Business Start-Up Safety Information

I received this from UA Safe State
(University of Alabama in T-Town)
and I am passing it along to you 
Start-Up Safety Information

As restrictions on non-essential businesses and operations are eased, more companies will be entering “restart” mode.  Before you get to that point, now would a good time to begin assessing your facility’s safety and health readiness for resuming operations.  Through UA SafeState,  you can get free Health and Safety Consultations to help with your planning.  We can accommodate both virtual and on-site consultations, or a blended option.  Our on-site work plan is carried out with social distancing and work practices to protect you and us throughout the process. For more information on our free consultation services, visit our UA SafeState OSH consultation website or contact us when you’re ready.
 
When preparing for return to work:

• You can be certain that on-going distancing, hygiene, and protective wear restrictions will be needed to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
• The strategic positioning of workers and the control of personnel traffic patterns to meet distancing requirements will present unique productivity and safety challenges.  
• Time, facilities, and supplies needed to meet personal hygiene requirements must be coupled with clearly communicated policies and training to help ensure full staff cooperation.
• It’s important for workers to understand the differences between traditional forms of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other types of “protective” wear (i.e., face masks and similar coverings) which offer much less personal protection than is often assumed.

In short, there’s a lot of advance planning, set-up, and training needed to re-design and re-inhabit our workplaces.  Careful surveillance of the work process will be needed, along with some skilled communications to address the “people” issues.  These new arrangements will be frustrating for most everyone, so it’s important that top management lead the way with positive messaging about the new changes.  


Start-Up Resources:

• Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility (CDC)
• Getting Your Workplace Ready for COVID-19 (WHO) 
• Guidance on Preparing Workplace for COVID-19 (OSHA) 
• Prevent Worker Exposure to Coronavirus (COVID-19) (OSHA)
• OSHA COVID-19
• Understanding the Difference between Surgical Mask and Respirators (CDC)
• Use of Respirators, Facemasks, and Cloth Face Coverings in the Food and Agriculture Sector During Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic (U.S. Food and Drug)

COVID-19 Return to Work Check List (Sample)

FACILITY PREPARATION

• Post signs to reinforce good hand hygiene.
• Post signs about cough and sneeze etiquette.
• Mark six feet distances in common areas; halls, entrances, locker rooms, break rooms, etc.
• Supply hand sanitizer at doorways.
• Post visitor expectations signs.
• Provide face covering for visitors that arrive unprepared.
• Provide non-contact thermometers at entries.
• Update visitor and contractor sign in logs to include health statement for COVID-19 symptoms.
• Provide contractor stickers or visitor badges that indicate they meet the health screening requirements.
• Supply disinfectant in common areas.
• Post conference and training rooms occupancy limits (50% of fire code or a maximum of 10 people, whichever is fewer). If possible, mark off or remove tables and chairs that must not be occupied.
• Flush water systems, including ice machines, that have not been regularly used to avoid potential Legionella bacteria exposure.
• Evaluate machining oil cleanliness prior to starting up equipment and flush/change out as necessary.
• Talk to HVAC contractor to comply with MERV rating of ventilation filters. Filter ratings of MERV 13 or greater can capture respiratory droplets. Filter ratings of 17 or greater can capture viruses.
• Install barriers between workstations if six feet cannot be maintained.

PROCEDURE UPDATES

• Schedule office/administrative staff to rotate work from home and in office to maintain six feet between occupied workspaces.
• Stagger department start times to minimize entrance and locker room occupancy.
• Implement temperature checks upon arrival at work.
• Stagger break and lunch times to minimize break room occupancy.
• Suspend hot desking practices.
• Assign daily disinfection of desks and workstations to appropriate personnel and update cleaning procedures.
• Establish appointments for customers and visitors. Consider social distancing limitations when determining how many visitors may be on site at any given time.
• Develop standard communication content for customers and visitors.
• Implement customer and visitor procedure for communication of expectations upon confirmation of appointments. Update PPE assessments to determine adequacy or reduce PPE usage.
• Establish relationship/contract with cleaning/sanitizing group, prior to needing services.
• Update incident/injury reporting procedure to include workplace exposure to COVID-19 per OSHA’s guidelines issued 4/10/2020.
• Update infectious control plan per OSHA guidance.
• Train staff on proper donning/doffing, storage and care of cloth face coverings.
• Train staff on removing soiled gloves.
• Train staff on symptom reporting procedures.
• Remind/notify staff of requirement to stay home if ill.
• Consult HR/Legal about personnel policy changes.
• Limit events to less than10 people in a space that can accommodate social distancing.
• Evaluate travel policies.

DAILY PROCEDURE UPDATES

• Implement employee and visitor protocol: face coverings, temperature checks, exposure/symptom questions. Upon arrival, check temperatures and ask visitors:
  • Are you feeling feverish today?
  • Are you experiencing shortness of breath or difficulty breathing?
  • Have you developed a cough?
  • Are you experiencing flu-like body aches?
• Disinfection of common areas and high touch areas
• Disinfection of shared workspaces between shifts or individual users.

IN EVENT OF EXPOSURE OR SYMPTOMS

• Immediately isolate and seek medical care for individual with symptoms.
• Report suspected COVID-19 cases or exposures to the local health department.
• Arrange for deep sanitation of potentially affected areas.
  
  

NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES - FACE COVERING MASKS (Sample)


Dear Valued Employees:


As you know, the country is currently taking measures to respond to COVID-19. The Company is also considering methods to protect our employees following guidance from the CDC and other governmental authorities. The Company believes that its response is compliant. While not required to provide any type of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for COVID-19, the Company has decided to provide bandana type face covering masks to employees for voluntary personal use. The masks are not respirators but the Company is informed by the manufacturer that they may provide some protection to employees from exposure to airborne droplets of the virus. The following list of dos and don’ts is being provided to you if you decide to use one the masks. If you have any questions concerning the masks, please contact _____________________. The Company hopes that the masks will provide some protection to employees. If you experience any symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, difficulty breathing) or any other symptoms of illness, please contact your Supervisor immediately or Human Resources.


DOS
• Do - Use it to completely cover your nose and mouth
• Do - Read the directions provided to you on use of the mask
• Do - Put it on properly and adjust it as necessary throughout the day
• Do - Wash your hands and face after removing the mask before touching your face
• Do - Keep it clean
• Do - Keep it away from running machinery or equipment that could entangle the mask
• Do - Keep it on your person when you are not using it
• Do - Request a new one if it becomes damaged or in any way unsanitary.


DON’TS
• Don’t - Let it obstruct your vision
• Don’t - Wear it if it causes any difficulty in your ability to breathe
• Don’t - Wear it if it causes your safety glasses or reading glasses to fog up and impair your vision
• Don’t - Let it hang down around your neck
• Don’t - Lay it on a surface where it may contaminate the surface or lay it on a surface that may already be contaminated
• Don’t - Wear it where it may come in contact with running machinery or create a hazard while performing your work
• Don’t - Take it home, dispose of it at the workplace
• Don’t - Use it if it is damaged in any way

UASafeState, College of Continuing Studies, 624 Paul W. Bryant Drive, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487


Of course as your ally, your go-to-source for healthy homes and all things IAQ, you can call us at 205-252-9506

• Ask us about sanitation of your office.
• Cleaning at your house,
• Air purifiers and dehumidifiers personally tested and recommended.
• Mold inspections, removal and prevention strategies.

#Mildude (aka ) Lee Ramey









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