While we may have succeeded in flattening the curve of COVID-19 cases in South Africa, the global pandemic is far from over. With level 3 of lockdown allowing even more businesses to re-open, many business owners may be wondering what protocols are needed to ensure the health and safety of their staff and customers. Government has its regulations for operations during the lockdown, but the requirements for each industry can vary. For some industries, working from home isn’t possible, for others, social distancing isn’t practical. Nonetheless, the health and safety of your staff and customers are of utmost importance for the economy to re-open and for your business to remain operational. While there are a couple of things to consider to ensure a safe work environment for your staff returning to work – and you can read more about this here – the guidance below will help you plan the necessary PPE needed for your specific industry.
Guidelines for each industry
Regardless of the industry, the following public health measures have been instructed by the World Health Organisation and Department of Health:
✓Covering the mouth and nose with a mask. Since schools, universities, retail and the service industry can be deemed high to medium exposure risk and the risk of transmission is significantly higher, masks should be chosen accordingly. For those in this industry, 3-ply single-use masks and KN95 civilian masks will offer more effective means of prevention when compared to cloth masks.
✓Screening and monitoring of symptoms among staff, customers and students in the case of educational institutions, will need to be done daily.
Any staff, customers and students should be advised to stay home and policies should be put in place to accommodate for absenteeism/sick leave in such instances.
✓All industries should enforce regular handwashing with water and soap or alcohol-based hand sanitiser and provide the necessary sanitisation stations.
✓While cleaning and sanitation in industries such as food have been of utmost importance, these industries will now need to adapt to regular sanitisation of frequently touched surfaces and objects with alcohol-based cleaning agents at more regular intervals. Depending on the industry, this may include handles, point of sale areas, food containers or school stationery. Where possible, non-touch mechanisms should be put in place as well to minimise contamination and risks of transmission between staff, customers or students.
✓These institutions should promote social distancing by limiting large groups of people gathering. For the educational industry this may mean that teaching is adjusted to accommodate social distancing, assemblies are divided into smaller groups at different intervals with students practising social distancing and assigned desks in classes. For retail it may mean limits are set for the number of customers in-store, gathering in aisles is avoided and social distancing in queues is encouraged. For those in the service industry, it would be advised to practise social distancing by keeping a physical distance of 1 to 2 metres with clients whenever possible.
Returning to: the education industry
Schools and universities were closed for level 5 of lockdown for good reason. While schools and places of tertiary education are now to re-open, they remain high-risk areas for transmission and contamination. This means those returning to places of education, staff and students, will have high to medium exposure risk.
For students, educators and staff returning to these institutions, the following public health measures, as instructed by the WHO, should be followed:
✓Discourage sharing of stationery and books, ensure allocated seating and make adjustments to ensure physical resources and written assignments are submitted and disseminated safely to prevent contamination.
✓Increased monitoring of attendance and absenteeism to track student and staff absence and screen appropriately.
✓There will be a need to adapt education policies such as flexible attendance and sick leave policies that encourage students and staff to stay home when feeling ill.
✓Plan for continuity of learning in the case of absenteeism/sick leave to support continued access to quality education.
✓Plan for possible academic calendar changes, particularly concerning breaks and exams.
✓Equip educators and nurses in these institutions with the most effective personal protective equipment. Beyond the most effective of masks, the 3-ply single-use masks and KN95 civilian masks which can filter 95% of particulate matter, additional protective equipment should be considered.
For more guidelines and tips for those in the education industry – be sure to read the World Health Organisation’s publication here: https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/key-messages-and-actions-for-COVID-19-prevention-and-control-in-schools-march-2020.pdf?sfvrsn=baf81d52_4
Returning to: the food industry
While the food industry is regulated to ensure all the basic conditions and activities necessary to maintain a hygienic food processing environment, COVID-19 creates additional hurdles. There is now a need to implement key hygiene controls at each stage of the food processing, manufacture, and marketing chain for the prevention of food contamination and ensure the health and safety of staff and customers. Many restaurants are now to re-open for delivery and drive-thru but these kitchen facilities remain high-risk areas for transmission and contamination. Those returning to work in restaurants and fast-food kitchens will have high to medium exposure risk.
For business owners in this industry, the following public health measures, as instructed by the WHO, should be followed:
✓Where possible, staff should be allocated a particular area in which they are to work and remain to maintain social distancing and contamination between stations.
✓Regular changing of gloves after hand washing is necessary.
