Healthcare, legal, government, manufacturing, construction, retail — no matter your industry – your team members and your customers are why you’re in business. It’s your responsibility to take care of them!.
With COVID-19 continuing to impact the economy and our lives, it’s more important than ever to provide the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep your team and visitors safe.
Of course, there are numerous industry-dependent workplace safety standards businesses must follow as well. These are found through the governing association or licensing body for your industry.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also publishes a list of standards that govern maritime, general industry, and construction that serves as guidelines.
For general industry, these guidelines are:
- Eye and face protection
- Respiratory protection
- Head protection
- Foot protection
- Hand protection
- Electrical protective equipment
- Personal fall protection
For the purposes of a return to business amidCOVID-19, the most important PPE will focus on eye, face, hand, and respiratory protection.
Remember, OSHA requires that the employer take on the burden of protecting workers from hazards in the workplace that may cause illness or injury, such as the COVID virus. Below, we’ve curated a few checklists to help get your business ready for operation — safely.
The OSHA PPE Checklists for Business Owners
There are both worker and employer obligations when it comes to PPE. Let’s begin with employer obligations:
- You must perform a workplace hazard assessment to pinpoint and control physical and health hazards
- Then, employers must identify and provide the right PPE for staff
- You must train staff in the use and care of the PPE
- You must maintain PPE, replacing it when worn or damaged
- You must review, update, and evaluate the effectiveness of your PPE program on a regular basis
Of course, employees have obligations, too:
- They must wear their PPE properly
- They must attend training sessions on PPE use and care
- They must care for and maintain their PPE
- They must inform a supervisor if their PPE is damaged
OSHA has also created interim guidance for businesses on gathering PPE ensembles, as noted below:
The OSHA PPE Equipment Considerations Checklist for PPE
This checklist gives some guidance for specific uses of PPE:
- PPE should be selected based on the employee’s specific duties
- If disposable gloves are needed, workers should use nitrile exam gloves, changing them if they are torn or contaminated
- Eye protection should be provided with goggles or face shields; personal eyeglasses are not adequate
- Any respirators used should meet OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Standard; surgical masks are not able to substitute for respirators
- In case of a PPE shortage, priority should be given to workers in high-hazard areas
- After PPE is removed, workers should wash hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds
- Contaminated PPE should be cared for using the Bloodborne Pathogens standard
For worker groups across industries, see OSHA’s COVID-19 page that provides links at the bottom to specific guidelines for various industries.
RJ Young Can Help Provide PPE for Your Business
At RJ Young, we’re here to help businesses operate at their highest level. In today’s world, that means we’re equipping organizations with face masks, hand sanitizer, and more.
As we and our clients move forward through this crisis, we’ve sourced several kinds of commonly needed PPE that, in most cases, can be shipped to your door within three to five days.
We provide three-ply disposable face masks with adjustable nose strips and elastic loops that offer 99% bacterial filtration efficiency and breathable filtration. For those who want to brand their face masks, our washable, breathable dual or triple layer cotton masks are the ticket! AND, they’ll ship in 7 to 10 business days.
Additionally, as mentioned, we now offer a hand sanitizer that’s 80% ethyl alcohol. We can brand that for you as well. No matter what industry you’re a part of, you’ll be needing these basic PPE supplies to keep your staff protected while they’re at work.
Need masks or sanitizer for your employees or customers? Touch base with an RJ Young consultant and get the PPE you need delivered right to your door.
Also, as we navigate the new normal in our organizations, many businesses are turning to us for innovations like our temperature scanners, digital mailrooms, and managed IT services. We’d love the opportunity to tell you about how those will help keep you, your team, and your customers safe amid the pandemic.