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Providers have an additional resource for reporting low supply levels of personal protective equipment. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently issued guidance on steps providers can take when dealing with “critically low or unavailable” PPE, according to the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living.

OSHA encourages providers to determine which job activities specifically involve exposure to COVID-19 and what PPE is necessary to protect employees while performing their duties. 

The guidance also calls on providers to “make a good faith effort” to acquire PPE from commercial vendors and document all efforts to obtain PPE and replenish supply levels. 

If PPE is unavailable, providers should take several steps to eliminate or reduce exposure to COVID-19, such as: isolating areas with coronavirus patients, cleaning and disinfecting the facility more, increasing the frequency of hand sanitizing and excluding healthcare personnel at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 from contact with residents. 

“After implementing available engineering, administrative, or work practice controls to eliminate or reduce exposures to COVID-19, consider use of other forms of PPE that may not be as effective as N95 respirators, surgical masks, gloves, and gowns, but could provide some protection,” AHCA/NCAL explained.

The organization also noted additional resources for responding to OSHA inquiries regarding complaints about limited PPE, how to respond when supply of N95 respirators are limited and reporting COVID-19 cases.