Workplace Hazards Series: COVID-19
As we enter a second wave of COVID-19, even less of us are working at the office or our normal workplace. But there are some holding the fort down, working alone or with considerably fewer coworkers around. The new normal of these more-structured workspaces is they that are considerably more mindful of potential physical and viral contamination. For the foreseeable future, there are new routines and procedures that we will need to enforce and become accustomed to, seemingly normal ways of doing things that need to be shifted in order to protect team members from potential infection of the notorious virus.
But in addition to COVID-19, there are a number of general workplace hazards you need to address, divided into the six categories of: physical, chemical, biological, safety, and last but not least, emotional.
Physical hazards
A majority of physical hazards do not involve ironically physical contact. Physical safety hazards include heights, vibrations, radiation, noise, electricity, heat, and in Canada, extreme cold. And for those spending many hours at a desk or driving seat, ergonomic hazards can be a significant issue as well, causing sometimes permanent musculoskeletal, mobility, and chronic pain.
Chemical hazards
Chemical hazards are substances and well, chemicals that can cause harm to your team. They can hurt your people in a range of ways, including burns, respiratory disease, skin irritation and damage, and even blindness and explosions. With the increase of more chemicals being used to sanitize equipment and workspaces these days, pay attention to the safety hazards these substances may present.
Biological hazards
A category that has received more attention in the past year is biological hazards. These include viruses, deadly bacteria, and dangerous insects and animals. Keep an eye out for growing mold, animal scat, dead insects, and leaking pipes and sewage. As mentioned in the category prior, make sure you handle any new sanitizing chemicals properly, with care, and possibly with some training.
Safety hazards
You’re probably asking, “But aren’t all hazards technically safety hazards?” Well, yes and no, but there are certain hazards that threaten your team, specifically. These hazards create an unsafe work environment and can include everything from an unstable ladder on the farm to the tripping hazard of computer cords crossing the walkway at an office.
Emotional hazards
With an increasing number of workers working in isolation and alone, so will the number of those suffering emotional issues like anxiety, depression, and chronic stress. Research is showing and predicting that suicide rates will rise during the pandemic and more needs to be done for the emotional health of our workers and citizens. The US Centers for Disease Control has several resources, as does Canada’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
8 Considerations for Reducing COVID-19 Risk for Your Workers:
Do you feel overwhelmed? That’s understandable and luckily is entirely manageable as you read further. There are a number of safety-improvement steps you can take, regardless of the type of industry and work environment.
1. Know your government guidelines:
The first order of business must be to determine what federal, provincial, and local rules you must follow, educating yourself – and your team – about the financial and reputational consequences of any compliance failures.
Meet with the management team to determine how these rules impact your workplace.
As you’ll read later, there will need to be a plan in place to communicate government rules in this new workplace.
2. Consider a phased approach
When welcoming staff back to the office, consider the phased approach so that the entire team does not return to the office at once, possibly increasing risks of contamination.
Look at allowing those with children to return later since that daycares and schools may not be open.
Also, consider allowing some staff to remain working from home on certain days or permanently.
3. Evaluate the risks at your workplace:
When welcoming back your team to the workplace, assess any potential situation where the risk of COVID-19 transmission is possible. Ask these questions:
What surfaces are regularly touched, like doorknobs, printers, light switches, and water coolers?
Which tasks are required of workers to come into close contact with each other?
Where does your team meet, like conference rooms, kitchens, and/or printer/scanner areas?
What sort of greetings and customs could put your team at risk, like shaking hands?
