As state governments across the United State release guidelines for reopening following COVID-19 shutdowns, employers scramble to implement new processes and procedures.
Following the recent formation of the Safe Actions for Employee Returns (SAFER) task force, the National Safety Council (NSC) has provided basic return-to-work recommendations that apply to any industry.
Lorraine Martin, NSC CEO and president, explained in a statement, "Protecting our workers means coalescing around sets of safety principles and ensuring those principles guide our decisions. Employers are asking for help, and we’ve brought together leading safety experts to deliver in this time of need. We hope these universal actions, the detailed playbooks and the recommendations within them will help employers safely navigate reopening operations while prioritizing employees’ rights to safe work environments.”
In the coming months, employers and safety professionals are faced with the daunting task of not only complying with OSHA's health and safety standards but also for providing additional measures to protect workers from COVID-19. In addition to the ten universal suggestions, the NSC and the SAFER task force have developed a series of playbooks for business continuity.
SAFER is a national task force focused on worker safety. The group is comprised of companies of all sizes, leading safety organizations, nonprofits, government agencies and public health organizations.