As New Brunswick prepares to lift its pandemic restrictions, workplaces are being encouraged not to remove all of their measures too quickly.
WorkSafeNB says COVID-19 is not going away and will continue to circulate, along with other communicable diseases like seasonal influenza.
“We recommend you keep some of your current operational plan protocols, especially those that do not negatively impact operations,” WorkSafeNB said in a statement.
The Crown corporation said that could include things like barriers already erected or directional signage to reduce congestion points.
Continuing with supportive measures can help reduce anxiety by staff or visitors during the transition and in periods of higher risk, said WorkSafeNB.
The agency said workplaces must be prepared to implement additional measures “when the risk of communicable disease in your region or workplace is elevated.”
It also noted that businesses must have appropriate communicable disease precautions in place, such as hand hygiene facilities or sanitizer available, self-monitoring by workers for symptoms, along with cleaning and disinfection of the workplace.
The lifting of pandemic restrictions on Friday night will also see the end to mandatory masks in public spaces.
But the province said businesses and organizations may choose to maintain mask policies for those who enter their premises.
“Recognizing that some individuals are unable to wear a mask, the operator or organizer should respectfully offer alternative ways to access the services,” the province said in a 13-page guide entitled Living With COVID-19.
The guide offers similar recommendations as WorkSafeNB when it comes to encouraging businesses to keep protective barriers in place and to consider directional signage to indicate traffic flow.