✓In addition to face masks, face shields may discourage face touching for this industry.
✓To aid in social distancing, lunch breaks should be taken in intervals, separately.
✓Policies will be needed for absenteeism and how pay will be supplemented should staff feel the need to stay home.
✓Plan for possible menu changes should there be a shortage of staff.
✓Equip staff with the most effective personal protective equipment – the 3-ply single-use masks and KN95 civillian masks. Additional protective equipment such as face shields and Perspex shields at point of sale should be considered.
✓Customers should be encouraged to make use of touch-free pay options such as Zapper, SnapScan and Tap-and-Pay.
More guidelines for those in the food industry can be found publication here: https://www.who.int/publications-detail/COVID-19-and-food-safety-guidance-for-food-businesses and here: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/-/scassets/files/org/employer-solutions/COVID-19-restaurant-guide.ashx
Returning to: the service industry
There is a range of businesses that fall under this category, but the guidelines below are meant for businesses directly involved with people and have a high exposure risk due to difficulties to social distance with customers and fellow employees. Since these businesses will be affected by high volumes of traffic, businesses in this industry will have high to medium exposure risk. These guidelines can be adapted to retail, courier services and media industries.
For business owners in the service industry, the following public health measures advised by the WHO, should be noted:
✓Ensure customers sanitise or wash their hands before entering your facility.
✓Ensure all customers entering your facility to wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth and fits snugly.
✓Discourage the handling of products or unnecessary touching of surfaces by customers.
✓Staff in the service industry may also benefit from additional personal protective equipment such as face shields and Plexiglas at points of sale.
✓Disposable cleaning cloths should be used for wiping down surfaces. If washable cloths are used, they must be collected in a separate container after use and need to be washed and fully dried daily with disinfecting detergent.
✓Leakproof, easily removable bags must be used in waste bins. Waste bins should also be emptied at least daily. The collected waste bags must be closed tightly and disposed of properly.
✓Staff that are required to touch an object that has been touched by a customer should use gloves as often as possible. It is advisable to use disposable gloves and replace these regularly after washing hands. Gloves can also be accompanied by a face shield which together, will discourage face touching.
✓Where possible, staff should be allocated a particular area in which they are to work and remain to maintain social distancing and contamination between areas. This may be beneficial in retail settings.
✓Policies will be needed for absenteeism and how pay will be supplemented should staff feel the need to stay home.
✓Touch-free pay options such as Zapper, SnapScan and Tap-and-Pay should be encouraged.
More guidelines for those in the food industry can be found publication here: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/-/scassets/files/org/employer-solutions/COVID-19-retail-guide.ashx
Regardless of which industry your business falls under, be sure to only allow staff to go back to work when it is safe to do so, and when possible make use of remote working. Knowing the exposure risks involved in your specific industry will help empower you as an employer to ensure a risk-free working environment for your staff and customers.
Resources:
Cardinus. 2020. Returning To Work After Lockdown – A Programme For Safe Return. [online] Available at: <https://www.cardinus.com/insights/COVID-19-hs-response/returning-to-work-after-lockdown/> [Accessed 29 May 2020].
Cleveland Clinic. 2020. COVID-19: Creating A Safe Workplace. [online] Available at: <https://my.clevelandclinic.org/departments/employer-healthcare-solutions/COVID-19-workplace-safety> [Accessed 29 May 2020].
Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. 2020. Guidelines To The Service Industry For Preventing COVID-19 Infections – Finnish Institute Of Occupational Health. [online] Available at: <https://www.ttl.fi/en/guidelines-to-the-service-industry-for-preventing-COVID-19-infections/> [Accessed 31 May 2020].
OSH Wiki. 2020. COVID-19: Back to the workplace – Adapting workplaces and protecting workers. [online] Available at: <https://oshwiki.eu/wiki/COVID-19:_Back_to_the_workplace_Adapting_workplaces_and_protecting_workers#Sector-specific_guidance_related_to_COVID-19> [Accessed 29 May 2020].
U.S. Department of Labor. 2020. Guidance On Preparing Workplaces For COVID-19. 1st ed. [ebook] Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Available at: <https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3990.pdf> [Accessed 29 May 2020].
WHO International. 2020. Key Messages And Actions For COVID-19 Prevention And Control In Schools. [online] Available at: <https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/key-messages-and-actions-for-COVID-19-prevention-and-control-in-schools-march-2020.pdf?sfvrsn=baf81d52_4> [Accessed 31 May 2020].