The outbreak of the COVID-19 virus caused businesses in many places to temporarily suspend operations. Yet some mailrooms do continue to process high volumes of correspondence and packages. Companies that attend mail equipment sales maintain a strong interest in safety. What steps can managers take to assist everyone in a mailroom setting during the epidemic?
Understanding Transmission
The CDC has provided extensive FAQs to assist the public in preventing the spread of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Unfortunately, many questions about the virus still remain unanswered. This new contagious illness has not posed a significant problem for people until recently.
The CDC does caution the virus sometimes passes from one person to another. Infected people coughing or sneezing potentially spread droplets containing the virus, for example. Additionally, Novel Coronavirus can survive for some periods of time on certain surfaces.
An unprotected sneeze from someone infected with the illness might allow droplets containing virus to land on surfaces in the immediate vicinity. If other people contact these sites (while the virus still remains infective), they might in turn fall sick. The CDC prepared detailed guidelines for people to follow if they reside in close contact with someone suffering from COVID-19.
Some Useful Mail Room Tips
Some people sustain significant problems from COVID-19, while others experience only mild symptoms. Consequently, potentially infected employees might show up for work without realizing they had contracted the illness. A risk exists a sick mail room worker could transmit the virus to many others. Consider these suggestions:
- Request any employee who feels unwell to remain at home and recover.
- Ask employees to maintain at least six feet of distance between one another to minimize the possibility of spreading the virus.
- Emphasize cleaning and sanitation at the workplace. Disinfect door handles, light switches, counters, tabletops, equipment, and other surfaces that might harbor residues from sneezing or coughing. Sanitize restrooms frequently.
- Ask employees to wash their hands frequently with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizers. If employees have unknowingly touched surfaces contaminated with virus, washing helps remove this material.
- Consider implementing some of the same measures adopted by the U.S. Postal Service to protect mail handlers during the epidemic, if possible.
Possibly, the CDC or other health organizations will issue specific mail room processing guidelines in the future. New information about the epidemic becomes available over time.
