5 Safety and Hi Vis Workwear Products That Can Help Manage Social Distancing

We’ve all been searching for ways to stay safe in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. At home, we maintain social distancing and practice routine hand-washing to ensure that we don’t spread germs to others. When we go to work, it’s often a different story. Job sites are among the most vulnerable places for the spread of disease, especially when employees are required to work together in close proximity.

What can we do to help ourselves and our employees manage social distancing and slow the spread of the virus? We must follow all guidelines set forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) while also paying close attention to the general guidelines for businesses from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We can also purchase apparel and equipment to help remind our workforce to follow best practices.

Some of the items you may want to use to help manage workplace social distancing and employee wellness include:

1. High Visibility Clothing – We wear high visibility gear each day to ensure that we’re visible to motorists and those operating heavy machinery, but our hi vis apparel can also keep us clearly visible to others to help maintain social distance. This is especially helpful for those who tend to work in the dark, inclement weather and other low-lit conditions to prevent collisions and getting too close to others. One excellent option for staying visible is to wear a high visibility safety vest that can be thrown on over other PPE and uniforms to alert others to stay six feet away.

2. Face Masks – While face masks might not help team members maintain physical distance, they are essential for helping to slow the spread of the virus. The CDC recommends using cloth face coverings to help prevent the virus from transmitting from person to person, especially in places where community-based transmission is high. Workers may want to wear a face gaiter to prevent spreading germs and also provide some protection from the elements.

3. Labels and Indicators – In order to keep workers at least six feet apart, labels should be used on the floor or walls. Wherever possible, encourage employees to stay six feet apart and to stand in designated task areas to ensure that they don’t encroach on another worker’s space. Labels should be placed throughout the job site, from the work area to elevators, stairs, bathrooms and anywhere people may congregate or form a line. Even hard hat stickers can be used to further build awareness.

4. Barriers – Temporary physical barriers like barricade tape can help ensure that team members do not physically interact while at work. Some great temporary barriers to consider are sheetrock, plastic sheeting, and portable plexiglass panels that are easy to move from one area of your facility to another. Just remember to routinely disinfect these barriers throughout the day or after each person touches them.

5. Signage – We all do our best to maintain social distance and follow the proper safety protocols, but sometimes we forget. In order to keep employees the proper distance apart and to help them remember to follow important safety precautions, hang signage with reminders throughout your facility.

As we all wait patiently for things to go back to normal, it’s crucial that we do everything we can to protect our communities from the spread of the coronavirus and other viruses. By using the appropriate safety apparel and equipment, you can encourage workers to maintain social distance and practice good habits in order to keep themselves and others safe and healthy.