With the gradual lifting of ‘stay-at-home’ orders and many businesses and employees returning to work, there is, of course, the possibility of a new spike in the spread of COVID-19. So, it’s extremely important that your business is responsible and puts measures in place to ensure the safety of employees as they return to the workplace.
The most important, top-of-the-list points to consider are hiring decontamination services, purchasing and use of PPE equipment, installing hand sanitation points where needed, regular cleaning of all high-touch points, and, of course, ensuring social distancing is possible.
Restoration 1’s Recommended Checklist:
Decontamination
Research has confirmed that COVID-19 is easily spread via droplets and, because of this, surfaces are easily contaminated. Decontamination of your entire workplace is therefore recommended. This needs to be done before all employees return to work, after a positive case has been confirmed, and we would also recommend regular decontamination on a biweekly or monthly basis.
Risk Analysis
Companies need to assess where all their high-touch points are and what the cleaning regimen for these points is going to be. These high-touch points need to be mapped out for cleaning staff to clean daily or more than once a day, if possible. It’s also important to communicate these areas to employees so they take their own hygiene habits into account when at these high-touch points. For example, sanitizing your hands before and after using the printer or kitchen area. This will ensure your hygiene standards are high and remain that way.
Products
Make sure you are using the best possible cleaning products. High alcohol solutions work well for hard surfaces and office equipment. Using sodium hypochlorite is a good option to use when cleaning walls and floors.
Training
Before coming back to work, make sure you have done hygiene training with your employees. Not just with regards to hand washing and sanitizing, but communicating best practices with regards to the high-touch points in the workplace and what your cleaning procedures will be for these. Put up some posters in the office and make sure you are constantly communicating the importance of these practices with your employees.
Equipment
Source masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer so your workplace has enough, and communicate the protocols for wearing, cleaning, and disposing of these. Daily temperature testing should also be done on arrival, with basic health questions being asked.
Social Distancing
Make a plan for your workplace, with regards to how you will be able to distance your workers from one another. Place tape on the floor, designating the work zones and spacing for queues in the bathroom and arrival at the door. Put a shift plan up for use of the kitchen during lunch and tea times and restrict the use of all meeting rooms, rather meet online if possible.
Extend Remote Working
Are you able to stagger your work shifts or keep some of your employees working from home to promote social distancing? If so, rather phase in the reinstatement of your employees and keep employees working remotely if their job and home life allows for this. This will help to drastically keep infection risk factors low.
Many employees returning to work will probably be feeling quite anxious and nervous. It’s important that you communicate your procedures to them ahead of time, to ease their stress, and allow free counseling services to employees when needed.
Why not use Restoration 1’s professional cleaning services before reopening your business and ensure your workplace is hygienic and safe for all employees? Restoration 1 offers virus and disease clean-up services as well as our Keep It Clean Program for regularly scheduled cleanups. Either of these will get you started on the road to a healthy workplace. You focus on work, we’ll focus on the cleaning.
To learn more about our professional services here.
