Preparing Workplaces Beyond COVID-19

Preparing Workplaces Beyond COVID-19

As most organizations are focusing on immediate pressing challenges around the coronavirus pandemic, the importance of protecting the health and wellness of our employees and customers will not vanish with diminished cases. With the daily guidelines for social distancing serving as our new normal, one question remains, how will these guidelines impact our daily life in the future. In addition to that, what will continued protective measures look like in the workplace?

Guidance from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have all released guides to help employers protect the health and safety of employees and customers. We've combed through these recommendations to share prevention measures around preparedness that can help reduce the risk of exposure to illness in the workplace.

1. Actively encourage workers to stay home if they are sick.

This is probably the most valuable tip on this list. Allowing employees to work from home or simply take sick time if they are feeling under the weather can greatly reduce the spread of germs in a condensed location. Ensure that sick leave policies are flexible and consistent with clear communication of these policies to workers.

2. Implement workplace administrative controls.

Administrative controls require action by the worker or employer and are typically changes in policies or procedures to reduce or minimize risk to a hazard. Examples of this include minimizing contact among workers and customers through the use of virtual meetings, establishing alternating days or extra shifts to reduce the number of employees in a facility in a given time, allowing them to maintain distance from one another while working on-site, or limiting nonessential travel.

3. Enforce safe work practices.

Safe work practices also serve to reduce the duration or frequency of exposure to a hazard. To implement safe work practices companies should provide resources to promote personal hygiene. This includes no-touch trash cans, availability to tissues, hand soap and sanitizers, and disposable towels.

While this is not an exhaustive list of measures companies can implement in their future operations to keep employees safe, there are many resources provided by experts to help companies adjust their preparedness and there is without a doubt, we will see many of these practices become workplace standard.

Looking for products to help distance in production lines, keep your facilities clean, and provide a safe place for your employees to work? We can help you find the right products to elevate your protective measures. When you need us, we are ready to help. Contact our team for guidance.

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