4 Ways To Protect Your Workforce During COVID-19

The world has changed and it may never get back to exactly where it was before. As many are settling in to their “new normal” at home, we at FDRsafety have been meticulously learning and implementing programs for the “new normal” on the job site. For many, returning to work will be an entirely new and quite tedious experience.

OSHA recommends all businesses to have an Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response Plan. Additionally, different states have different COVID-19 return to work policies. All businesses should plan to protect their workforce by implementing protective measures.

FDR recommends, at a minimum, businesses consider the following actions to ensure your employees are safe at work:

Develop Your COVID-19  Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response Plan

OSHA recommends all businesses to have an Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response Plan. This plan can be used to meet your state’s back to work requirements and may be crucial to being permitted to reopen your business in many states.

Explore Temperature Screening Options

Ensuring your workforce is healthy and able to maintain operations in imperative to keep business running. One way to keep COVID-19 from spreading through your business is to screen employees before allowing them into the workplace. There are numerous types of thermometers on the market today recommended for screening purposes.

It’s important to understand the scope of your company’s temperature screening needs when deciding on thermometer type.

FDR can guide you through the decision-making process of how to screen employees, the different types of thermometers in the market-place and provide personnel and training to conduct the screening.

Increase Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Personal protective equipment (PPE) may already be in your workplace for different hazards that cannot be eliminated, engineered or administratively controlled.  However, additional PPE may need to be considered when assessing the workplace for COVID-19. The CDC has a comprehensive list of tips for best PPE practices during the pandemic.

Implement Respirator Medical Evaluations and Fit Testing

The N95 filtering facepiece is considered a respirator by OSHA regulations. If required to be worn in the workplace, a worker must be medically evaluated and fit tested.  The N95 can be effective in protecting workers from COVID-19 as well as other hazards, but only when it fits properly to the face. There are a number of necessary checks to ensure each worker’s respirator is properly fitted to their face. For more information we recommend watching OSHA’s guidance on Respirator Fit Testing.

Whether you are in a state that is back to work, on its way there, or still months away, it is important to take the time to understand and adapt to working in a COVID-19 world. There are ample resources available to aid in your handling of your COVID-19 plan but if questions arise, please contact FDRsafety at 1-888-755-8010.

For the latest information on COVID-19 and the workplace visit the OSHA Webpage at OSHA COVID-19.

Download COVID19 Fact Sheet Here

For more advice on safety, please  please reach out to FDRsafety.