SAFER Return: Key Factors to Building a Plan

©2020 National Safety CouncilCONFIDENTIAL

SAFER Return:Key Factors to Building a Plan

July 15, 2020 - Webinar

2©2020 National Safety CouncilCONFIDENTIAL

Today’s Speakers

Katherine Mendoza EHS Manager

National Safety Council

Anthony WashburnResearch Associate

National Safety Council

3©2020 National Safety Council

NSC is grateful to the following lead sponsors for their generous support of the SAFER effort:

Thank You to Our SAFER Sponsors


• Broad coalition created by NSC• Guide employers in a post-quarantine

environment• Provides playbooks to help employers align

worker safety with business objectives

Download the full framework: www.nsc.org/safer


6 Key Components Employers to Consider for a SAFER Return


Polling Question

How were your operations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?

No change in operations Staff transitioned to work from home, when possible Significant change in operations – scheduling changes, decrease in productivity, etc.

Facilities closed in some areas but not all All operations were halted None of the above



6 Key Components for a SAFER Return


Develop procedures for building maintenance and care, maintaining physical distance, and mitigating risks for employees who need to perform work in public environments that are outside of the organization’s control.

Buildings, Facilities and Operations Physical Distancing Public Workspace Risk Management

PhysicalPreparing the Physical Workplace for Return to Work

1



Develop procedures for monitoring and promoting the medical health of the workforce, ensuring appropriate physical distancing, and encouraging overall good hygiene and infection control practices.

Medical HealthProtecting the Health of Workers Before & After Returning to the Workplace

2

Screening & Testing Tracking & Tracing Hygiene & Infection Control



Stress, Emotional & Mental HealthProviding Employees the Support Needed to Return to Work

3

Resources for Leadership & Supervisors Human Resources Education & Awareness

Consider how to allay the concerns, anxieties and uncertainty that workers may feel about their jobs and the future of the organization when returning to work.

Employees may have experienced high levels of stress associated with financial, employment, food or housing instabilities, the long-term effects of which may continue to impact employees’ return to work and their ability to safely focus on the job at hand.



Develop procedures for addressing the physical, medical, emotional and mental issues of reopening the workplace.

A focus should be on proactively identifying potential problems and solutions and supporting employees to ensure the workforce is physically and psychologically prepared to return.

Employment, Legal & HRPreparing the Workforce to Transition Back to the Workplace

4

Policies & Procedures Change Management



Effective, timely and frequent communication is necessary to create the shared sense of safety and security among a workforce and ease the process of returning to work. In addition to including the details of the transition, a communications plan should anticipate employee concerns and questions.

The right communication tactics can exhibit enhanced caring from leadership and help employees practice better awareness of their surroundings for physical distancing and more.

CommunicationsEnsuring Effective & Timely Communication to Facilitate Return to Work

5

Personnel & Policy Changes Instructions for Arrival



Employers should develop protocols that can be adjusted based on external needs and shifts in policy, medical guidance and overall levels of community risk. These must be flexible and should be relative to local, state and federal guidelines and levels of risk, which may vary greatly in organizations large footprints.

Organizations can set themselves up for continued safe operations without needing to create new protocols in response to external influences.

External InfluencesRaising Awareness of the Outside Influences that can Impact Operations

Government Policies & Guidelines Community Risk Framework of Response Protocol Levels

6



Employers should consider concerns that employees may have in commuting to work.

Guidance and communication on transportation options and flexibility will be critical to allay concerns and return productivity.

For workers who perform transportation as part of their job, retraining on vehicles and transport machinery use may be necessary, as will regular vehicle and personal sanitation, and acknowledging outside stressors.

Transportation and TravelProviding for safe transportation to, from and at the workplace

Providing Safe Routes to Work Transportation Safety on the Job Prioritizing Roadway Safety



Polling Question

Based on the components just reviewed, where do you see your greatest challenge?

Physical Medical Stress, Emotional & Mental Health Employment, Legal & HR Communication External Factors Transportation & Travel



Building a Return to WorkplacePlaybook


Polling Question

How far along is your “Return to Work” planning?

