COVID-19 Protective Measures for Essential and Non-Essential Services
All companies and corporations are being faced with serious challenges as they attempt to continue business and provide employment during this COVID-19 pandemic. Services across the country have been divided into essential and non-essential groups. Regardless of grouping, however, implementing coronavirus protective measures must be strongly considered in addition to maintaining environmental, health and safety (EHS) compliance. The following guidelines listed in this blog post will assist in accomplishing both tasks.
Essential Services:
Services that the interruption of which would endanger the life, health, or personal safety of the whole or part of the population.
COVID-19 Protective Measures:
Implementation of Pandemic (COVID-19) Risk Management Plan in accordance with local (Health Departments), state (Governor’s orders), and federal (CDC, WHO) guidance.
Increase social (work) distancing via onsite 6-foot rule, working remotely, and employee rotation.
Revise sick policies to require not coming in to work when sick. Also, include the ability for an employer to order sick employees home.
Adjust PPE requirements to include nitrile gloves, safety glasses/goggles, as well as nose and mouth covering/mask. N95 masks are not recommended unless infected or working around those who are infected.
Provide access to sanitizing wipes for the regular wipe down and disinfecting of objects.
Improve hygiene protocol by requiring frequent hand washing with warm water and soap, or hand sanitizer (with greater than 65% alcohol content) including:
After using restrooms, before and after breaks, throughout the day, and before leaving the facility.
Issue self-awareness protocol by using CDC assessment and performing routine health evaluations, managing social/work distancing, seeking medical advice as necessary, and maintaining health-immune system.
Discourage workers from using other workers’ phones, desks, offices, or other work tools and equipment, when possible.
Adjust janitorial services by implementing daily cleaning (disinfecting) of equipment, tools, desks, doorknobs, remote controls, etc.
EHS Compliance:
Proceed as normal with the inclusion of COVID-19 safety guidelines.
Maintain safety throughout the facility.
Report and document all injuries/accidents and near misses. Investigate, determine root causes, and make the necessary improvements to reduce repetition.
Manage and maintain OSHA logs.
Perform weekly safety audits and assessments on operations.
Perform routine preventative maintenance on equipment and operations.
Complete all environmental reporting and testing requirements. Submit in a timely manner.
Tier II and Toxic Release Inventory Form R Reports
Annual Manifest and Biennial RCRA Hazardous Waste Reports
Discharge and Monthly Monitoring Reports
Manage and maintain all environmental permits and Plans.
Non-Essential Services:
Services not providing food supplies, health, financial support, or utilities and when not offered to the public will not impact life, health, or personal safety.
COVID-19 Protective Measures:
Discontinue normal onsite operations. If possible, discontinue until lockdown is lifted.
Create and issue Pandemic Management Plan in accordance with local (Health Departments), state (Governor’s orders), and federal (CDC, WHO) guidance.
Work remotely.
Establish alternating days or extra shifts that reduce the total number of employees in a facility at a given time, allowing them to maintain distance from one another while maintaining a full onsite work week.
Increase available field operations with utilization of appropriate PPE.
Adjust operations:
Catch up training via online
Emphasis on sales
Evaluate programs, policies and procedures and revise as necessary
Improve client relations – contact and keep informed
Think out of the box
Maintain “human factor” for employees by remaining in contact and keeping them informed.
Consider outreach services for community during time of crisis.
EHS Compliance:
Maintain safety throughout the facility.
Report and document all injuries/accidents and near misses. Investigate, determine root causes and make the necessary improvements to reduce repetition.
Manage and maintain OSHA logs.
Complete all environmental reporting and testing requirements. Submit in a timely manner.
Tier II and Toxic Release Inventory Form R Reports
Annual Manifest and Biennial RCRA Hazardous Waste Reports
Discharge and Monthly Monitoring Reports
Other permit reporting requirements
Manage and maintain all environmental permits and Plans.
Non-essential services remaining in operation must:
Take every reasonable step to ensure minimal interaction of people within six feet of each other;
Enhance cleaning requirements of frequently touched surfaces and hand washing hygiene; and
Take every reasonable step required to prevent employees, who are required to self-isolate, from entering workplaces.
KERAMIDA is a full-service Security, Environmental, Health and Safety consulting firm that can assist businesses in doing their part during this pandemic fight by assisting with any of the above tasks. We are all in this together and need to seek ways to make the best of the situation currently at hand. Remain positive and believe that this too will pass.
For immediate assistance, contact us today or call (800) 508-8034 to speak with one of our trained professionals.
Blog Author
Andrew Tirmenstein
Senior Project Manager, Security, Health and Safety Services
KERAMIDA Inc.
Contact Andrew at atirmenstein@keramida.com.