To help slow the progression of coronavirus, employers must take appropriate preventative measures in the workplace. As the business owner, you are responsible for the health and safety of your workers. The guide below can help with some tough decisions during this unique time.
Risk Mitigation
Utilizing numerous strategies can help to reduce the risk of infection with coronavirus. Firstly, steer clear of any people or situations that pose a risk.
If people are sick, instruct them to say home. Furthermore, have all workers maintain a two-meter distance from others. If avoiding human contact in the workplace is not possible, then communicate and demand proper hand hygiene etiquette. Also, communicate proper coughing and sneezing etiquette into the elbow, upper arm, or a disposable tissue, which helps keep hands clean.
About PPE
Personal Protective Equipment or PPE is used specifically in places where they will provide protection from the coronavirus. Their use depends on a decision-making process based on the risk of the activity and the infection source, such as an infected individual or a contaminated environment.
Face masks and eye protection are two examples of PPE and they are specifically for use by workers who have exposure to those who are sick with respiratory issues. For example, a patient who has a chronic cough.
To avoid contamination, PPE must be correctly used. That includes more than how it is worn; attention must also be on how it is taken off the wearer.
Workplace Cleaning
During this stressful time, regularly disinfecting high-touch surfaces, even if they do not appear dirty to the eye, is part of a preventative action approach against the coronavirus. As an employer, you have many disinfection options to keep your building, employees, and any visitors safe and healthy.
Bee Line Support provides quality COVID 19 cleaning for a range of workplaces, from healthcare to corporate, industrial and manufacturing, schools, hotels, and food plants. Services available include pathogen prevention misting, manual wiping and disinfection, and in-depth medical cleaning of contaminated exam rooms.
More Considerations for Employers
Being prepared to deal with workplace problems that come from the coronavirus is a reality for employers during this uncertain time. In health care facilities, employers will require a faster and more specific response to problems.
As well, employers in unionized workplaces must consider whether decisions should be made in conjunction with their union representatives. Furthermore, be careful not to be swayed by news coverage without objective medical facts to back it up.
Developing Policy
Drafting a new policy on how the employer handles communicable illnesses is imperative. This policy will help guide supervisors and workers and enable consistency in the approach. As well, this communicable-illness policy will serve as a reference point if any disputes should happen in the future, which can reduce legal risks for businesses.
Final Words on Business Decisions
The coronavirus situation can change slowly or quickly, and employers must stay up to date on developments. Taking preventative measures can contain the spread of the virus for the safety and health of your employees.
