Utah Valley Chamber Makes Recommendations For Opening Businesses
Apr 22, 2020, 12:38 PM | Updated: 7:50 pm
PROVO, Utah – The Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce released a detailed list of recommendations for ways businesses can safely reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Officials released a “Safe to Work” document of best practices Wednesday.
Their recommendations rely heavily on the use of personal protection equipment and social distancing from workers and customers to controlling the spread of the disease.
In a news release from the Chamber, they emphasized that any reopening of the economy should happen thoughtfully and in accordance with the state’s “Utah Leads Together” plan, as guided by sound public health data.
The recommendations could be updated or changed based on information from health and elected officials, according to the release.
The Chamber encourages businesses to allow any employee who can work from home to continue doing so.
As the reopening is phased in, workers would expect to wear masks and sanitize all hard surfaces every two hours. The document said employees should have their temperature checked regularly and work staggered schedules and in staggered groups.
Among the best practices were recommendations focused on restaurants, giving a glimpse at how dining out will become a new experience for customers.
Restaurant staff, the Chamber said, should be required to get tested for coronavirus before returning to work. Staff temperatures would be logged and available for inspection by health departments.
Restaurants should also take the names and phone numbers of waiting customers, they said, to help with contact tracing should the need arise. Waiting areas would be limited to 10 people. The customers would also be asked to wait for a table outside or in their cars, rather than congregating in lobbies or waiting areas. They would then get a text indicating a table is ready.
Tables inside should be spaced more than six feet apart, the Chamber recommended, and restaurant playgrounds would remain closed.
The recommendations would need approval from the Utah County Health Department.
The full document of recommendations can be viewed at thechamber.org/safetowork.
