The Need for Clean
Although the pandemic feels over, COVID-19 is still very much a thing, and we need to be mindful when in the workplace. Everyone wants to be able to come to work and feel safe and protected. So this begs the question – what can we do to make sure it is a safe and welcoming environment?
Corporate janitorial services do the best they can to ensure the workplace is in tip-top condition, but it doesn’t mean that others can’t play their part to make sure everyone feels comfortable and safe.
Listed below are some tips on how you can keep your office or work environment safe from COVID-19.
What You Can Do
Carry Out a COVID-19 Risk Assessment
Just like a workplace would check for any potential health hazards – this should be treated no differently. Following government guidelines, you must carry out a COVID-19 risk assessment as soon as possible. It is essential to take the proper steps in order to assess your site, identifying potential hazards and how to prevent them from COVID-19.
You must consider your employees who are returning to work and the different kinds of activities that will need to be carried out on site. The information might differ from usual practices as it might need to be phased in work or reduced service.
Sharing the Results of Risk Assessment
It is common among employers to share the risk assessment results with the workforce. However, whatever size your company is, it is important that you publish the results, as this means that employees feel that you are protecting their safety and health. For companies with over 50 employees, it is a given that you publish the results of the risk assessment on the company website.
Communicating any findings from the risk assessment can be done through emails, training, or meetings on site. They can be further publicized through posters around the workplace.
Maintain Social Distancing
For people to be comfortable coming back to work, social distancing is a must that should be implemented in your company’s culture. By making sure that workers stay two meters apart from one another, the risk of airborne transmission of the virus can be significantly decreased.
Enforcing social distancing limits how many people can come into the workplace. Some people might be in a position where they want to do a few days working on-site, and others at home. They need to be comforted that they will feel safe if they do decide to come in.
It is important to note that there will be some tasks that can’t be completed when social distancing; you will need to see how the activity can be executed if social distancing can’t happen. If some of these tasks are essential for business, as a company, you must provide workers with PPE protection should they request it.
Does Everyone Need to Return to the Workplace?
When the company begins to return to work, a gradual process should be implemented in order to ensure that health and safety procedures are effective. In the beginning, only staff who are essential should come in. Anyone who wants to and can work from home should still do so.
Limiting the number of employees returning to work will be necessary for companies with workers in confined spaces. For example, those who work on construction projects should reduce the number of workers if there is limited space.
Implement Additional Hygiene Measures across Workplace
Although it should always be implemented, hygiene in the workplace has now never been more critical. Companies need to reinforce the importance of frequent handwashing, ensuring the surfaces are clean, and having sanitiser stations around the workplace for employees to use. Employees should also be encouraged to wear masks around the workplace too. If PPE is being used, it must be discarded correctly and hygienically.
Hygiene measures can be promoted through the use of posters, training sessions, and in-house committees to promote cleaner and safer standards across the workplace.
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