• Consulting Your Employees: Returning to work means your staff are assuming risk. Allowing staff input on these safety measures will support their compliance. Have in place guidance for your leaders to address employee concerns.
• Teach Hand Washing: WHO guidance on hand washing can be taught and reminder pictures near sinks help staff perform more effective handwashing.
• Social Distancing: Posting maximum capacity for rooms, such as bathrooms and kitchen areas, and applying “every other” desk occupancy can help reduce exposure
• Consistent Pairing: If you must work closely with another, create a consistent pairing or small teams to reduce exposure.
• Changes to Work Hours: If you lack the space to spread people out, you may want to consider shifts of different hours to use spaces that are in high demand. Such spaces may require more frequent and intensive cleaning. Other schedule changes may include staff working part time, or staggering start and end times.
• Entrance: Access to hand sanitizers immediately upon arriving supports infection control. Organizations may also screen for employee temperature upon entry. Some organizations are provisioning face masks at the entrance; however, the British government’s current advice is as follows: “There are some circumstances when wearing a face covering may be marginally beneficial as a precautionary measure. The evidence suggests that wearing a face covering does not protect you, but it may protect others if you are infected but have not developed symptoms. A face covering can be very simple and may be worn in enclosed spaces where social distancing isn’t possible. The same guidance recommends against diverting actual PPE from medical professionals."
• Stagger Breaks: Stagger break times to reduce pressure on break rooms, kitchens and locker rooms and clean them frequently. Use safe outside areas for breaks. Provide packaged meals or similar to avoid opening restaurants. Encourage workers to bring their own lunch and individual small cooler.
• Stagger Appointments: If you must interact with customers, create arrival time spacing to reduce waiting lines and crowding.
• Clean Often and Thoroughly: Maintain a high frequency of cleaning throughout the day, particularly for surfaces used often: elevator controls, door hardware, faucets, window and door handles. Deep clean bathrooms frequently, sanitizing all reachable surfaces.
• Workspace Cleaning: Encourage staff to sanitize equipment: keyboards, mice, screens, computers, copiers/printers, etc., as well as work surfaces such as desks and counters.
• Meetings: Although virtual meetings are best, outdoor meetings can be held with social distance. When you must meet: 1) ensure cleaning in between meetings, 2) try not to handle the same objects, 3) keep social distance and limit numbers, and 4) ventilate.
• Plan B: In the event a COVID-19 outbreak occurs, there should be plans in place to trace contacts and employ health measures for those who were in proximity to the infected person (e.g., testing, sending home for a quarantine period.)
