Importance of Physical Distancing
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As companies begin to welcome employees back to work, the physical work environment may need to be restructured to comply with mandatory physical distancing practices.
 
As you assess your physical work environment, please be cognizant of these best practices to keep your employees healthy and safe.
 
GENERAL OFFICE ENVIRONMENT, RETAIL, AND MANUFACTURING, DISTRIBUTION, AND CONSTRUCTION 

Physical Work Stations

• If feasible, maintain work-from-home business operations.
• Establish a new maximum employee capacity to limit the number of individuals on-site (i.e. 50% of the fire code for the building).
• Ensure a minimum of 6 feet between people and workspace. If not possible, install barriers.

 
Employee Practices

• Depending on the number of on-site employees, consider staggering the arrival times of employees to lessen the amount
  of walk-in traffic at one time.
• Carefully look at your employees' work schedule and stagger their break and lunch times to promote physical distancing.
• To help limit the spread of the virus, require employees to wear facial coverings (unless prohibited or due to a medical reason).

​Symptom Protocol

• Depending on the number of on-site employees, consider staggering the arrival times of employees to lessen the amount
  of walk-in traffic at one time.
• When appropriate, send the employee home or to their healthcare provider.
• Immediately conduct a deep disinfection of the employee's desk and any other high-contact areas where the employee may have worked.

 
Important Practices to Consider for Multiple Industries

• On an hourly basis, disinfect high-touch areas, such as copy machines, doorknobs, refrigerator handles, spigots, microwave, vending machine buttons, etc.)

           - Use a 1:10 bleach solution in a spray bottle or a commercially-available disinfecting product.

• If possible, close break rooms.
• If a cafeteria is on-site, close the buffet option and have cafeteria workers serve all items.
• Safely secure all entrances and direct employees, and even visitors, to a single entry point.

Our team wants to share valuable ideas to consider as you determine the best policies and procedures to fit your company.

• Our team will conduct a site-specific survey, if requested. This would help us make specific recommendations of how to apply the best practices within each client's unique facility and environment.

           - Examples of different assessments could include:

               • Where are the time  clocks or locker rooms located in relation to employee health assessment checkpoints and parking lots?
               • Where do employees store their lunches or fill up their water bottles?
               • What can be done to address social distancing at high­ traffic, daily touch-points?
               • What is the frequency of outside guests visiting your facility? (Deliveries, pick-ups, customers maintenance, janitorial, etc.)
               • How are health assessments handled with these visitors?