vol. 2 OSHA’s guidance on Workplaces for COVID-19

After a long Stay-at-Home order, it’s finally time to go back to the workplace. We left our offices in March not knowing what would happen in the following month(s), and our concern now is how the workplaces would look like in New Normal brought on by COVID-19.

As an office design professional, we believe it’s our mission to share the information and products useful to post COVID-19 workplaces.  Here are the excerpts of guidance by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) on preparing workplaces for COVID-19:

1. Promote frequent and thorough hand washing, including by providing workers, customers, and worksite visitors with a place to wash their hands. If soap and running water are not immediately available, provide alcohol-based hand rubs containing at least 60% alcohol.
2. Employers should explore whether they can establish policies and practices, such as flexible worksites (e.g., telecommuting) and flexible work hours (e.g., staggered shifts), to increase the physical distance. (6′ social distancing)
3. Installing physical barriers, such as Acrylic sneeze guards.
4. Discourage workers from using other workers’ phones, desks, offices, or other work tools and equipment, when possible.
5. Installing a drive-through window for customer service.
6. Maintain regular housekeeping practices, including routine cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces, equipment, and other elements of the work environment.
7. Move potentially infectious people to a location away from workers, customers, and other visitors. Although most worksites do not have specific isolation rooms, designated areas with closable doors may serve as isolation rooms until potentially sick people can be removed from the worksite.
8. Installing high-efficiency air filters, and increasing ventilation rates in the work environment.
9. Provide tissues and no-touch trash cans, hand soap, disinfectant, paper towels, etc. to employees to clean their work surfaces.
10. Take steps to limit the spread of the respiratory secretions of a person who may have COVID-19. Provide a face mask, if feasible and available, and ask the person to wear it, if tolerated.

Click here to access the full guidance from OSHA.

Does your existing office layout allow social distancing between employees?  Do you have enough workstation panels or your panels high enough to provide safety for each worker? We have creative solutions to all your concerns in your workplace.  Please contact us today to discuss your options.  Let’s get ready to go back to the workplaces!