All Virginia businesses – including farmers markets, farms, and market vendors — are now required to adhere to the new Statewide Emergency Workplace Safety Standards adopted by The Department of Labor and Industry’s Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) Program and the Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board in July 2020.

The standards require organizations to:

1. Create a check-in protocol for symptoms and exposure before each shift <all businesses>

2. Develop an infectious disease plan (deadline was 9/14/20) <businesses with 11 or more employees>

3. Create a coronavirus 101 training for employees with a completion certificate offered at the end of the training (deadline was 8/14/20) <all businesses>

To assist farmers markets in complying with this mandate, VAFMA is offering a training class that will walk market managers through the steps of compliance. Harrisonburg City COVID-19 Response Coordinator, Paul Helmuth, will guide attendees through the requirements and how they apply to farmers markets.

Through this 4 hour class, participants will receive:

· A certificate of completion

· An infectious disease plan template along with training on how to customize it to fit your business

· Education on and digital materials for training your employees

· A link to a recording of the training

About the Instructor

Paul Helmuth is the Deputy Emergency Coordinator and has coordinated the COVID-19 response for the City of Harrisonburg.

Paul has spent 30 years in emergency services as a paramedic, firefighter and emergency manager. He has helped create plans for biological and terrorism responses for the last 19 years for both public and private responses including responses for anthrax, influenza, Ebola, and now COVID-19.

Cost & Registration

$150 for members

$225 for non-members