2 covers the wearers eyes, nose, and mouth to protect from splashes, sprays, and spatter of body fluids, wraps around the sides of the wearers face i.e., temple-to-temple, and extends below the wearers chin.
Any face shield that is worn for the purpose of complying with any OSHA

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standard other than Subpart U must still meet the requirements of 29 CFR
1910.133.
III. Need for Other Types of PPE
Gloves and gowns overgarments are the two most common types of PPE used in healthcare settings. A major principle of Standard Precautions is that all blood and body fluids, whether from a patient, patient sample, or infectious material, may contain transmissible infectious agents Siegel et al., 2007. Therefore, gloves and gowns overgarments are required for certain examinations and all procedures. These include everything from venipuncture to removing medical waste to intubation.
Similarly, gowns or similar protective clothing are necessary for any activities in which splashes or clothing contamination is possible. This applies as part of Standard Precautions as well as for care of patients on Contact Precautions where unintentional contact with contaminated environmental surfaces must be avoided Siegel et al., 2007.
Eye protection in the form of goggles or face shields as discussed above can be used with facemasks to protect mucous membranes eyes, nose, and mouth in situations where, for example, sprays of blood or body fluids are possible. CDC recommends that healthcare workers wear eye protection during patient care encounters to ensure eyes are protected from infectious bodily fluids CDC, February 23, 2021.
IV. Conclusion In closing, the best available experimental and epidemiological data support consistent use of facemasks in healthcare work settings to reduce the spread of COVID19 through droplet transmission. Adopting facemask policies is necessary, as part of a multilayered strategy combined with other non-pharmaceutical interventions such as physical distancing, hand hygiene, and adequate ventilation, to protect employees from COVID19. Based on the proven effectiveness of facemask use and the effectiveness of face shields in preventing contamination of facemasks and protecting the eyes when there is a particular risk of droplet exposure, OSHAs COVID19 ETS includes necessary provisions for required use of facemasks and face shields e.g., either as a complementary device or in such circumstances where it is not appropriate or possible to wear a facemask. The ETS also requires additional PPE, such as gloves, gowns, and eye protection, in certain limited circumstances where there is likely exposure to persons with COVID19.

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References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC. 2021, February 2. Order under Section 361 of the Public Health Service Act 42 U.S.C. 264 and 42 Code of Federal Regulations 70.2, 71.31b, 71.32b. Federal Register notice:
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https www.cdc.gov/quarantine/masks/
mask-travel-guidance.html. CDC, February 2, 2021.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC. 2021, February 23. Interim infection prevention and control recommendations for healthcare personnel during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 COVID19 pandemic.
https www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019ncov/hcp/infection-controlrecommendations.html. CDC, February 23, 2021.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC. 2021, April 19. Guidance for Wearing Masks. https www.cdc.gov/
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Chu, DK et al., 2020, June 27. Physical Distancing, Face Masks, and Eye Protection to Prevent Person-to-Person Transmission of SARSCoV2 and COVID19: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet 395: 1973
1987. https doi.org/10.1016/. Chu et al., June 27, 2020.
Food and Drug Administration FDA. 2004, July 14. Guidance for industry and FDA
staff. Surgical maskspremarket notification 510k submissions.
https www.fda.gov/regulatoryinformation/search-fda-guidancedocuments/surgical-masks-premarketnotification-510k-submissions. FDA, July 14, 2004.
Food and Drug Administration FDA. 2020, December 7. N95 respirators, surgical masks, and face masks. https
www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personalprotective-equipment-infection-control/
n95-respirators-surgical-masks-and-facemaskss2. FDA, December 7, 2020.
Garcia-Godoy, L. et al., 2020, May 5. Facial protection for healthcare workers during pandemics: A scoping review. BMJ
global health, 55, e002553. https
doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2020-002553.
Garcia-Godoy et al., May 5, 2020.
Lindsley, W. et al., 2014, June 27. Efficacy of face shields against cough aerosol droplets from a cough simulator. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 118, 509518. doi: 10.1080/
15459624.2013.877591. Lindsley et al., June 27, 2014.
Lindsley, W. et al., 2021, January 7. Efficacy of face masks, neck gaiters and face shields for reducing the expulsion of simulated cough-generated aerosols.
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