Quick Guide to Implementing New Health and Hygiene Guidelines
Continuing our deep dive into different workplaces, today we take a further look into what products and procedures manufacturing and production facilities need to safely get back to work. We’ve grouped our recommended health and hygiene essentials into four categories: Social Distancing, Personal Hygiene, Disinfection / Sanitization and Wellness.
Social Distancing
Workers should social distance whenever possible.
- Limit the number of people allowed in designated areas and set a limit for group meetings.
- Add space between employees, particularly in production areas.
- Use floor markings to encourage and remind employees of distancing. This can easily be achieved by using high quality and durable vibrantly colored tape, like Duck Brand Duck Tape. You can also create a traffic-flow pattern on the production floor with tape.
Personal Hygiene
Handwashing stations and access to hand sanitizer should be convenient and highly visible to all employees.
- We recommend stocking bathrooms, breakrooms and production handwashing stations with antimicrobial hand soap. We like the convenient wall dispensers and foaming hand soap from Dial. For tougher grease and grime, we recommend Zep’s Cherry Bomb Gel Hand Cleaner.
- Single-use disposable towels are one of the safest options for drying hands. We recommend using a sustainable choice for paper products, like 100% Recycled Folded Paper Towels from Marcal. They also offer 100% recycled toilet paper.
- Hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol should be offered if soap and water are not immediately available. We also recommend putting hand sanitizer throughout the work environments to encourage workers to use it often. Dial offers gel and foam hand sanitizers with moisturizing options.
Disinfection / Sanitization
Cleaning and disinfecting of all high touch areas in the “back of the house” should occur in accordance with CDC guidelines, including at least twice per day in high traffic areas.
- This can be accomplished at the workstation with desk lights that utilize UV light that continuously cleans and breaks down harmful microorganisms.
- Use an EPA-approved disinfectant that meets CDC requirements for use against viruses, bacteria and other airborne and bloodborne pathogens. Lysol and Zep both offer a variety of cleaning products like disinfectant spray, all-purpose cleaner (with and without bleach), professional antibacterial cleaner and wipes to help with cleaning, disinfection and sanitization. Fresh Products carry a quat-based surface cleaner and deodorizer that can be used on a variety of surfaces and is extremely effective at eliminating virtually all odors on contact.
Wellness
To prevent illness, employees should implement extra precautions that promote wellness in and around the facility.
- As employees enter their workplace there will be a need for temperature scanning and assessing mask compliance. Medline offers contactless thermometers. Additionally, temperature scanning and facial ID equipment, such as OneScreen GoSafe, allow for an orderly way to check employee temperatures as well as mask compliance. These machines are available in floor and desktop form. Results can be sent instantly to a destination of choice for monitoring and compliance.
- Facilities will have a heightened focus on PPE (Personal Protection Equipment). CDC recommendations along with federal and local government regulations will dictate appropriate PPE to be worn by employees. PPE, along with appropriate training for use and disposal, should be made available to any employee upon request. Based on OSHA’s recommended standards, all types of PPE must be selected based upon the hazard to the worker and should be properly fitted and periodically inspected. refitted and replaced, as applicable (e.g. respirators). Additionally, proper removal, cleaning and storing of PPE is required, as applicable, to avoid contamination of self, others and the environment. Medline and Curad both carry a variety of face masks, face shields and gloves.
- Encourage everyone to use their own work tools. If sharing is necessary, refer to the disinfection and sanitization rules.
Additional details and resources can be found in the full Safe X Secure White paper.
If you would like more information about any of our recommended products, email us at [email protected]. Include your name, business name, location(s) and contact information and a Highlands representative will be in touch with you.