Just getting started with this workshop Have a plan draft that needs to be refined Almost done Complete




Overview of Playbook Topics Phased Framework

Build Framework to Define Action Based Criteria for Return

Physical EnvironmentsBuildings & Facilities, Workspaces. Equipment Return

Medical & Health ConcernsScreening Guidelines & Response, Hygiene & Infection Control

Emotional & Mental Health Employee Resources

Employment & Employee PoliciesReintroduction Plan, Workplace Return Considerations

Transportation & TravelCommuting, Workplace Transportation & Risk Assessment

When to ReturnDecision Making Factors



PhasingDevelop Guidelines for the Applicable Phases & Share Definitions Once Available



Physical EnvironmentsPreparing the Physical Workplace for Return to Work

Buildings and FacilitiesProvide an outline on what actions have been taken, and need to be taken, in each of your facilities to ensure the health and safety of your workers. This should include procedures, such as cleaning and disinfecting, relevant to the various phases.

WorkspacesShare what physical workspace alterations will be needed in some situations to accommodate safe procedures.

Equipment ReturnIf you had employees switch to remote work, determine a process to return equipment loaned out. Perform inventory checks to provide confirmation of return. Before employees return, all equipment must be disinfected.


Medical & Health ConcernsProtecting the Health of Workers Before & After Returning to the Workplace

Screening Guidelines and ResponseDuring a global pandemic, screening individuals is an essential part of a safe workplace. To ensure a safe return, each employee will be asked to confirm their health status before entering the workplace by completing an attestation form

Hygiene and Infection ControlStrongly encourage your employees to practice good hygiene and infection control

Contact TracingSteps to mitigate the spread or transmission of COVID-19. Employees must take responsibility for their own health and communicate with their managers/Human Resources to ensure everyone’s safety.



Emotional & Mental Health ResourcesProviding Employees the Support Needed to Return to Work

Supervisor and Leadership SupportAll leadership, from executives to management should be informed about the impacts of COVID-19 on mental health and wellbeing. Determine who in your organization will be responsible for sharing this information and include specific actions supervisors can take to best support their employees, as well as your company’s resources. Remind workers that your managers and supervisors are here to support them as your workplaces makes changes.

Employee ResourcesIn this section, share a list of the benefits you provide to support your employees in a time of need.



Employment & Employee PoliciesPreparing Employees to Transition Back to the Workplace

Reintroduction Plan Begin by outlining the employment status you have been operating under and reiterate the phased approach to reintegration into the workplace.

ConsiderationsYour organization should provide a return to work notice to all staff well in advance. If an employee needs to request a special consideration based on their individual situation, your managers and Human Resources should work with the employee to identify arrangements that achieve both personal and business needs.



Transportation & TravelProviding for Safety To, From, and at the Workplace

Commuting Guidance and FlexibilityProvide clear instructions on safe transportation options to work as well as guidance on how to communicate with employers if workers find themselves with unexpected transportation delays or disturbances.

Workplace TransportationMake time to retrain and familiarize workers with vehicles and machinery that they have not been around during the pandemic. Have clear procedures for sanitation of machinery and vehicles. Adopt and communicate a safe driving/operation policy.

Travel Risk AssessmentIf travel is business critical, create a formal risk assessment process to identify and measure risk for each potential trip. Include a “fresh-eye” approach to eliminate bias and ensure a well managed trip for the traveling employee and the business.



When to ReturnDefining Factors Influencing the Decision to Return to the Workplace

Decision-Making FactorsSeveral variables should be used to determine when to return to the workplace, with each set of criteria explicitly connected to each defined pandemic phase.

Outline the main factors selected as guidance to provide a simplistic structure to the complex decision.

Guiding factors should be vetted and adopted relative to individual situations and local conditions

Business Need

Infection Rate

Treatment Availability Response

No Low Yes All employees in workplace

Yes Low Yes All employees in workplace

No Low No All employees in workplace with increased precautions, no high-risk employees

Yes Low No All employees in workplace with increased precautions

No Medium Yes Workplace-required positions with increased precautions

Yes Medium Yes Workplace-required positions with increased precautions

No Medium No All employees remote

Yes Medium No All employees in workplace with increased precautions, no high-risk employees

No High Yes All employees remote

Yes High Yes Workplace-required positions with increased precautions

No High No All employees remote

Yes High No Workplace-required positions with increased precautions



Polling Question

When do you anticipate your operations returning to pre-COVID levels?

Currently at pre-COVID levels / Never changed 1-3 months 4-6 months 6-12 months More than 12 months To soon to determine




Questions?



Thank you

Documents

SAFER Return: Key Factors to Building a Plan