A Gameplan for Health Screenings Upon Re-opening
Planning a workplace re-opening can be stressful and can come with a lot of unknowns. As of today, we can’t just simply re-open our doors.
We’re here to help you create a detailed gameplan and put procedures in place for your reopen your place of operation. You should equip your organization with the tools necessary to effectively screen employees and guests, and communicate with everyone involved.
First, outline your plan. What do you need? A solid COVID-19 workplace screening process for employees, before you even open the doors.
Consider putting these best practices into place and use your detailed workplace screenings gameplan to reduce the risk of COVID-19 in the workplace.
How To Do Wellness Screenings Upon Entry
Create a system to confirm each employee and guest has been screened upon each new entrance, and let everyone know about it ahead of time.
Below are a few simple steps to show what a COVID-19 screening process should look like for guests and employees.
1. Have Check Stations At All Entrances
Designate a team at each entrance to screen employees each morning as they arrive for the day. It’s best to set up a tent or welcoming station of some sort to have cars drive up to. Employees can roll down their car window and complete the screening process without even unbuckling their seatbelt.
Screening employees before they even enter the building is the best way to prevent an outbreak in your facility. Individuals should remain in their car for the screening to ensure minimal contact between employees and screeners.
2. Screen Every Employee Upon Arrival
Screeners should wear a new set of personal protective equipment (PPE) for each car they screen. PPE should include an N95 facemask, gloves, and protective eyewear.
Screeners should ask every employee in every car a few basic questions and take their temperatures. Have screeners maintain eye contact with employees while asking them these questions:
- Are you having any chest pain or difficulty breathing?
- Do you have a NEW cough?
- Do you have 2 or more of the following symptoms: fever, muscle aches, chills, sore throat, nasal congestion, or loss of taste and smell?
- Have you been within 6 feet of someone suspected to have or confirmed to have COVID-19 for more than 10 minutes without a mask?
If all questions are answered “no”, the screener can take the employee’s temperature and move to step 3.
3. Administer Temperature Check Wristband
Wristbands have been a great way to identify screened employees from non-screened employees across organizations of all sizes. This is the system we suggest you use!
According to the CDC, a temperature above 100 degrees Farenheight is an indication of a contagious illness. People with a temperature of 100 or higher should not be in the workplace.
Send employees home if they have a temperature of 100 degrees or higher. They shouldn’t return to work until they receive a negative COVID-19 test. If tests aren’t available in your area, employees can also be permitted back if their fever has been gone for 72 hours without the help of medication, and other symptoms have improved.
Employees with a temperature below 100 degrees Farenheight can be allowed on the property. Give the employee a brightly-colored Temperature Check Wristband to show they’ve been screened and are allowed on the property for the day.
Conduct workplace screenings daily. Use a new color wristband for each day of the week, or get daily check wristbands to use for longer periods of time.
What You’ll Need:
So, what do you need to effectively screen employees and share important information as you re-open your business? Below are the must-haves to make sure everything goes smoothly:
Designated Screeners Assign existing employees or hire an outside company to screen employees as they arrive to the office daily.
No-Touch Thermometers Keep direct contact to a minimum by screening employees with a No-Touch Thermometer.
Screening Wristbands Assign wristbands to employees who passed the workplace screening process. Use them in a way that works best for your organization. Use simple temperature check wristbands, or our multi-use wristbands and mark the month and day you’re using them for.
Flyers & Banners Use informative printed flyers and posters to share hygiene tips and to thank our heroic frontline workers.
Other Things You Can Do
Extend COVID-19 preventative strategies throughout the workplace, not just at the entrances. Learn more best practices on how to create a thorough gameplan for reducing the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace in our blog next week.
Check out our second installment of Your COVID-19 Guide for the Workplace here.
Get more tips, tricks & best practices for organizing online and live events on our blog.