ad collaborative post // Reopening a business after an extended closure or returning to pre-pandemic operations can be a stressful time for employers and employees alike. Having experienced the devastating effects of Covid, many people are afraid that an uncontrollable outbreak will follow when things return to normal.
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However, the status quo cannot continue, and some semblance of normality is essential for moving forward after such an enormous tragedy. A workplace can be safe when using public health guidelines and a few additional techniques. Here, we’ve compiled some safety tips for your workplace.
Five Covid Solutions For Workplace Safety
1. Onsite testing
Onsite group testing in Fresno, Dallas, Tucson, San Diego and over 50 other cities is becoming popular as businesses reopen and attempt to regain the setbacks and losses caused by Covid. Many mobile medical providers offer onsite Covid testing for companies and events.
Professional, friendly clinicians and unrivaled service quality have made onsite tests an obvious choice for many companies. The process is simple. Nurses conduct onsite visits where they collect test samples. From there, they will either process them onsite or send the samples to a lab for processing, depending on the type of test chosen.
Types of Covid tests include:
- Rapid antigen test
- Standard PCR test
- Rapid PCR test
- Antibody test
- Rapid antibody test
Professional medical services understand that no two employers have identical requirements. Therefore, they evaluate the client’s needs and make recommendations for which tests should be utilized and how to administer them.
Employees should receive briefing on any plans to conduct onsite testing. Information sharing is essential to get workforce buy-in. Management must inform employees about what test type will be administered, how it works, who gets to see the results, and what follow-up action to expect depending on the results. It is within an employer’s rights to require Covid testing as the virus presents a credible threat to people’s lives.
2. Robust screening processes
Employees should undergo daily Covid screening for early identification of potential symptoms. Screening makes contact tracing easier should someone get Covid, especially in companies with high-density workforce populations or those interacting with the public.
Screening options may include:
- A questionnaire about whether an employee is experiencing Covid symptoms, such as fever, shortness of breath, or loss of taste or smell.
- Taking the employee’s temperature at the door.
Aside from Covid screening, employers should provide their workers with mechanisms to report any feelings of anxiety they might experience because of Covid. Many employees are battling emotional trauma after losing loved ones and need psychological support, such as counseling. Employee well-being should be a priority to ensure that workers feel safe to perform their jobs productively.
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3. Compliance with public health regulations
Employers must abide by public health regulations enacted by federal, state, and local authorities. Keeping up to date with what is and is not allowed is essential and must be part of the company’s Covid control officer’s function. Companies with Covid committees, where all employees are represented, have reported great success in ensuring everyone complies with regulations and additional requirements.
Depending on which area a business operates in, mandatory mask-wearing might still be required. In addition to this, employers should provide employees with sufficient supplies to sanitize their hands and workspaces frequently. Signage to remind workers to adhere to company Covid regulations should be up in as many areas as possible.
4. Contingency planning
Employers should develop contingency plans that allow the company to continue running despite a positive coronavirus case. Policies and procedures on what to do if an employee presents with Covid symptoms, such as placing them in an isolated area or requiring them to work from home until their test results arrive, should not be derived on an ad hoc basis, as this is when mistakes occur.
It is preferable to have prepared for such situations in advance. They must be communicated with employees so that everyone understands what will happen in any given scenario.
5. Managing operations and events
Meetings and events may resume as part of the business reopening process. With careful management and implementation of the precautions mentioned above, they do not need to present a substantial risk to the company. Preparation is critical to cater for every eventuality.
Frequent briefings and reminders about Covid and the potential dangers it presents will keep the virus at the forefront of the minds of workers and event participants. Incorporate signage and public health regulation notices with these briefings for maximum effect.
[…] Since the pandemic, employees have been proving that they will quit a job if they feel unsafe. if they see fellow employees get into accidents, and if the employer is not taking action, then employees will quit. No amount of danger is going to be worth a job, and even the most desperate of employees will quit. Better yet, they’ll also report their employer if they’re not meeting up to standards. Never think that employees will stick around; it’s not about loyalty but their safety. […]