Capacity & Employee Break Guidelines

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Below is a list of potential guidelines to be enforced in your commonly used spaces such as break rooms, locker rooms, bathrooms, office and meeting space.

Breakroom Guidelines

  1. Capacity Control:
    • Limit the number of seats in the break room to ensure acceptable distances of 1 to 2 meters (3 to 6 feet)
    • Limit and/or space chairs appropriately.
    • Post capacity at break room entrances
    • Place signage on table to ensure proper social distancing in each seat – sign says yes or no to sit
    • Consider allowing employees to sit only on one side of table
    • Remind employees not to arrive early to break to ensure limited exposure and capacity control
    • Adjust break times to limit overflow of employees: Separate times by 10 minutes to have enough time to wipe tables, seats, all surfaces, refrigerator, vending machines, and microwave ovens after each use.
    • Place a permanent mark on the floors to ensure proper distance (anywhere where there is a line)
  1. Outdoor Considerations:
    • Designate parking space(s)
    • Place a permanent mark on the pavement to ensure proper distance (anywhere where there is a line)
    • Use outside pavilions
    • Increase the number of seats
  1. Vendor Protocol:
    • Do not allow any self-service in full cafeteria service
    • Potential alternative – Schedule Food trucks that have the necessary municipality credentials and certified by the local Health Department.

Locker Rooms Guidelines:

  1. Ensure proper social distancing during shift change
  2. Adjust shift start & end times schedule to accommodate locker room space
  3. Re-assign lockers to ensure distancing by each employee groups start time

Office, Meeting Room & Bathroom Guidelines:

  1. Office
    • Office space should be organized to ensure social distancing to keep separation of employees between 1 to 2 meters (3 to 6 feet) as a minimum.
    • Avoid face to face desk layouts.
    • Safe meeting spaces could be painted on the floor to encourage the Social Distancing of 1 to 2 meters (3 to 6 feet).
  2. Meeting Rooms:
    • No more than 10 employees at any meeting; times for meetings may be staggered and larger groups must be divided to meet the 10 employee maximum.
    • Several meeting spaces can be designated; for example, meetings may be held at the same time in different meeting rooms, offices, etc.
  3. Bathrooms
    • Establish maximum capacity for the facility that allows for social distancing
    • Post the maximum capacity
    • Define cleanliness & sanitation schedule
    • Provide enough supplies for employees to clean up after themselves. Ex: wiping down tables, counters, door handles, dryers, etc.)

Keep your associates safe while preventing the spread of illness in the workplace.

Standardizing new procedures and guidelines related to reopening your business.

Ways to enhance your protocols to protect your workforce.

Quick guide to local, state and national contacts.

Downloadable tools to post in your workplace to promote safe habits.

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