There is some light at the end of the tunnel.
Over the past week, provincial governments across Canada have started outlining plans to get businesses up and running again. Some provinces - Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Quebec - have also released health and safety guidelines setting out what businesses must have in place to address Covid-19 when the time comes to reopen. Accordingly, now is a great time to start to consider what your organization will have to do in order to reopen your physical workplace, once permitted.
Some common themes among the provinces’ guidelines include: continuing physical distancing, conducting daily screening of workers and volunteers upon entering the workplace, making changes or redesigning the work place to encourage distancing where possible, continued use of PPE in the workplace such as face masks and gloves, regularly cleaning and disinfecting the workplace, promoting proper hygiene amongst workers and volunteers, promoting alternative forms of communication and service such as having barriers in place to separate workers from customers or to conduct phone or video conferences instead of in-person meetings.
Employers who intend to reopen, when permitted, should follow these guidelines along with any industry specific measures. We suspect that at some point workplace inspections may occur, and it is likely that inspectors will be using the guidelines to assess health and safety compliance. It is very possible that employers who are out of compliance could be temporarily shut down.
Information on the health and safety guidelines that businesses must follow for each province can be found here:
British Columbia – https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/office-of-the-provincial-health-officer/current-health-topics/covid-19-novel-coronavirus
Alberta – https://www.alberta.ca/assets/documents/covid-19-workplace-guidance-for-business-owners.pdf
Manitoba – https://www.safemanitoba.com/COVID-19/Pages/COVID-19-Resources.aspx
Quebec - https://www.cnesst.gouv.qc.ca/salle-de-presse/covid-19-info-en/Documents/DC100-2146A-Guide.pdf
If you have any questions about reopening, please reach out to speak with an e2r™ Advisor.