Tips for Maintaining a Safe Work Environment

If you do determine that your business is providing essential and critical services, below are some industry best practices that can help keep your staff safe and minimize COVID-19 infection risks. 

• Allow employees who are uncomfortable working on site to stay home. (Some may have time-off they can use.)
• Be mindful of those employees currently receiving unemployment benefits that you have not called back yet. Given the number of people filing currently, it may be more difficult for them to reapply.
• Communicate and reinforce all safety protocols daily, via signage, text and email. Also, communicate why the work you are doing, day to day, is considered essential.
• Require frequent hand washing and provide adequate supplies of soap, hand sanitizer, paper towels, etc.
• Train designated personnel (possibly foreman) to answer safety and health questions from the public clearly and concisely. We recommend written safety rules to be carried with employees.
• In instances where employees are working on site, stagger start times to minimize proximity issues.
• Businesses should operate with the least amount of employees necessary.
• All employees should have their temperatures logged at the beginning and end of the workday.
• Enforce frequent sanitation of all common areas including kitchen areas, break rooms, cashier stations, storage rooms, carts, offices, restrooms, etc.
• Minimize the use of shared equipment, making sure to properly and fully sanitize all equipment after each use.
• Always maintain proper social distancing (6 feet), unless necessary. In the event, employees must work close to one another, for heavy lifting, etc., wear a face mask and gloves. Once separated, immediately wash/sanitize hands.

Being designated as a company allowed to perform work essential to the health and safety of the general public should be viewed as a privilege, not
an entitlement. This privilege is not one to be taken lightly, as the Governor’s office or local jurisdictions can certainly move quickly to cease ALL operations if proper safety measures are not being followed. It is important to understand that your compliance with these measures effects not only you and your company, but all nursery and greenhouse professionals across the state.

CNGA will continue to provide facts and information from credible sources during this strenuous time to assist all members to make the business decisions they alone must make. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide as much information as possible on our website, via email and through our Facebook page.

Thanks to the The Ohio Landscape Association for much of this information, which we have posted with modifications appropriate to Colorado's Stay at Home order.