As businesses start to reopen, it’s important to keep safety precautions in mind when returning to work. Safety measures like wearing a mask and maintaining six feet of space between workers (even if that means working in shifts) are just two examples of preventative measures that companies need to implement for the safety of their employees.
With that in mind, making sure that your company is abiding by certain coronavirus safety precautions is a necessary step before returning to the office.
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Dr. Enchanta Jenkins, MD, MHA, FACOG has a list of precautions she thinks everyone should be taking before heading back to work--and many of them involve asking your employer what preventative actions they are taking. First, she recommends "ask[ing] your supervisor if anyone on the job has tested positive for Covid-19."
Dr Jenkins also says that it's a smart idea to ask your supervisor what protocol they have in place if you or any of your coworkers becomes Covid-19 positive after returning to work.
Additionally, Dr. Jenkins emphasizes the importance of wearing a mask at work. She even recommends that you "wear a mask from the time you leave home to the time you are back in your home."
Since employers are supposed to be providing employees with clean and unused masks for work, asking your supervisor about this is a smart idea.
Jenkins also thinks it's a good idea to take your lunch elsewhere: "[G]o to your car on lunch break if possible to remove mask just before eating in your car (thus decreasing exposure at work)."
Along with these measures, it's also smart to keep up with other coronavirus prevention strategies that you've already been implementing, such as washing your hands for 20 seconds and disinfecting high-touch surfaces (such as cell phones, keyboards, door handles, etc.). Additionally, keeping six feet apart from other workers is important.
The most important thing is to be transparent with your employer to make returning to work as safe and comfortable as possible. If you have any concerns about prioritizing your health and safety, bring them to your supervisor's attention. It's also a smart idea to check out the CDC's recommendations for businesses (and make sure that your supervisor is willing to follow them).
