New set of emergency rules in place for farmworker housing during pandemic

WASHINGTON — A new set of emergency rules for temporary farmworker housing in Washington will go into effect May 18 to help keep workers safe and reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

Farms that house temporary workers in licensed housing facilities will have to follow some required steps to increase physical distancing, improve cleaning and sanitizing and reduce the chance of an outbreak, according to state officials.

Farms will be required to provide workers who live in temporary housing with cloth face coverings and make sure there’s physical distancing at the sites, which includes having adequate distancing between beds and bunk beds.

Beds must be 6 feet apart, with workers sleeping head to toe.

Also, housing sites will need to be cleaned frequently and disinfected. And any worker who is suspected of or infected with the virus must be isolated.

Employers will be required to submit revised temporary housing management plans to the Washington State Department of Health by May 28.

However, a variance request can be requested if the employer has a proposal that’s “equally effective” in protecting people who live in the housing.

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