Phase 2 Professional Photography

COVID-19 Requirements

Professional photographers must adopt a written procedure for professional photography activity that is at least as strict as the Phase 2 safety and health requirements below.

Requirements Specific to Professional Photography Operations

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1. Client Management

a. Appointments are required for all clients, allowing sufficient time to sanitize

photographic equipment and common areas after each client session.
b. Outdoor sessions should be used as much as possible.
c. Only one client (and family member, if client is a minor) should be allowed in studio

facilities at any given time. If the session is held offsite, only one client (and family member, if client is a minor) should be staged in the immediate area. Groups are not allowed. An exception can be made for groups consisting of immediate family only.

d. Photographers should maintain social distancing, using no-touch posing methods.

 

2. Sanitation

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1. Wash hands regularly before and after photographic sessions.

2. Frequently sanitize all equipment as well as props, chairs, benches with which a client

   may come into contact.

3. Sanitize all restrooms available to clients in-studio

4. Frequently sanitize all common areas, including door knobs (interior and exterior),

   counter tops, pens and pencils, tablets, keyboards and monitors.

5. Remove all unnecessary paper products or décor (magazines, newspapers, extraneous

   sales materials).

6. If changing rooms are used during professional photography operations, they should be

   cleaned with appropriate disinfecting supplies after each new client use, by an employee wearing proper protective equipment.

 

Phase 2 Safety and Health Requirements

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All businesses operating during Phase 2 have a general obligation to keep a safe and healthy facility in accordance with state and federal law, and comply with the following COVID-19 worksite-specific safety practices, as outlined in Governor Jay Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” Proclamation 20-25, and in accordance with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries General Requirements and Prevention Ideas for Workplaces and the Washington State Department of Health Workplace and Employer Resources & Recommendations at https://www.doh.wa.gov/Coronavirus/workplace. All businesses are required to post signage at the entrance to their business to strongly encourage their customers to use cloth face coverings when in store with their staff.

    

Employers must specifically ensure operations follow the main L&I COVID-19 requirements to protect workers, including:

• Educate workers in the language they understand best about coronavirus and how to prevent transmission and the employer’s COVID-19 policies.

• Maintain minimum six-foot separation between all employees (and customers) in all interactions at all times. When strict physical distancing is not feasible for a specific task, other prevention measures are required, such as use of barriers, minimize staff or customers in narrow or enclosed areas, stagger breaks, and work shift starts.

• Provide personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, goggles, face shields and face masks as appropriate or required to employees for the activity being performed. Cloth facial coverings must be worn by every employee not working alone on the jobsite unless their exposure dictates a higher level of protection under Department of Labor & Industries safety and health rules and guidance. Refer to Coronavirus Facial Covering and Mask Requirements for additional details. A cloth facial covering is described in the Department of Health guidance,https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1600/coronavirus/ClothFacemasks.pdf.

• Ensure frequent and adequate hand washing with adequate maintenance of supplies. Use disposable gloves where safe and applicable to prevent transmission on tools or other items that are shared.

• Establish a housekeeping schedule that includes frequent cleaning and sanitizing with a particular emphasis on commonly touched surfaces.

• Screen employees for signs/symptoms of COVID-19 at start of shift. Make sure sick employees stay home or immediately go home if they feel or appear sick. Cordon off any areas where an employee with probable or confirmed COVID-19 illness worked, touched surfaces, etc. until the area and equipment is cleaned and sanitized. Follow the cleaning guidelines set by the CDC to deep clean and sanitize.

  A site-specific COVID-19 Supervisor shall be designated by the employer at each job site to monitor the health of employees and enforce the COVID-19 job site safety plan.

  A worker may refuse to perform unsafe work, including hazards created by COVID-19. And, it is unlawful for their employer to take adverse action against a worker who has engaged in safety- protected activities under the law if their work refusal meets certain requirements.

  Employees who choose to remove themselves from a worksite because they do not believe it is safe to work due to the risk of COVID-19 exposure may have access to certain leave or unemployment benefits. Employers must provide high-risk individuals covered by Proclamation 20-46 with their choice of access to available employer-granted accrued leave or unemployment benefits if an alternative work arrangement is not feasible. Other employees may have access to expanded family and medical leave included in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, access to use unemployment benefits, or access to other paid time off depending on the circumstances.

  

No professional photographers may operate until they can meet and maintain all the requirements in this document, including providing materials, schedules and equipment required to comply. Additional considerations are made as suggestions and may be adopted, as appropriate.

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All issues regarding worker safety and health are subject to enforcement action under L&I’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH).

• Employers can request COVID-19 prevention advice and help from L&I’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH).

• Employee Workplace safety and health complaints may be submitted to the L&I DOSH Safety Call Center: (1-800-423-7233) or via e-mail to adag235@lni.wa.gov.

• General questions about how to comply with the agreement practices can be submitted to the state’s Business Response Center at https://coronavirus.wa.gov/how-you-can-help/covid-19- business-and-worker-inquiries.

• All other violations related to Proclamation 20-25 can be submitted at https://bit.ly/covid- compliance.