Enforcing Cal/OSHA's Aerosol Transmissible Disease Standard at California Hospitals and Dairy Farms

California is the first state in the nation to have an Aerosol Transmissible Disease (ATD) standard that requires employers to address diseases like tuberculosis, H1N1 flu, SARS, and meningitis. A companion regulation establishes policies and procedures employers must take to prevent employees from contracting zoonotic diseases. This presentation will explain the requirements of the California standards, illustrate how these are applied in two major cases – a bacterial meningitis case in a hospital emergency room and bovine tuberculosis at a dairy farm – and analyze what changes in employer policies and procedures are needed to protect employees. This presentation will also identify new initiatives under consideration to revitalize the enforcement of California's worker health protection standards.