Safely returning to the places that we shop, work, and play
As we continue to monitor and train our team on the COVID-19 outbreak, we’ve seen changes across the US within stay-at-home orders and the slow re-entry back into the workforce. As the retail industry begins re-opening, with businesses and shopping centers rapidly preparing for shoppers and patrons, it’s important to set new guidelines to utilize in conjunction with your county, city, or state’s specific protocols.
ESCFederal’s 8-Point Re-Entry Guidelines
Some areas of the US are more impacted than others. It is important to note that there is no single methodology for creating safe environments. As a leading provider of Integrated Facility Services to high-end retail, resort, gaming, and commercial properties, we know how important it is to develop a re-entry plan tailored to your property’s unique operational needs as well as to local government and CDC guidelines. Every portfolio and each building have unique requirements based on size, function, and guidelines provided by individual municipalities and states.
The following guidelines are to be used as general recommendations for your retail or commercial property. Partnered alongside your specific locale requirements, these guidelines are meant to keep your cleaning staff, employees, and patrons as safe as possible.
- Upfront Disinfecting Deep Clean – a deep clean with a focus on EPA-approved disinfecting is required.
- Social Distancing – the CDC recommends six-feet distances between employees and all customers.
- Set Up “Sanitization Stations” – install hand sanitizer stations in major walkways, break rooms, lounge areas, etc.
- Create Signage for Customers & Employees – remind all team members and customers of new protocols and proper social distancing messaging.
- Daily Disinfecting Services – disinfect high touchpoints of your property daily, like light switches, elevator buttons, etc.
- Masks Worn by Employees, Guests, & Customers – provide all employees with an adequate number of masks along with other vital PPE.
- Schedule Recurring Disinfecting Deep Cleans – schedule weekly, recurring disinfecting deep cleans beyond the normal scope of daily cleaning.
- Make High-Touch Items Require No Touch – wherever reasonable, consider moving to hands-free options, like removing garbage bin lids, etc.
Read the full ESCFederal 8-Point Re-Entry Guidelines here.
How to Implement Our Re-Entry Guidelines
The above plan spells out the primary changes for safe re-entry to your property. However, you need a customized plan and tailored approach to communication for these guidelines to be effective.
Create a Tailored Plan: The safety of your patrons and employees is your number one priority when it comes to re-opening your property. ESCFederal can help you with this tailored approach. Make sure to include input from health officials, as well as all other stakeholders like tenants and landlords. Consider hours of operation, sanitization training and procedures, screening tests, and other measures like temperature checks when creating your plan. And, don’t forget to include amended plans in case your property has to close again due to a new outbreak of COVID-19.
Communicate Effectively: Once your plan has been set with ESCFederal, with all guidelines adhering to health department guides and locale protocols, it’s time to communicate with all relevant parties. Provide your re-opening plan to all parties involved to ensure the safety of stakeholders, staff, and patrons. Sharing relevant information in a transparent way consistently is key to effective communication, and makes sure all parties are aware of plans and any changes during the pandemic.
Safely Re-Enter with ESCFederal
At ESCFederal, the health and safety of our customers, vendor partners, and employees is our number one priority, and our hope in sharing this information is that it may be of assistance to others. For more information, or to see the entire ESCFederal Guidelines for Re-Entry document, contact us today. And remember to be flexible in your operations and practices, as necessary changes during to COVID-19 mitigation may evolve during re-opening. ESCFederal is here to help you safely return to the places that we shop, work, and play.
