For months, corporations have struggled to do everything they can to remain open to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many companies, both large and small, have sought the recommendation of infectious disease experts to design consumer and personnel protection tactics.
“I went to the pros and said, “I want you to design a program for me,” said Aubey Yaphe, owner of Forest Hill Village Gym in Toronto.
When Yaphe sought to reopen his gym after Ontario entered the third stage, allowing gyms to function again, he asked Practice Health Check for help.
“Sometimes too much wisdom causes anxiety,” said Dr. Kevin Katz, medical director of the Toronto-based consulting firm.
Although there is no shortage of online data and recommendations on precautions, such as washing hands, dressing in a mask, maintaining physical distance, he said that each company had individual desires and challenges.
“The time has come to take a look at this, because the numbers (of cases) are at the bottom,” said Maja McGuire, president of the company.
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McGuire said the infection needs of organizations are different depending on the type of business, for example, the needs of a dental practice will be different from those of a law firm or retail store.
He said that while corporations can safely manage their front line with customers, they might not take the same precautions in places like dining rooms, where workers will relax.
“Sometimes the free hours when the mask is removed pose a higher risk,” McGuire told Global News.
Katz described a “Swiss” technique to make workplaces safer, explaining that more technical controls – adding fitness controls, transparent signage and a good enough education can reduce, but not completely, the risks.
In the case of Forest Hill Village Gym, one of the company’s customers, Katz claimed that owner Yaphe followed the most productive practices: the workstation is giant and well separated from the others, there are disinfectant wipes and trash cans.
“He’s very strict about protocols,” Katz said.