Many small businesses remained open during the COVID-19 crisis, and many others worked in an alternative fashion with 50% or more of employees telecommuting. Other small businesses shut their doors for a short time, and then slowly began to re-open, and are only not getting back to full capacity. But with the resurgence of COVID-19 in many states, there is talk by state and local authorities of imposing a new round of restrictions that may either cause some small businesses to reduce their operations or restrict how they do business. Yet in other states, re-opening is going extremely well with little signs that it is having any impact upon virus numbers.
For some small companies, a long-term telecommuting situation simply does not work… there are essential tasks that must get done ‘in the office’, or ‘in the warehouse’, or ‘in the production plant’. Because of this employees must return to the job and begin working as before but still must wear ‘personal protective’ gear such as masks (and in some situations gloves or even other protective clothing) as well as observe strict ‘social distancing’ requirements. Furthermore, in the case of some environments, protective barriers must be installed to either help protect one worker from another or protect workers and patrons from each other.
These are just a few of the measures that small measures must undertake to help safeguard against the virus because the last thing any employer needs is a COVID-19 outbreak within their own business that could potentially force them to close their doors. So, if a business is such that remote workers are not an option, then workplace preparedness will be the key to their business survival.
To facilitate workplace preparedness small businesses must follow (at a minimum) the recommended precautions of the health and safety experts available at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). By following these guidelines, you are at least reducing your liability in the case of either ‘exposure’ or ‘infection’ by a worker or patron.
While a small business might seek the guidance of local OSHA, it is doubtful that personnel in those offices have either the time or the expertise to assist in COVID-19 specifically as it relates to your business. And even professional health/safety experts may not be available, but most small businesses probably could not afford such experts anyway. So, if you simply do your best to stay current on the various guidelines provided by the agencies noted above, you will go a long way in helping to protect not only your workers but your patrons no matter what your small business.
As part of this compliance, you may want to consider a formal ‘written plan’ or ‘reopening statement’ that you make all your employees aware of that covers infectious-disease (COVID-19) mitigation procedures your employees are to strictly follow and what the consequences are if they don’t follow those procedures. It should also contain procedures for notification of business management or ownership when either procedure is not being followed or when an employee appears to be ‘symptomatic’ and potentially poses a risk. Of course, it must also contain a process of how such situations will be responded to. Each business owner may certainly want to discuss these issues with both their insurance carrier(s) and legal counsel before taking steps to implement any of these matters.
Coming back from COVID-19 will indeed be a challenge for many small businesses, but with some diligence and common sense, the vast majority of business owners will overcome this situation. America has gone through a lot of crises in the past, and this is just one more, small business is the backbone of the American economy and it will continue to be from sea to shining sea.