How to protect your company from COVID-19

COVID-19 has dramatically changed our personal and professional lives. If you have a small business, you have certainly felt the pressure. Instead of focusing solely on offering products or services, you must now incorporate strategies to keep employees and customers safe. It's difficult, especially when things change daily. Fortunately, resources are available to help protect your employees and customers so that your business can continue to thrive despite the existence of COVID-19.

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The CDC has created a helpful guide for workplaces and businesses, as well as a Cleveland Clinic team of experts, including members of the infectious disease, occupational health, nursing and operations team. has developed a number of free industry-specific guides , tools, and webinars to help employers. Protecting workers and those they serve from COVID-19. With the help of these resources and the head of clinical transformation, Dr. James Merlino, we're going to discuss some effective strategies that can help make work less stressful at work.

Tips for cleaning and disinfecting the workplace

Disinfecting surfaces with high contact and frequently used rooms slows the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses and germs. When it comes to cleaning the workplace, develop a plan that is easy for everyone to understand and follow. Use visual aids such as diagrams, checklists or posters to ensure that everything runs smoothly. You also want to have the right cleaning supplies on hand.

The cleaning method can be divided into three parts.

1. Planning - In this step, determine what needs to be cleaned. Please note that not all areas require the same level of attention. For example, rooms that are unoccupied for seven days or more only require routine cleaning. Heavily affected surfaces (sinks, door handles, elevator buttons, etc.) should be disinfected regularly. You also need to consider the resources and equipment required. Take into account the size and availability of your current environmental departments or cleaning staff, the type and availability of cleaning products and personal protective equipment (PPE) required to clean your business.
2. Tools: Clean dirty surfaces with soap and water before disinfecting. Also, make sure you are using the correct cleaning or disinfecting products. Disinfectants approved by the EPA can help protect against COVID-19. Read the labels to make sure the products you are interested in meet your company's needs. When you have what you need, follow the directions on the label and follow all safety information and instructions for use. When cleaning, remember to periodically clean or replace the air filters according to the manufacturer's instructions.
3. Maintenance - Keep track of routine cleaning and disinfection and don't be afraid to adjust or revise your plan based on the availability of disinfectants and PPE. Make sure that surfaces that are touched frequently are disinfected daily. And maintain safe practices to put in extra layers of protection to keep everyone safe. These practices include frequent hand washing, wearing masks, keeping employees at home when they are sick, and social distancing.

Advice on commercial space

If you own a business, your cleaning routine will be a little different as you will likely have more pedestrian traffic. Here are some steps you can take to keep your employees and customers safe.

• Frequently clean and disinfect high pressure areas (door handles, push rods and door handles, light switches, carts and baskets, touchscreens, keyboards, and credit card machines).
• Thoroughly clean weekly with EPA approved disinfectants that meet CDC requirements for use and effectiveness against blood and viruses, bacteria and airborne pathogens.
• Keep disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer in high-traffic areas (e.g., public and employee entrances, bathrooms, and public areas).
• Provide alcohol-based hand sanitisers that contain at least 60% alcohol to cashiers and other employees who cannot leave their jobs to wash their hands frequently.

How to deal with physical distancing in your workplace

COVID-19 has changed the way we navigate public spaces. Jobs are no exception. If you're still trying to make adjustments, keep these tips in mind

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• Limit the number of people in your company at the same time. This may mean changing your policies to allow flexible workspaces (e.g., working from home) and flexible hours (e.g., staggered shifts).
• Increase physical space between workers in the workplace (add extra space between work areas to keep workers 6 feet apart, encourage staff to avoid elevators and reduce the number of passengers, and create) You have a river of one way traffic in hallways and corridors etc) .
• If possible, organize meetings by phone or video. If you need to meet in person, make sure there is enough space between each employee, that all employees are wearing masks, and that the meeting room is completely clean and hygienic.
• Cancel non-essential trips and events.
• Alternative break times so that employees are not in the same area at the same time.

Physical distancing for commercial space

• Make sure there are markings that indicate a six-foot distance between employees and customers, or put up barriers if it is difficult to maintain physical distance at all times.
• In the checkout area, use any other cash registers and / or place markers on the floor to remind customers to leave 6 feet of space between themselves and others.
• Prevent customers from forcibly gathering in customer service lanes, cash registers, or other narrow spaces.
• Make sure employees and customers wear masks that cover their face and nose at all times.
• Do not allow people to stay in places where there is excessive air movement (such as near doors and drafts).

Other ways to protect your commercial space

This may seem like common sense, but it should be repeated: Tell customers not to enter your store if they have symptoms of COVID-19. To greatly increase physical distance, use signs throughout the store to promote and reinforce distance guidelines.

To keep your staff on board, remind them of your obligation to keep everyone safe by posting signs near the entrance, exit area, retail space, and break rooms. These signs should also include friendly reminders to wash your hands frequently, wear masks, distance yourself physically, and use proper etiquette when coughing.

What should you do if an employee is infected with COVID-19?

With the increase in cases, it's inevitable: some of your employees are exposed to the coronavirus or even test positive. Make sure the management team and staff are on the lookout for COVID-19 symptoms to keep everyone safe.

You understand:

• Fever.
• Chills.
• To cough.
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Muscle or body pain
• Stuffy or runny nose
• diarrhea
• Nausea or vomiting
• A headache.
• Tired.
• New loss of taste or smell.
• Sore throat.

Remember that symptoms are not always severe. In most cases (approx. 80%) the patients had mild symptoms.

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How do I deal with a sick employee at work?

Some people report to work when they are sick. In the event that a team member with COVID-19 symptoms is working or getting sick at work, you or your management team must act quickly.

First, separate the employee from other employees and customers. Then advise them to go home and see their doctor for the next steps (tests, home care protocol, etc.). Once removed, block off any areas used by the sick employee until they can be thoroughly cleaned. For information on cleaning and disinfecting these areas, see CDC's guidelines on cleaning if someone is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.

What to do if employees, visitors or customers have been exposed to someone with COVID-19?

If employees have been exposed but no one is showing symptoms, you or your management team can do so.

• Follow the guidelines of the local Department of Health for required quarantine practices.
• Check the temperature and symptoms of employees when they come to work every day.
• Perform regular self-monitoring according to the instructions in your occupational safety program.
• If you have not already done so, ensure that exposed employees wear masks in the workplace for 14 days from the date of exposure.
• Follow guidelines for a physical distance of at least 6 feet from other people in the workplace.
• Thoroughly and frequently disinfect and clean all work areas.

While all of this has become the new normal, it is important that leadership teams are flexible, attentive, understand employees' needs, and can clearly and effectively communicate workplace changes and new policies. . All of these can help you make sure everything is running smoothly while you work to protect yourself, your team, and your customers.

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