PCEC News
Occupational Safety & Health Professor and Alumni Host COVID-19 Safety Webinar for the Manufacturing Industry
June 11, 2020
Professor Derek McCormick co-led a webinar with Deb Ziel, a GVSU Occupational Safety & Health Management program graduate now working as a Senior Consultant for the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA). The webinar, “COVID-19 Manufacturing Industry Guidelines,” provided important information on health and safety procedures for employers reopening as the Michigan shelter in place order for Coronavirus began to lift.
Employers should base COVID-related health and safety decisions and protocols on current orders from the State of Michigan along with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and MIOSHA recommendations.
General workplace requirements covered in the presentation included developing a COVID-19 preparedness and response plan, personal protective equipment (PPE) recommendations and requirements, and cleaning and screening protocols. These guidelines are designed to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19, keeping workers safe and reducing the potential for spread of the disease.
To reduce the risk of infection, employers should implement a plan for the isolation of sick persons, facilitate cloth face coverings, and initiate a screening plan for employees entering the workplace. Additionally, procedures for cleaning shared equipment and spaces, along with the entire facility should be developed.
Further safety precautions should also be taken; the number of workers in a space must be kept as low as possible, and contact should be as minimal as possible. Workers should be educated on how to use their PPE and other ways that they can stay safe and healthy, including maintaining at least six feet of distance or providing barriers, and proper sanitation. Should anyone develop symptoms, a plan must be in pace to notify managers and protect other workers from exposure.
If you have further questions about COVID-19 safety procedures, please contact Professor McCormick at [email protected] or reach out to MIOSHA by calling 855-SAFEC19 (855-723-3219).