The entire world is in the grip of a medical crisis so rampant and critical that even the most esteemed and seasoned scientists and doctors are struggling simply to keep up. Much less offer a feasible vaccine or effective treatment to prevent further deaths and serious illness. The COVID-19 strain of the coronavirus has resulted in shockingly high fatalities. Nearly two million confirmed cases, and economies in disarray. Hospitals and healthcare workers are overwhelmed and under threat of infection every day.
While information seems to change faster than the virus itself, experts agree the virus is spread by contact with others. Contact with infected surfaces and then touching your face, and through the air in respiratory droplets. Many businesses have shuttered because of this, and those still heading to the office everyday live a very different routine. One fraught with concern for their health and an aura of uneasiness making it difficult to get through the day with any semblance of productivity.
If you are a company manager or otherwise in charge of a workforce, how do you ensure their health. How are you protecting your workforce against the COVID scourge and other pesky illnesses? The first step, of course, is to foster an approachable environment with transparent dialogue regarding this and future crises. Consider these effective tips to shield your team from menacing illness.
Inform and educate
Employees need to fully understand the dangers involved with all virus-borne illnesses and how to can protect against them; better yet, they need to know what you are doing to support them in providing a safe working environment. With on-site presentations or thorough written documentation, remind them of an illness’s origins and how it travels between and infects people. In today’s particular crisis, all employees should also be aware of the symptoms of coronavirus and related health danger. In the case of the COVID strain, severe coughing, shortness of breath and fever are some of the common symptoms.
Hand-washing matters for protecting your workforce
It sounds almost too easy but consistent and thorough hand-washing, combined with avoiding touching the nose, eyes or mouth is highly effective in combatting the virus. Experts recommend 20 seconds with warm water and soap over the entire hand. Then repeating the process regularly throughout the day, especially after coming in contact with a potentially infected surface. Hand-washing to this extent can be easy to forget; posting signs around the building as reminders is a big help.
Clean and disinfect
We’ve all learned by now the importance of cleaning and disinfecting all high-touch areas and surfaces, from doorknobs to keyboards to coffee pots. Provide sanitizing wipes whenever possible and encourage staff to regularly wipe common surfaces, including their keyboards, desks, and immediate workspaces.
Stay home if you’re sick
Employees with any symptoms of the coronavirus or similar illness shouldn’t leave the house. They certainly should steer clear of the office until those symptoms subside. Office environments are hotbeds for spreading sickness. Internal sick leave policies in times like this should be adapted to allow for recovery and help prevent further spread.
These are some tips that will help you when protecting your workforce from coronavirus and other diseases. Contact RJC Commercial Janitorial and Cleanroom Solutions today to schedule your deep cleaning. Call 800-582-2105 or contact us online.
