The spread of Covid-19 has been an emotional challenge for many since it has changed human life like never before. Under the circumstances, every section of the society including professionals at workplaces should come ahead to keep themselves and others safe. Care should be taken to try and prevent the disease from spreading further. This must have had you wondering what you should do at your workplace to protect yourself and others.
We help you with 10 ways to protect yourself from Coronavirus at your office.
- Cover your Face
While masks alone aren’t enough to protect you and others at your workplace from the deadly virus, it should still be a part of a well planned strategy to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in your office. Wearing a mask should now be a part and parcel of your daily life. Make sure that you clean your mask regularly and dispose them when it’s time to do so. Remember, covering your face with a mask should be a daily practice apart from taking other precautions like maintaining physical distance and avoiding crowds.
- Use Hand Sanitizers
If you don’t have access to water and soap, hand sanitizers come to your rescue killing germs in your hands in seconds. However, you should check the ingredients the sanitizer contains before buying one. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has found in a study that only those sanitizers that have an alcohol concentration between 60% and 95% can kill germs effectively. That’s why, when buying a sanitizer, do check the ingredients in it. The ethyl/alcohol content in the sanitizer should be above 60%.
- Install Acrylic Shields for Desks
The use of acrylic shields or plexiglass partitions became widespread after the CDC and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommended their use to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Why is that? It’s because while your employees can see each other and also communicate among themselves, these shields protect you when you are sneezed or coughed on. Acrylic glass is tough and it’s also more affordable than tempered glass or polycarbonate.
- Use Table Divider Screens
Following up on the technique mentioned above, we also recommend that you use table divider screens to prevent the spread of the virus. Table dividing screens come into the picture when maintaining a physical distance of 2 meters isn’t always possible. Speaking of such screens, we suggest that you opt for the anti-bacterial vinyl material as dust and other particles collect on the more widely used fabric screens. The Vita vinyl fabric offers the most effective protection.
- Social Distancing
It has been observed that the Covid-19 virus spreads fast in crowded places. That’s why, it’s very important that you ensure no crowding in your office. The World Health Organization has recommended that there be a physical distance of at least 1 meter between people. It also recommends that each employee be allotted a minimum of 10 square meters of space. There’s a method to measure how much the distance should be. Stretch your arm out. The ideal gap between you and the next person should be double that distance.
- Use Protective Glass Shields
Along with other methods like maintaining physical distancing or having staggered working hours, the use of guard glass shields to keep you protected from coughs and sneezes has become popular as well. You can have ¼” tempered glass protective screens that can be installed between desks within a week. These shields are non-porous and help prevent microbes from entering the surface. Such screens are especially suitable for public-facing businesses.
- Use Sanitization Counter at Entrance
Apart from maintaining proper hygiene at your workplace, a thorough sanitization of every employee when he/she enters the office can be very effective in preventing the spread of Covid-19. Having an employee sanitize himself/herself right at the entrance keeps the entire workplace protected. You kill the germ even before it enters your office. Having such a counter is especially recommended for hospitals and other public offices visited by many people.
- Use Temperature Meter
There are employees who might be too concerned about the fall-out of not attending office. They may take medicines that reduce fever for the time being. How do you deal with them? You should use a temperature meter to check every employee and make sure that he/she isn’t feverish. However, this should only be a part of an overall strategy to counter the spread of the disease. Employees should be encouraged to have their body temperature checked regularly at the office.
- Add Items in your First Aid Kit
You’ll surely be surprised to know that zinc lozenges help fight Covid-19. Yes, it’s true. They have been found to be very effective in preventing the spread of Coronavirus in your throat. The easily available latex gloves and surgical masks help too. We recommend you to stock these items in your office first aid kit to keep your employees protected at work. Having these in your first aid kit also creates a feeling of assurance and security among employees.
- Opt for Easy to Clean Furniture
Maintaining cleanliness at all times is pivotal to fighting the Corona virus. While habits like sanitizing and regular cleaning of hands should be encouraged, you should also pick furniture that’s easy to clean. Opt for those that can be wiped easily with a sanitizer. Most offices have the cleaning team coming in at the end of the day. If the furniture in your office is easy to clean, you can encourage your employees to clean them themselves occasionally if they can spare the time.
Conclusion
Maintaining cleanliness and hygiene at all times, including the time spent at your office is ideal when you are fighting the Covid-19 virus. Regular sanitization and maintaining physical distance is a must. You should also install partitions and protective screens. Being cautious and staying safe are pivotal to preventing the spread of the virus. The 10 ways to protect yourself from Coronavirus at your office are sure to help in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
