How to ensure the safety of employees in the office?

Safe office work – new guidelines

The implementation of new procedures allows to increase the safety of employees in the office and at the same time minimise the risk of infection of people in the company, contractors, customers or suppliers. The Chief Sanitary Inspectorate has developed specific guidelines for employers. They specify how to ensure security in the office space and list the procedures to be implemented in the event of a suspected coronavirus infection in employees or outsiders contacting employees. For office work, the CSI still recommends remote working: employees who can perform their duties at home should not visit the office more often than necessary. In the office space, the key issue is to keep the distance between employees: the latest guidelines state that the safe distance between workstations should be at least one and a half meters. In addition, regular sanitation and airing of the rooms is also necessary. All these rules, although they can be burdensome for the employer and employees, increase safety in the office space – that’s why it’s so important that everyone in the office follows them.

Distance in the office: how to keep a safe distance?

Office workstations should be set up in such a way as to enable employees to work safely and comfortably while maintaining the principle of social distance; they should also be equipped with additional plexiglass shields. Attention should be paid not only to the positioning of desks and chairs, but also to the circulation paths – they should be rearranged in such a way that employees can keep a safe distance when moving around in the office space.

Ventilation: how often do you ventilate rooms?

In buildings without mechanical ventilation, ventilate rooms regularly, i.e. for at least 10 minutes every full hour, by opening windows. It is also recommended that employees avoid poorly ventilated, crowded rooms – if there are many people working in one room, it is a good idea to move part of the team to another room.

Sanitation: why is it so important?

The coronavirus has the ability to remain on flat surfaces: social distance and ventilation will not be effective if all frequently used surfaces in the office are not regularly disinfected. Sneezing and coughing make germs invisible to the naked eye fall on handles, light switches, backrests of chairs or tables – that is why it is so important to regularly disinfect not only hands, but also office areas especially now. Disinfectant containers should be located so that they are accessible to all employees; it is also good practice to set up a contactless dispenser at the entrance to the office – this will benefit not only employees but also suppliers, couriers, contractors and customers visiting the office.

Acoustic booths – a way to safe office work

Modern acoustic booths are a proposal for all employers who want to take extra care of their employees. They’re an excellent alternative to additional rooms – if you can’t provide your employees with a room to work in isolation, invest in Hush booths . The soundproof enclosures are fully equipped and allow for comfortable work with simultaneous isolation from co-workers. The ventilation and lighting system ensures that work inside the booth does not give way to traditional office workstations – on the contrary, thanks to the excellent acoustic properties of the booth, it is possible to limit the penetration of unwanted sounds inside. Additionally, such enclosures can be equipped with a special antivirus coating – this is the most modern solution, implemented due to the pandemic, significantly increasing the safety of employees.

Antivirus coating: safe space under control

Disinfectants, although effective, are not most convenient when used regularly – they can irritate the respiratory tract and dry out the skin and cannot be used on all surfaces. In turn, ozonation may damage electronic devices. A modern proposal used in acoustic booths from the Hush family is a special antivirus coating – thus the most frequently used surfaces covered by it do not require additional disinfection.

The antivirus coating is a thin layer of titanium dioxide (IV) – a safe substance that is used, among other things, for the production of creams with UV filter. The photocatalytic properties of the coating cause the oxidation of organic pollutants, bacteria and viruses under the influence of light on its surface. They are decomposed into carbon dioxide, water and simple inorganic ions. The coating itself is non-toxic, invisible and odourless – undetectable during everyday use of flat surfaces. Thanks to its properties, it can protect against viruses and bacteria for at least 12 months. The coating system, due to the use of state-of-the-art technology, not only removes germs, but also purifies the air and neutralises odours. The photocatalytic properties and performance of this solution have been scientifically proven – the coating is the best option for disinfecting frequently used office spaces. The application of the coating in acoustic booths makes them suitable for use by all employees without the need for sanitation after each use of the booth.