DHS Guidance On Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce
The following list of sectors and identified essential critical infrastructure workers are an initial recommended set and are intended to be overly inclusive reflecting the diversity of industries across the United States. CISA will continually solicit and accept feedback on the list (both sectors/sub-sectors and identified essential workers) and will evolve the list in response to stakeholder feedback. We will also use our various stakeholder engagement mechanisms to work with partners on how they are using this list and share those lessons learned and best practices broadly. We ask that you share your feedback, both positive and negative on this list so we can provide the most useful guide to our critical infrastructure partners.
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
Workers supporting groceries, pharmacies and other retail that sells food and beverage products
Restaurant carry-out and quick-serve food operations – Carry-out
and delivery food employees
Food manufacturer employees and their supplier employees—to
include those employed in food processing
(packers, meat processing, cheese plants, milk plants, produce,
etc.) facilities; livestock, poultry, seafood slaughter
facilities; pet and animal feed processing facilities; human food
facilities producing by-products for animal food; beverage
production facilities; and the production of food packaging
Farmworkers to include those employed in animal food, feed, and ingredient production, packaging, and distribution; manufacturing, packaging, and distribution of veterinary drugs; truck delivery and transport; farm and fishery labor needed to produce our food supply domestically
Farmworkers and support service workers to include those who field crops; commodity inspection; fuel ethanol facilities; storage facilities; and other agricultural inputs
Employees and firms supporting food, feed, and beverage
distribution, including warehouse workers, vendor- managed
inventory controllers and blockchain managers
Workers supporting the sanitation of all food manufacturing
processes and operations from wholesale to retail
Company cafeterias – in-plant cafeterias used to feed
employees
Workers in food testing labs in private industries and in
institutions of higher education
Workers essential for assistance programs and government
payments
Employees of companies engaged in the production of chemicals,
medicines, vaccines, and other substances used by the food and
agriculture industry, including pesticides, herbicides,
fertilizers, minerals, enrichments, and other agricultural
production aids
Animal agriculture workers to include those employed in
veterinary health; manufacturing and distribution of animal
medical materials, animal vaccines, animal drugs, feed
ingredients, feed, and bedding, etc.; transportation of live
animals, animal medical materials; transportation of deceased
animals for disposal; raising of animals for food; animal
production operations; slaughter and packing plants and
associated regulatory and government workforce
Workers who support the manufacture and distribution of forest
products, including, but not limited to timber, paper, and other
wood products
Employees engaged in the manufacture and maintenance of equipment
and other infrastructure necessary to agricultural production and
distribution
TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS
Employees supporting or enabling transportation functions, including dispatchers, maintenance and repair technicians, warehouse workers, truck stop and rest area workers, and workers that maintain and inspect infrastructure (including those that require cross-border travel)
Employees of firms providing services that enable logistics operations, including cooling, storing, packaging, and distributing products for wholesale or retail sale or use.
Mass transit workers
Workers responsible for operating dispatching passenger, commuter and freight trains and maintaining rail
infrastructure and equipment
Maritime transportation workers – port workers, mariners, equipment operators
Truck drivers who haul hazardous and waste materials to support critical infrastructure, capabilities, functions,
and services
Automotive repair and maintenance facilities
Manufacturers and distributors (to include service centers and related operations) of packaging materials,
pallets, crates, containers, and other supplies needed to support manufacturing, packaging staging and
distribution operations
Postal and shipping workers, to include private companies
Employees who repair and maintain vehicles, aircraft, rail equipment, marine vessels, and the equipment and
infrastructure that enables operations that encompass movement of cargo and passengers
Air transportation employees, including air traffic controllers, ramp personnel, aviation security, and aviation
management
Workers who support the maintenance and operation of cargo by air transportation, including flight crews,
maintenance, airport operations, and other on- and off- airport facilities workers