Occupational health and safety is a key factor as employees return to work after an accident, but also now a concern for reopening after Covid.
While the COVID-19 pandemic won’t end anytime soon, as more people get vaccinated companies are getting back to work. Remote work is effective for a lot of businesses, but some need that face-to-face interaction and communication. It also helps managers keep track of their employees and what they are doing. Still this comes with risk. Luckily we have learned more about the virus and can ensure that our employees are protected by following certain safety measures.
Occupational health and safety strategies for reopening
Here are a few strategies to keep your employees at work while preventing transmission of the virus.
Spread Cubicles & Desks Apart
The most important thing is to spread the employee’s cubicles and desks in the office layout design. Make sure they aren’t too close to each other. Keeping them six feet apart will give everyone peace of mind while ensuring that no one transmits the virus. It doesn’t matter how much space you have or how many employees are working at your office or work site, if you enforce distanced desks it will prevent the unnecessary spread of the virus.
Enforce Physical Distancing
It won’t matter if the desks are spread apart when people don’t physically distance. Create enough room for people to talk far enough away from each other so that even if someone contracts the virus they don’t spread it to other employees. People won’t like this, but this is the cost of getting out of the house and working at the office or site. Physical distancing works. Enforce the rule and you will be able to keep everyone safe and relaxed while they work.
Provide Masks
Of course you should ask your employees to wear masks, and a good way to promote this practice is to provide them for your employees. This creates an environment where there are no excuses. Even if the person forgets a mask, you will have plenty for them. If their mask breaks or is dirty, they can replace it. While the real concern is that your employees are wearing one, offering your employees free masks is a way to get people on board. It will be a signal that the business and management care.
Require Vaccinations
Some businesses are requiring vaccinations for employees to come back to work. While it is still possible to contract and transmit the virus if you are vaccinated, it mitigates symptoms and has been shown to decrease transmissions.
Not only does it help keep your employees from having complications should they get the virus, it provides peace of mind for all of your employees. If everyone is vaccinated, there is a lot less risk. While it facilitates the process of going back to normal, you should still require masks and physical distancing.
Separate In-Office & Remote Workers
Another option for improving occupational health and safety is to separate the employees who are working from the office and those working from home. You can have vaccinated people come into work and ask those who aren’t to keep working remotely.
Less people at the office or work site will make it easier to distance and decrease the risk of anyone getting and spreading the virus. You can even set up a decontamination tent for people who have symptoms before sending them home.
You can also simply ask for volunteers and everyone else can work at home for the meantime. Furthermore, an option is to have people come in shifts. Mondays and Wednesdays can be a particular group while Tuesdays and Thursdays can be for the rest. Fridays everyone can work from home. However you look at it, it is possible to get the job done.
There are many options for improving occupational health and safety to keep your employees free of the virus. We don’t have to stay isolated. With masks, vaccines, physical distancing, and separating people with in-office and remote workers, you can make the space and keep everyone safe.
If we know one thing for sure, it’s that the pandemic isn’t going away anytime soon. It is time to stop waiting for life to resume and work towards creating new methods to get going and work towards a better future. If there is a will, there is a way. Think outside the box on improving occupational health and safety and you will find it.
