Safe Reopenings for BC Businesses

Some businesses are now ready to serving customers under new health and safety guidelines, while others are  opening their doors at a slow and steady pace. Definitely, business owners and operators want to protect customers and employees from COVID-19. 

So, how do you stay open in the post-covid 19 environment?

1. Follow the new health guidelines for your specific industry of work.

As British Columbia prepares to enter Phase 2 of its economic restart plan, the Province welcomes the release of the initial set of WorkSafeBC guidelines that will help businesses and organizations develop their plans to reopen safely in the coming days and weeks.

“These guidelines WILL support businesses and organizations developing their individual COVID-19 safety plans and measures to keep employees and customers safe,”
​- Harry Bains, Minister of Labour. ​

WorkSafeBC has released industry-specific guidelines and resources for the following sectors:
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• restaurants, cafes and pubs;
• salons and personal services;
• museums, art galleries and libraries, real estate;
• education;
• health services;
• retail;
• in-person counselling;
• parks and outdoor spaces; and
• office space.

COVID-19 and returning to safe operation - Phase 2​
www.worksafebc.com/en/about-us/covid-19-updates/covid-19-returning-safe-operation​

“All employers must work with their employees to develop their safety plan to protect everyone as they prepare to reopen.” - HARRY BAINS, MINISTER OF LABOUR. 

2. Create a new company culture.

Whether your employees are coming back to a physical location or working remotely, companies should increase their efforts to communicate with workers about their lives outside of work.

Some businesses have decided to have all employees temperature checked for the presence of fever and all must wear masks and gloves during their shifts and the cashier areas will have protective Plexiglas.
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The seating areas, cashier zones and other high-touch locations in your business will have to undergo frequent cleaning.

3. Develop a safety protocol.

Businesses owners that are reopening will need to train their staff on new cleaning practices and other protocols, while offices will need to rethink where workers sit in relation to one another. Companies that don't outline these new protocols clearly could face official complaints.

The more that you communicate with your employees about what you're doing -and get their input- the less risk there is, both to the individuals and the company as a whole.

4. Make employees safe 

Documenting how your business has taken steps to protect the safety of workers can be just as important as implementing those measures.

​You may also wish to refer to WorkSafeBC general COVID-19 health and safety FAQs for additional guidance on controlling exposure to the virus in your workplace. 

Employers should ensure that the following workers do not come to work:

• Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 including fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat and painful swallowing, must self-isolate at home for a minimum of 10 days.
• Anyone under the direction of public health to self-isolate must follow those instructions
• Anyone who has arrived from outside of Canada, or who is a contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case, to self-isolate for 14 days and monitor for symptoms.

These policies should be communicated to workers so they understand their responsibility to not enter the workplace if any of the above conditions apply to them, and that supervisors may ask some simple questions upon entry or during shift to ensure compliance. Consider posting signs at entry places, setting out the policy requirements, providing a reminder to workers. 
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The BC Ministry of Health has also developed an online BC COVID-19 Symptom Self-Assessment Tool to help people determine whether further assessment or testing for COVID-19 is required.

We will customize a plan suitable for your property to clean and disinfect your business. 

We are fully insured, bonded and covered by the Workers’ Compensation Board of British Columbia. We are members in good standing with the Better Business Bureau and the British Columbia Contract Cleaners’ Association.

OUR PHILOSOPHY IS THAT NO TWO BUSINESSES HAVE IDENTICAL NEEDS, NOR DO THEY WARRANT IDENTICAL TREATMENT.

Executive Building Maintenance, Inc. provides excellent, customized janitorial services on a consistent basis and at affordable prices. We understand your needs and can offer you reliability and peace of mind when it comes to the cleanliness of your building. Serving the entire Lower Mainland of British Columbia, offering high-quality janitorial work, specialized window cleaning, intensive carpet and floor care, pressure washing and various other cleaning requests as specified by our customer's individual needs.

Want to talk more about maintaining your office building properly during Spring and Summer time?

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