If you are a business that is about to bring employees back to the workplace after the quarantine has been lifted, you may be wondering:

“What protocols should be in place for a safe work environment?”

If you are a business that is still operating during the pandemic, you may be wondering:

“How do we keep our employees safe?”

If either of these questions have been keeping you up at night, you are not alone.

We are all trying to determine the answers to these “tough new questions!” Some businesses have already put some type of protocol in place, albeit they may not be sure whether it is the most appropriate, but it is something. Others are concerned about whether what they are doing has legal ramifications or not.

There are two areas for consideration, both PRE-WORK and AT-WORK actions that should be taken, per current CDC guidelines:

While your business remains closed, here are some safety guidelines to begin focusing on, PRE-WORK:

Identify a workplace coordinator who will be responsible for COVID-19 issues and their impact at the workplace.
Examine policies for leave, telework, and employee compensation.
Review your leave policies with all employees.
Identify essential employees and business functions, and other critical inputs.
Prepare business continuity plans.
Establish an emergency communications plan.
Share your response plans with employees and clearly communicate expectations.

If your business is still operational during the pandemic, here are some guidelines to ensure maximum safety while AT-WORK:

Actively encourage sick employees to stay home.
Develop other flexible policies for scheduling and telework (if feasible) and create leave policies.
Promote etiquette for coughing and sneezing.
Perform routine environmental cleaning.
Provide education and training materials.
Have conversations with employees about their concerns.
Talk with companies that provide your business with contract or temporary employees about their plans.
Plan to implement practices to minimize face-to-face contact between employees if social distancing is recommended by your state or local health department.
Consider the need for travel and explore alternatives.
If an employee becomes sick while at work, have a plan to address this circumstance.

While we are in a time of continuous change in this pandemic climate, we must start somewhere to begin our “new normal.” Hopefully, this information provides a good starting point.

Additional Information:

For more tips and information see the CDC Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers and the OSHA Guidance for Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19

COVID-19: Maintaining A Safe Workplace