All workplace environments need to be hygienic and safe for both employees and visitors. This applies to all, not just workplaces, involved in handling food and personal products. A solid workplace hygiene policy is the best way to ensure employees maintain a clean workplace.
Each workplace will require different hygiene requirements. Certain tasks, or industries may also create risks which require additional protection than those discussed below. However, below are some key areas all workplaces should consider for their workplace hygiene policy.
Why is hygiene important in the workplace?
Hygiene is important in the workplace because it contributes to a healthy workforce. A healthy workforce is happier and more productive. A healthy workplace also means workers take less sick leave which will reduce the huge cost that sick leave places on small business.
How do you maintain hygiene in the workplace?
Implement a hygiene policy
Provide staff with a written hygiene policy. Inform them of your intentions and expectations of a clean workplace. This helps communicate to staff that you also take workplace hygiene seriously.
Provide a clean bathroom
It is critical for a hygienic workplace to have a clean bathroom. Also ensure that the bathroom is well stocked with soap, toilet paper and hand towels.
Provide clean wipes, sanitizer and tissues
Provide items such as these to help your staff maintain a clean and hygienic workspace. Employees are more likely to use such items if they are readily available.
Regular cleaning
Make sure your workplace is regularly cleaned. This helps prevent the spread of infection, and a cleaned workplace also maintains morale and a sense of professionalism.
Make provision for each employee to clean and maintain their own workstation or work areas.
The hygiene policy could include regular cleaning of surfaces with disinfectant. This would result in a drastic reduction of infection and illness. Policies typically also include keeping the area tidy and free of clutter.
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Click on the Infographic below for a larger version
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A Note About Hand Sanitizer
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While hand sanitizer may seem like an effective on-the-go solution for ridding yourself of germs, some studies do indicate that using it too frequently can do more harm than good. Actually, it’s because hand sanitizer is so effective at killing bacteria that it’s not ideal for everyday use. One 2018 study published in the journal Environment International found that it’s just as successful at spurring the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
So, what's the average person to do? How can we protect ourselves? Use hand sanitizer, or not?
According to Public Health Canada, the one of the best way to prevent respiratory and other illnesses is to use good hand hygiene measures, which includes frequent handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available
Public Health Canada and Infection Prevention and Control Canada further advise that if hands are not visibly dirty or if you do not have access to water, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol.
*Place enough alcohol-based hand rub into the cupped palm of one hand sufficient to wet both hands completely
* Rub the liquid into the palms, backs of hands, between fingers and under nails.
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Calling In Sick: It's The Right Thing To Do
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You wake up feeling that tickle in your throat and a bit achy, but you decide to tough it out. You rationalize the numerous reasons you can’t call in sick. You’ve got a big report. You’ve got a deadline. Or a big project to finish. So you go in. But you spend the day tired, cranky, miserable and completely unproductive. On top of that, you are generally the most contagious during the first one to three days of your cold symptoms.
You’ve had an unproductive day and you’ve potentially infected your fellow coworkers. The only thing worse than having one person under the weather is having an office filled with them.
A recent poll on Monster Canada’s website in November found that 1 in 6 Canadians go to work no matter their symptom severity. While on the other end of the spectrum, 1 in 5 says they stay home no matter what – taking care of themselves and ultimately their coworkers too.
And only 53.4 per cent of Canadians only take a sick day if their symptoms are severe, potentially spreading their illness to their coworkers!
But here’s what you should do: Seriously, don’t come to work if you are sick.
Employers should make their position on sick time and sick days very clear to employees. Make sure your employees know what they are allotted in terms of sick time. Be understanding and non-judgemental when employees call in sick. Don’t press for details, if not needed, and let the employee know that their health is very important to the success of your business.
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Can an Employee Stay Home From Work If They Or A Family Member Has Any Flu-Like Symptoms?
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Employment agreements or policies may provide an employee with a contractual entitlement to sick days or personal days, which they can exercise if they develop symptoms associated with Coronavirus, or other flu-like symptoms. The Alberta Employment Standards Code (“ESC”) also provides employees with up to 5 days of unpaid personal and family responsibility leave in each calendar year for the health benefit of themselves or a family member. As a result, employees experiencing flu-like symptoms may use these sick days to seek medical attention, convalesce, or provide care for an affected family member.
Employers have many questions like these; check out this bulletin by Field Law for more answers.
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