ONLINE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR COVID-19 RETURN-TO-WORKPLACE PLANS

As pandemic restrictions continue to evolve in the midst of increased vaccinations and ever-changing variants, employers are returning employees to the workplace and hiring new employees. Staying vigilant with safe work practices is crucial to minimizing employee illness and injuries.

Use the below online resources to help your policyholders develop and review their COVID-19 return-to-workplace plans.

• National Safety Council’s (NSC) Safe Actions For Employee Returns (SAFER) is a comprehensive initiative to guide employers through the process of safely resuming previous work operations. There are helpful SAFER documents available on various topics.
• The American Staffing Association (ASA) has released information in their Safely Back to Work – Best Practice Protocols program.
• Keep up with changes in government policies related to COVID-19:
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • NIOSH
  • OSHA
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  • National Governors Association
• Classify employee exposure to COVID-19 using OSHA’s Occupational Risk Pyramid to determine and implement control measures.
• Provide training resources and safety and health protections to temporary employees, including PPE.
• Establish when face coverings are required and consider policies for limiting interactions in small spaces.
• Explain the difference between cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing.
• Review products that can be used as COVID-19 disinfectants.
• Understand CDC’s guidance for unvaccinated individuals in the workplace; potential risks may be mitigated through social distancing protocols.
• The mental health and well-being of employees should be considered.
  • Building mental, emotional and psychological safety into every process (communications, trainings, etc.) builds resilience in the workforce.
  • Prioritizing stress and mental health initiatives has immediate and long-term positive impacts.
• Provide information on vaccines, including the benefits, effectiveness and safety of vaccines; scheduling options and locations; types of vaccines available and vaccination timetables; and how to protect yourself and others once fully vaccinated.
  • Display or share positive key messages about vaccination in all languages primarily spoken in your workplace. Posters in English and Spanish are available from the CDC.
  • COVID-19 tracking data
• The article “Return to Work after COVID-19: Safety managers urged to act to prevent injuries” offers important information about the impact of time away from the workplace.
• The National Law Review has published a list of safe workplace reopening strategies.
• The NIOSH Worker Well-Being Questionnaire focuses on employee well-being, including work-life balance, circumstances outside of work, and physical and mental health status. This may be a helpful tool for employers to get information about employees as they seek to create a caring culture.

Share our flyer with your policyholders so they can quickly refer back to these resources. For more information, contact your Encova safety and loss control consultant.