Should the Standard Operating Procedures Change for COVID-19?
“We have to be cautious” said Tom Peter. Contractors need to be aware that Covid-19 will bring new challenges and questions to how business is conducted. Peter advises that they need to now consider asking clients about symptoms prior to arriving at jobs. Communication and training sessions with employees are also critical. Employers must convey the challenges to employees in an industry where its common to have multiple workers in the same truck going to a job and that if an employee feels ill they should immediately inform a supervisor and consider self-quarantining. Bryan Orr added that until the true nature of COVID-19 is known, contractors should proceed with caution when performing work.
What Preventative Measures Should be Taken?
Host Bob Krell asked, “How do we even know if employees or clients have COVID-19 when they can be asymptomatic for 10 or more days?” According to Tom Peter, we don’t know and that is why the preventative measures are so important. Personal measures include hand washing, not touching your face, and social distancing to the degree it is possible. For employers, ensure your teams have access to personal protective equipment and respirators where appropriate along with making sure trucks are stocked with the correct supplies to clean the interior of the truck properly after jobs.
What Should Contractors Be Doing to Decontaminate Equipment?
According to Tom Peter, cleaning equipment prior to loading on the truck can help prevent cross-contamination. Individual employees should also take measures such as washing hands prior to getting into vehicles can help avoid bringing contaminants back into the warehouse or office.
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About Insurance Restoration Specialists, Inc.
Insurance Restoration Specialists, Inc. (IRS) is a premier provider of disaster recovery mitigation, environmental remediation, biohazard emergency response and HVAC inspection and cleaning in the New Jersey-Philadelphia-New York City area. IRS is certified by NADCA and have Certified Air Systems Cleaning Technicians and a Certified Ventilation System Inspector on staff. Services include mold removal,water damage restoration, fire damage restoration, flood damage cleanup, smoke damage remediation, and biohazard remediation.
