Social distancing + your business

Your workplace should be arranged so that employees can keep social distancing of 1.5m between them. If it isn’t possible for your staff to work 1.5m apart, then physical barriers and the appropriate PPE will be needed for their safety.

Mark queuing and serving areas every 1.5m.

Employees must wear cloth face masks or some form of cloth covering their mouth and nose. Tell everyone, both consumers and suppliers, to wear masks while inside your premises.

Each employee should have access to hand sanitiser, soap, and clean water to use for their hands as well as a disinfectant to sanitise their work area

You should provide only paper towels to dry hands with, not fabric. Please ensure that they can throw these away straight after use.

Employers must ensure that each employee regularly washes and sanitises their hands while at work.

Separate entrance and exit points to your store will be required if possible. If you can, serve customers from a counter or window.

Place easily-seen leaflets or posters about the dangers of the virus, how it spreads, and behaviour that prevents it. These include personal hygiene, social distancing, use of masks, cough etiquette, and where to go for testing or screening.

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, the store must get fresh air from an air-conditioner or even an open window.

Hand sanitiser with at least 70% alcohol content should be available for free, with enough for all of your customers and employees to use. This hand sanitiser must be available at the entrance, and all interactions between your employees and the public should happen with hand sanitiser available for them.

STOPPING THE SPREAD

YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CUSTOMERS

As you know, your customers keep your business alive. Here’s how to act responsibly to keep them healthy and safe – and make sure that they do the same for you.

Make sure there’s at least 1.5m space between customers at all times.

Appoint a member of your team to make sure that customers are maintaining social distancing and are wearing their masks while queuing

Control the number of customers inside your outlet at any time so that there’s enough space to keep 1.5m between them, and between customers and staff.

Allocate a space with empty crates for customers to return their empties, so that this doesn’t need to involve staff.

Don’t let customers hang around or socialise outside of your business before or after they’ve made their purchase. You have the right and responsibility to ask them to move away at this point.

If your outlet is on the same property as your home, don’t let employees go into the home area or let your family come into the liquor outlet

Sanitise your card machine every time a customer uses it

Don’t let customers bring children or pets to your store

Never sell more units of alcohol to one customer than you’re legally allowed to.

STOPPING THE SPREAD

YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO STAFF

As an employer, you have a responsibility to keep your employees safe from situations that could compromise their health – so that they, in turn, can protect their loved ones, your customers, and the larger community. These are some of the ways in which you must adapt your business for employee safety.

Disinfect all work surfaces before work begins, during the work period, and again after work ends.

Clean and disinfect all areas such as toilets, common areas, door handles, and shared electronic equipment regularly.

Clean and disinfect surfaces that employees and the public come into contact with.

Teach employees about the correct way to wear a cloth mask.

Ask your employees to wear their masks at work and on the way to and from work.

Employees must wash and sanitise their hands regularly.

Employees who work with the public must sanitise their hands each time they’re in contact with the public.

If an employee shows symptoms of COVID-19, they shouldn’t come to work. If they develop symptoms while at work, they need to go to get tested, and not return to work until they test negative.

Make it clear to your employees that if they experience symptoms of COVID-19, they must not enter the workplace or report for work. If they start to experience symptoms while at work, they should feel comfortable to tell you so that you can act to help them.

An affected employee should only return to work when they have tested negative for COVID-19 and must continue to practice strict personal hygiene, wearing of masks, social distancing, and cough etiquette.

WHAT IF AN EMPLOYEE

GETS COVID-19

If a member of your team gets sick, they need medical attention as soon as possible, and you have an important role to play in ensuring that they get that care. If you suspect that yourself or a team member is ill, acting quickly, correctly and with care can save lives.

If an employee shows symptoms of COVID-19, they shouldn’t come to work. If they develop symptoms while at work, they need to go to get tested, and not return to work until they test negative.

Screen employees for symptoms when they begin work. These include fever, cough, sore throat, redness of eyes and shortness of breath.

Employees should report to you if they feel any of the following symptoms: body aches, loss of smell, loss of taste, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fatigue, weakness, or tiredness.

If you think an employee is at risk of having contracted Covid-19, they must go for screening before you can allow them to come to work.

Remain calm. If you need help you can contact the COVID-19 hotline at 0800 02 9999 for guidance.

If someone who works for you has been diagnosed with COVID-19, tell the Department of Health and the Department of Employment and Labour immediately.

Any contact tracing measure done by the Department of Health will need your support.

Place any of your staff diagnosed with COVID-19 on paid sick leave or, if they have none, make an application for an illness benefi t from the COVID-19 Temporary Employer Relief Scheme.

If you think an employee contracted Covid-19 as a result of their job, lodge a claim in terms of the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act

Place any of your staff diagnosed with COVID-19 on paid sick leave or, if they have none, make an application for an illness benefi t from the COVID-19 Temporary Employer Relief Scheme.