The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has developed guidelines for employers and employees within the Package and Delivery Workforce (e.g., United States Delivery Service, Amazon Delivery Service) to follow to limit the spread of Covid-19 during door to door delivery or curbside pickup.
While many businesses have continued their efforts to deliver necessary products and food for its customers, there is still a risk of potential exposure due to human to human contact during delivery or cross contamination of packaging. The following tips may help reduce exposure to workers and customers during delivery and packaging:
- Establish a minimal contact protocol for divers and customers to follow to limit physical interaction with one another (e.g., leaving deliveries at loading docks or doorsteps).
- Provide employees with proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
- Instruct employees how to properly wear, remove, and dispose of PPEs.
- Encourage respiratory etiquette and promote personal hygiene (e.g., frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes).
- Discourage workers from sharing tools and equipment if possible. If not, wipe down frequently shared tools and equipment with an alcohol-based wipe with at least 60 percent alcohol.
- Provide hand sanitizing stations or hand washing stations to workers.
- Provide cleaning products that are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency that claim to protect against the coronavirus.
- Implement a plan for employees to report any safety and health concerns and appropriate response (e.g., reporting any symptoms consistent with Covid-19, plans for workers who test positive for covid-19).
- Encourage employees to stay home if they are sick or have presented with symptoms of Covid-19.