COVID-19 Prevention
By: Taylor Schechter – Health, Safety & Environmental Manager
The world has been struck by a pandemic unlike anything we’ve seen before. Companies all over the country have been taking precautions to stop the spread of the coronavirus. So, what is Rutkoski Fencing doing? Due to being considered essential, RFI has put many provisions in place to keep our employees safe. If you’re company is still working, here’s what you can do.
Stay Home
Many tasks can be done through telecommuting and meetings can be done over the phone. Having employees work from home is the most effective way of flattening the curve and protecting your employees. For employees who can not work from home, pay close attention to their health. If anyone starts to exhibit symptoms or feels sick, have them get tested and stay self-quarantine until they receive a test result. Develop a company protocol for how to handle a positive test.
Sanitize Everything
Make all the resources available for employees to be able to stay clean and sanitized. Offer hand washing stations, hand sanitizer, disinfectant, and gloves. Ensure that all frequently touched surfaces are disinfected often, like door handles, tables, chairs, microwaves, equipment cabs, tools, etc. Create a checklist for supervisors to perform to make sure they don’t miss cleaning any necessary surfaces. Have employees wash their hands before eating and after they get home. Once they get home, wash all clothing and shower to reduce the risk of spreading the virus to anyone in the household.
Social Distancing
While on sites, make sure employees stand 6 feet away from each other, limit the number of employees that stand in the job trailer at the same time, discourage carpooling and vehicle sharing. Ask employees to bring their own lunch from home instead of going to pick up take out.
Focus on Mental Health
While physical health is the main concern during a pandemic, it is important to also pay attention to your employees’ mental health. The virus can cause anxiety and fear. Negative feelings and thoughts can lead to distractions on the job. Working while distracted can cause injuries and incidents. Reduce panic in employees by keeping in constant communication about any updates in policies or CDC guidelines. Offer employees the chance to talk about any worries or concerns that they have.
By following these recommendations, along with any other new CDC guidelines, we can flatten the curve and help protect our employees, our families, and everyone around us.
