BOSTON — The Baker-Polito administration announced a four-phase approach to reopening the Massachusetts economy during the COVID-19 pandemic, and published mandatory workplace-safety standards that will apply across all sectors and industries once reopening begins.

The goal of the phased reopening, announced on May 11 and based on public-health guidance, is to methodically allow certain businesses, services, and activities to resume, while protecting public health and limiting a resurgence of new COVID-19 cases.

• Phase 1 will be ‘start’: limited industries resume operations with severe restrictions.

• Phase 2 will be ‘cautious’: additional industries resume operations with restrictions and capacity limits.

• Phase 3 will be ‘vigilant’: additional industries resume operations with guidance.

• Phase 4 will be the ‘new normal’: development of a vaccine and/or therapy enables careful resumption of full activity.

Businesses and activities that provided ‘COVID-19 essential services,’ per Gov. Charlie Baker’s March 23 order, will continue to operate. Certain businesses and activities with a lower risk of COVID-19 transmission will open in earlier phases. Decisions and timing will be influenced by public-health metrics for when the first phase of reopening begins, as well as when it is safe to move into concurrent phases. If public health metrics worsen, the state may need to return to an earlier phase.

Additionally, the Department of Public Health (DPH) and the COVID-19 Command Center, in consultation with the Reopening Advisory Board and based on feedback from industry, labor, and community coalitions, has developed Mandatory Workplace Safety Standards to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission as employees and customers begin to return to workplaces during the first phase of reopening. These standards are applicable to all sectors and industries that will be open in phase 1, and create new workplace requirements for social distancing, hygiene, staffing and operations, and cleaning. These standards are being released to give workplaces time to plan and prepare for reopening.

For social distancing, all people, including employees, customers, and vendors, should remain at least six feet apart to the greatest extent possible, both inside and outside workplaces. Businesses should establish protocols to ensure employees can practice adequate social distancing, provide signage for safe social distancing, and require face coverings or masks for all employees.

For hygiene, businesses should provide hand-washing capabilities throughout the workplace, ensure frequent hand washing by employees and adequate supplies to do so, and provide regular sanitization of high-touch areas, such as work stations, equipment, screens, doorknobs, and restrooms throughout the worksite.

For staffing and operations, businesses should provide training for employees regarding social-distancing and hygiene protocols. Employees who are displaying COVID-19-like symptoms should not report to work, and a return-to-work plan should be established.

For cleaning and disinfecting, businesses should establish and maintain cleaning protocols specific to the business. When an active employee is diagnosed with COVID-19, cleaning and disinfecting must be performed. Disinfection of all common surfaces must take place at intervals appropriate to that workplace.

The Reopening Advisory Board is scheduled to provide its full report to Baker on Monday, May 18.

BOSTON — Saying he wanted to bring Massachusetts in line with what surrounding states were doing, Gov. Charlie Baker allowed golf courses to reopen on May 7, albeit under strict conditions.

“Golf courses are not essential businesses and cannot have employees working on-premise,” the new state guidelines note. “Notwithstanding this restriction, essential services, such as groundskeeping to avoid hazardous conditions and security, provided by employees, contractors, or vendors, are permitted. Private operators of courses may permit individuals access to the property so long as there are no gatherings of any kind, appropriate social distancing of six feet between individuals is strictly followed, and the business operator and golfers abide by the specific guidelines for golf courses. Municipalities may decide to open municipal courses under these guidelines, if they so choose.”

Among the other regulations currently in place:

• All staff must wear face coverings while on property.

• Course facilities including but not limited to the clubhouse, golf shop, restaurant, bag room and locker room must remain closed.

• No caddies or golf carts are allowed. Push carts may be used. Players must either carry their own bag or use a push cart.

• All golfers must maintain proper social distancing of at least six feet at all times, And groups of players are restricted to no more than four players at one time.

• Members-only clubs can allow guests as determined by the security personnel on the golf course. Private clubs that allow non-members to make reservations can do so at their discretion.

• The tee-time policy must be 15 minutes between groups. Golfers must stay in their car until 15 minutes before their tee time and must return to their car immediately following play.

• Online and remote payment options must be utilized.

• All golfers must use their own golf clubs. Sharing golf clubs or rental golf clubs is not allowed.

• Flagsticks must remain in the hole. Hole liners must be raised so picking a ball out of the hole doesn’t occur.

• Bunker rakes must be removed, and ball washers must be removed or covered. The practice putting green, driving range, and chipping areas must stay closed as well.

• Facilities must have readily accessible hand sanitizer.

BOSTON — The Baker-Polito administration’s order requiring the use of masks or face coverings in public places goes into effect Wednesday, May 6.

The administration has ordered all residents over age 2 to use a face covering or mask in public places where maintaining proper social-distancing measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are not possible. This statewide order supersedes previously issued guidance relative to mask use.

The order applies to all workers and customers of businesses and other organizations that are currently open to the public and permitted to operate as COVID-19 essential businesses, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and other retail stores. Residents are also required to wear a mask or face covering at all times when using any means of transportation service or public mass transit.

A face covering may include anything that covers the nose and mouth, including a mask, scarf, or bandana. Healthcare masks should not be used and should be preserved for healthcare workers and first responders. Cloth masks should not be worn by young children under age 2, people with difficulty breathing, or those who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.