COVID- 19 PREPAREDNESS PLAN

What Should Your Business Do?

In Minnesota, under the governor’s Executive Orders, businesses that have reopened are required to establish a COVID-19 Preparedness Plan. This includes both critical and non-critical businesses. It is important to mention that employees have a right to file a complaint against a company if the believe they have not been adequately protected or supported by their employer during this crises, opening up possibilities for litigation, files and audits.

Your business’s COVID-19 Preparedness Plan needs to establish and explain the policies, practices and conditions the business will implement to meet the industry guidance for the business, available at the Stay Safe Minnesota website (please visit at https://staysafe.mn.gov). The guidelines are based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) guidelines, federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards and applicable executive orders related to safety and health in their workplaces.

The plan should have the strong commitment of management and be developed and implemented with the participation of workers. Plans must be communicated to workers and posted at the workplace in a manner that is accessible for workers to review. Your COVID-19 Preparedness Plan must include and describe how your business will implement the following, in compliance with the general industry guidance or the specific industry guidance applicable to your business available at the Stay Safe Minnesota website (https://staysafe.mn.gov). 

  1. Policies and procedures that assist in the identification of sick workers and ensure sick workers stay home;
  2. Implementation of engineering and administrative protocols for social distancing;
  3. Worker hygiene and source controls, including face coverings;
  4. Workplace building and ventilation protocols;
  5. Workplace cleaning and disinfecting protocols;
  6. Drop-off, pick-up and delivery protections and protocols; and
  7. Communications and training practices and protocols.
 
In addition to the above, the plan must also include protections and protocols included in specific industry guidance applicable to your business for circumstances that are typical, unique or specific to the type of business, including the situations where exposure exists for workers and/or customers. These additional protections and protocols may include, as provided in the specific industry guidance, the following:
  1. Additional protections and protocols for customers, clients, guests and visitors;
  2. Additional protections and protocols for face coverings and personal protective equipment (PPE);
  3. Additional protections and protocol for access and assignment;
  4. Additional protections and protocol for sanitation and hygiene;
  5. Additional protections and protocols for work clothes and handwashing;
  6. Additional protections and protocol for distancing and barriers;
  7. Additional protections and protocols for managing occupancy;
  8. Additional protocols to limit face-to-face interaction;
  9. Additional protections for receiving or exchanging payment; and
  10. Additional protections and protocols for certain types of businesses within an industry.
There are templates available that may be used by businesses to develop a COVID-19 Preparedness Plan that includes the components listed above. A business’s plan should be developed to fit the business and the risks of transmission that are present in the business’s workplace(s). This template should be used with and must address the industry guidance developed by MDH and DLI. The industry guidance is available at the Stay Safe Minnesota website (https://staysafe.mn.gov). 
 
Culled From The Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry.
 

Disclaimer: This does not in any way serve as an advisory document. Consult with your attorney or legal adviser before taking an action.