As of May 4, so-called non-essential businesses can also resume or continue operations. When restarting, it is crucial that each company provides a healthy and safe workplace for all employees.
A guide with practical guidelines from the FPS Employment helps you to keep any risk of spreading the coronavirus to an absolute minimum in your company's workplaces. The most important tips are listed below:
- Make sure that Keep 1.5 meters distance on the work floor is maximized and respected. Rearrange workstations where necessary and install markings, ribbons or physical barriers to allow safe circulation in each company building.
- Distribution of your employees is an effective means of maintaining social distance. Also think about the further optimal use of teleworking and remote communication tools when the job of your employees allows it, or possibly ensure a spread of work and break times for staff on the shop floor. Make clear agreements on this, e.g. by drawing up a company policy or amending the labour regulations.
- Ensure strict hygiene in workshops by providing hand sanitizers (liquid soap and disinfectant gel dispensers) and regular cleaning of work areas and especially frequently touched objects. Make sure that everyone complies with the hygiene measures.
- Provide collective protective equipment (such as plexi screens in places where employees come into contact with visitors), supplemented by personal protective equipment (e.g. gloves) where necessary. In situations where keeping 1.5 meters distance cannot be applied, wearing a mouth mask can provide protection for surrounding persons.
- For A customized risk analysis and action plan of your company, you can also make use of advice from experts (your prevention advisor, your external service for prevention and protection). For this advice, financial support from the SME portfolio is possible.
- Communicate clearly about the measures that your company takes to your employees, as well as to visitors (customers, suppliers,...) of your company and monitor their compliance.
The 'generic guide' with guidelines for a safe workplace can also be consulted or downloaded on the site of the FPS Employment.
If your company would like to include enforceable regulations for your staff on safe working, telecommuting or other preventive measures in a policy or in the employment regulations, you can contact our lawyers from the social law team.
Contact us with your specific question at: sociaal@titeca.be. Also for our consulting services, you can also call on the SME Portfolio.
