The Occupational Health and Safety Act requires employers to take all reasonable precautions to protect the health and safety of their employees. Some helpful tips to maintain a safe workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic include:
- Providing personal protective equipment for employees to use in the workplace, such as masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and face shields
- Implementing a reasonable policy mandating the use of masks when employees are moving around the workplace
- Rearranging the workplace to abide by social distancing principles
- Providing accommodations for employees to work from home if they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 until they receive a negative COVID-19 test
- Following all public health rules and guidelines.
It is important for employers to take all reasonable precautions to maintain a safe workplace for their employees, well as to avoid any potential liability.