Apart from the doctors and nurses that have labored day and night to help treat COVID-19 patients during this pandemic, the supply and delivery staff have been the most reliable lifesavers during these trying times.
However, since no one is immune to the COVID-19 virus, it is important that if you run a business that relies heavily on delivery during this period, you should put safety measures in place for your delivery staff.
In this article, we will discuss a few of the effective safety measures you can put in place to keep your staff safe during COVID-19.
Safety Tips
According to the U.S department of labor’s occupational safety and health administration (OSHA), these safety tips can help employers protect their package delivery workers from exposure to Coronavirus.
Whenever possible, flexible working hours should be established.
The interaction between the drivers and customers should be minimized with the use of actions like leaving deliveries at the doorsteps, loading docks, and other locations that minimize person-to-person contact.
Personal hygiene should be promoted among delivery workers. Therefore, workers should always be provided with soap and water at all times. In the absence of soap and water, a delivery worker should be provided with alcohol-based hand rubs containing at least 60% alcohol. Also, disposable towels and disinfectants should be provided to workers to clean work surfaces and vehicle interiors.
Delivery workers should be required to wear masks over their nose and mouth to prevent them from spreading and getting the Coronavirus.
Delivery workers should be trained and encouraged to report safety and health concerns if any is noticed.
Delivery Personnel Precautions According to the World Health Organization (WHO)
Since food deliveries require that a delivery person, as well as the food items and products, enter a food business, there is a high risk of transmitting the COVID-19 virus during food deliveries. Therefore, extreme precautions must be taken by all businesses to prevent this transmission.
Here is a list of precautions to be taken by food delivery personnel:
Food personnel should stay inside the vehicle to reduce the risk of contracting the virus.
Food personnel should not move the food items or packages into a food business such as restaurants, food trucks, bakeries, and coffee shops.
Before touching any item that requires the contact of another person, such as sign-off papers, the food personnel should apply hand sanitizer.
Facemasks that cover the nose and mouth should be used at all times during delivery.
Here is a list of precautions for food items and packaging solutions:
Disposable containers and packaging should be used whenever possible.
All reusable containers and food items should be properly cleaned, sanitized, and disinfected before reuse.
Containers used for food transportation should be cleaned and disinfected.
Use measures that ensure that food is protected from sources of contamination at all times.
For more information, you can watch this webinar conducted by the WHO to address information around this topic.
Conclusion
Delivery services during COVID-19 can be stressful and even dangerous for the delivery workers. However, with the help of a cleaning agency like SafeFromSpread, you can be sure that your delivery workers will have the right equipment to protect themselves and your customers.
Safe FromSpread carries out functions like workplace sanitization, hands-free door installation, safety station installations, custom signage design, and installation, and provides comprehensive safety education for your staff.
Visit Us at SafeFromSpread.com and keep your environment safe from spread while communicating the safety of your company’s delivery workers to your clients.