Health and Safety in the Time of Coronavirus

Health and Safety in the Time of Coronavirus

In the age of Covid-19, the basics of health and hygiene are different, especially for those who work in offices. As your office gets back to work, here are a few priorities to focus on that will help keep you and your co-workers safe and healthy. 

Decontamination

Especially if yours is an office that hosts clients, you’ll want to decontaminate spaces and surfaces regularly. It’s unclear how long Covid-19 can live on surfaces and in the air, so look into environmental cleaning Maryland or your area. It’s a good idea to add decontamination to your nightly cleaning and closing routine, as well as allowing for spot-cleaning and wiping during the workday. 

Prevention

As much as possible, prevent the possibility of the virus spreading by limiting gatherings, encouraging the wearing of masks making sure that your employees have the healthcare options they need. 

Testing

Perhaps the most important healthcare option you can offer your employees is testing. If the tests simply aren’t available in your area then there isn’t much that you can do, but there is a lot that you can do. Make sure that your employees know when they should get tested if another employee or a client visiting the building reports exposure. Guarantee that your employees can take time off or have the ability to work from home while they wait to get their results back and make sure that their insurance will cover any expenses. That will take a huge weight off their mind and go a long way to making your workplace safe.

Exposure Reduction Mindset

The whole mindset of health and safety needs to turn from minimizing workplace hazards to minimizing workplace exposure. Covid-19 is the new workplace hazard, and it’s far deadlier than non-ergonomic keyboards, paper cuts and too-hot coffee. Anything you can do to encourage employees to reduce the likelihood of exposure, from paid time off to a new work-from-home policy, helps to make your community, your company and your whole country that much safer in the face of this terrible threat.

It’s important to note that these precautions are likely not one-time, temporary measures. There’s no telling how long these measures will be necessary, or whether they will become necessary again. With these four pillars, you can build a better work environment, one that keeps your business healthy while keeping your employees safe. Resiliency is key. Your business must be strong enough to withstand not just this crisis, but any future pandemic crises that may occur.