COLUMBUS – As states, including Ohio, prepare to reopen closed businesses, the White House, governors, members of congress and state lawmakers are all getting pressured by business leaders who want to be shielded from potential lawsuits brought by sick workers, plus heat from unions that want bolstered safety at workplaces.
“Responsible RestartOhio”: Gov. Mike DeWine’s plan for reopening Ohio’s businesses and workplaces
The Ohio Department of Health call center is open 7 days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. to answer questions regarding COVID-19 at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).
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Ohio Department of Health coronavirus website
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Governor Mike DeWine is no exception. He first heard criticism for a requirement announced Monday that customers wear masks whenever they are in businesses as they begin reopening next month, so he dropped the requirement on Tuesday and heard criticism about that.
On Wednesday, he clarified his administration’s position during his daily televised Statehouse news briefing, saying that face coverings are still required for employers and employees while on the job, with some exceptions, but are not mandatory for clients or customers.
“I just came to the conclusion that mandating it in a retail setting was something that Ohioans just weren’t ready for the government to tell them to do. But, what I hope is that their own sense of right, what they should do, will tell them to do it,” he said.
This is a team sport, #Ohio.
The more we wear face coverings ➡ the faster we get out of this ➡ the more people who will be at the next Thanksgiving dinner. #InThisTogetherOhio #StaySafeOhio
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) April 29, 2020
Businesses have the right to require customers to wear face coverings but the state will not require them to enforce it, DeWine said.
Face coverings are still required for employers and employees while on the job, with exceptions where they are prohibited by a law or regulation, where it is against “documented industry best practices,” not advisable for health purposes, a violation of a company’s safety policies, when an employee is sitting alone in an enclosed workspace, or when there is a “practical reason a face covering cannot be worn by an employee,” Lt. Gov. Jon Husted explained.
“At work, you wear a mask because you want to protect your fellow employees and because you want to protect your customers,” Husted said. “And when you are a customer, though it isn’t required, you should still wear a mask because it will help protect those around you.”
Written justification must be provided upon request for any of the exceptions, Husted said.
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DeWine on Wednesday announced that the state has shipped 4.1 million pieces of personal protective equipment to local emergency management agencies, the largest one-time distribution of PPE from the state to the local agencies ever.
The shipment, brought about by the Ohio Department of Administrative Services, JobsOhio, the Department of Health, and Ohio EMA includes:
500,000 N95 masks
850,000 face shields
750,000 surgical-type masks
2 million non-medical gloves
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Nearly $16 million in grant funding is now available for local law enforcement agencies, courts, victim services and other local agencies.
The money was included in the coronavirus rescue package approved by Congress in March.
This funding was awarded to the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services, a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, and will be used for the purchase of cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment; support planning, staffing, and communications, and to help with the costs of medical visits, hospitalizations, medical supplies and securing alternative housing.
In addition to police and courts, it will also be available for probation and parole offices, victim service providers and corrections agencies.
There is no cap on requests and the state will accept applications while funding is available, Gov. Mike DeWine said.