As COVID restrictions start to ease, workers are returning to the workplace. In Melbourne, the easing of restrictions means many businesses are reopening their doors for the first time in months.
But the normal we will be returning to has changed. When it comes to health and safety, businesses cannot be complacent — even once COVID-19 subsides.
So what’s the best way to go about this?
Here are seven simple steps you can take to make sure your place of business is safe and hygienic for your staff and customers both during and beyond the pandemic.
1. Make a plan
In NSW and Victoria, COVID safety plans are required by the government. Although not compulsory for some industries, it makes sense to have a detailed hygiene safety plan in place. Your staff and customers want to know you have put in place measures to protect their health.
Your plan should detail all of the hygiene requirements of your workplace. It should be clear and easy to follow and tailored to your specific workplace. It will contain information on things like hand hygiene and physical distancing protocols, training opportunities for staff, and clear steps to be followed in the case of a possible exposure to infection.
Your plan needs to be regularly reviewed to ensure it is in compliance with all health department recommendations and government requirements.
Being prepared when it comes to health and safety is one aspect of ensuring that your business as a whole is a success.
2. Kick off with a professional deep clean
It is worth investing in a professional antiviral deep clean and ongoing sanitisation services. This way you can confidently promote your business as a SafeZone from the start.
You might be tempted to do this initial deep clean yourself, however the advantage of choosing a cleaning partner that specialises in antiviral deep cleaning and sanitisation is that they will have trained and experienced cleaners with all the necessary equipment and know how.
They will be able to advise and work with you on the best hygiene and environmental practices to help you maintain your premises as a SafeZone. This will give you and your customers’ peace of mind to enter your business with confidence.
3. Stock up
Make sure you have a good supply of essential personal protection equipment (PPE) — such as face masks, hand sanitiser and disinfectant wipes that should be readily accessible to your staff and customers. Your cleaning partner should be able to assist you with sourcing these items. As part of Olinga’s SafeZone guarantee we are committed to providing our customers access to our Client Supply network and the essential PPE at competitive rates.
It is important to note that not all PPE standards are the same, so it is worth doing your research. For example, alcohol-based sanitisers need to have a minimum 60% alcohol content to be effective in killing many types of bacteria and viruses. Anything less may help reduce growth of bacteria and viruses but will not be as effective in killing them.
Keep an eye on your supplies, too: have a process in place to replenish supplies once they reach a certain level and make sure you have a dedicated person in charge of managing stock levels.
4. Communication is key — Part one: Your staff
A good plan isn’t worth much unless your staff know it back to front.
Get them involved as early as possible. Invite their input into the plan itself, and make sure they understand and take ownership of the strategies you are putting in place. Display your plan prominently so that your staff can refer to it at a moment’s notice.
You might find it useful to have one or two staff members take responsibility for overseeing your safety plan. A short online course such as COVID Prevention and Control will provide them with the knowledge they need to effectively implement it.
5. Communication is key — Part two: Your customers
It is important to communicate to your customers how you intend to keep them safe on your premises and the role they play.
Displaying your safety plan not only provides an easy reference for your staff, it also lets your customers know you have strategies in place to protect their wellbeing
Put up signs that explain clearly your guidelines for social distancing, mask-wearing and hand hygiene. Put marks on the floor to indicate where they should stand when queueing, and set up hand sanitiser stations in public areas.
Everyone wins if everyone is doing their part to keep safe.
6. Review, refine, revamp
Your hygiene safety plan isn’t something you can just forget about once you’ve rolled it out. Look out for things that aren’t working, seek and listen to staff feedback, and then adjust your plan accordingly.
Ensure that any changes you make are explicitly integrated into the plan and are clearly and promptly communicated to your staff and customers.
It is important that you stay abreast of any changes to government restrictions and requirements. At a minimum you will need to update your COVID safety plan whenever there is a change in government regulations at either a state or federal level.
7. Stay safe
COVID-19 is forcing businesses to adapt to a new normal, A good hygiene safety plan, clear communication and careful attention to government and customer expectations will go a long way towards instilling confidence in your staff and customers.
As part of any plan, it’s a good idea to invest in a professional deep clean at least bi-monthly, as well as regular high touch-point cleaning and disinfection.
Partnering with an experienced cleaning and sanitisation expert can help to ensure that your business remains a SafeZone for the long-term. Olinga Services, through our partnerships with the NSW Government and other businesses, have perfected the specialised cleaning technologies and techniques needed to keep viral threats at bay. making sure we are able to verify every premise cleaned as a SafeZone, so your staff and customers can enter with confidence.
To find out more about the Olinga SafeZone guarantee and how we can keep your business, staff and customers safe click here or contact one of our trusted staff members on 1300 265 464.