Facing Safe Re-Opening – A Leader’s Perspective National Safety Council | 06.22.2020 by Lorraine Martin As we wind down National Safety Month, states continue
likely to be even more prevalent now. Employers have an
lifting shelter-in-place orders and other restrictions to
important role to play in supporting employees and helping
support economic recovery. Millions have headed back
them get the support they need so they are able to return
to work and traditional work locations this month, and
to work and safely focus on the job at hand.
people are eager to regain a sense of normal during unprecedented times.
This is just the start. Working with Fortune-500 companies and other experts we have developed playbooks for
Keeping employees safe during normal operations is one
employers to help them navigate these challenges and
thing, but keeping employees safe during a time of social
protect employees through a safe recovery. SAFER
upheaval and COVID-19 is quite another. There are no easy
provides a wealth of information and tools that may be
answers as we unpack how we can get our work done and
particularly helpful for small and medium size businesses
get back to work safely. In addition, business leaders must
without robust safety staff or programs. For those who may
examine how we are going to address the very real stress,
be unsure where to focus COVID-19 safety efforts, a free
anxiety and mental health challenges that our employees
Organizational Vulnerability Assessment can provide
are experiencing as a result of the pandemic and racial
some tailored recommendations. This tool also allows
injustice issues, made all too clear to us in past weeks.
organizations to examine specific risk factors for COVID-19
There’s no question that the decisions employers are facing
transmission according to type of operation and associated
today are more complex and have higher-stake outcomes
risk factors, and then determine potential control measures.
than most anything we have had to deal in the past. While
As workers return to traditional work environments, we urge
the drive to return to normal operations is understandable, I
business leaders to ensure this happens in the safest way
urge business leaders to ask “why” they are bringing people
possible. Our long-term economic recovery depends on it.
back to a work location, especially if remote operations
Working towards a safe reopening means there’s so much
have been effective, then determine “when.” Employers
more we can and must do to ensure workers are available,
need to make a case for why employees are being asked
healthy and safe, from the workplace to anyplace.
to return. To sustain our economic recovery, safety must be front and center. This means being cognizant of and responding appropriately to all the various risks our employees are facing right now, which include physical as well as psychological safety. For employers who had to significantly change their business or put their operations on hold, ensuring physical operations are clean and ready is a challenge. Traditional safety issues are not going away – and employees may need additional training or re-training after a long absence or change in operations. Businesses may have to consider how employees get to work in a safe manner when traditional public transportation presents new risks. Addressing the rising mental health and stress challenges has also become a top concern for all employers. Substance use issues tend to be exacerbated during times of external stressors. Distraction and fatigue are underlying causes of workplace incidents in the best of times and are
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