How to ReOpen Business after COVID Shutdown


Most of us are faced with resolving how to safely and effectively reopen a business during this unprecedented COVID-19 shutdown. Our team has consolidated our best industry practices with those from OSHA, CDC, WHO, and EPA to create a master reference page. 

This is an ongoing task; we welcome readers to share their own strategies for how to reopen business after COVID, and then also to return to watch for updates.

JetBlue Hand Sanitizer Dispenser

COVID-19 Products

  1. General Workplace Safety 
    • Evaluate your workspace to determine which surfaces need to be cleaned (according to the CDC, if surfaces have been untouched for more than 7 days, they only require typical cleaning; COVID-19 has not been shown to survive for longer than 7 days on most surfaces).
      • Keep supplies and guidelines available for frequently-touched surfaces that will need to be disinfected regularly during business hours.
    • Be sure to clean with CDC-approved disinfectants.
    • Evaluate whether you should consider taking employee temperatures and/or testing them for COVID-19.
      • Consider logistics of this testing, privacy issues for your employees, how to store the test results, etc.
    • Consider minimizing exposure from staffing overlap by adjusting work schedules, shifting to flex hours, etc.
    • Ensure that appropriate Personal Protective Equipment is available for employees that work in close proximity to each other or customers.
    • Prioritize the order of returning employees with liability and function in mind (age, medical conditions, family).
    • Will you require employees to wear masks?
      • Will you be providing masks to your workers? Can they bring their own?\
      • What are the guidelines? Are they full coverage masks, or bandannas?
      • Will this apply to all employees, or just a select group? (eg, only at check out stands, etc.)
      • How should they clean the masks?
      • How should they dispose of used masks?
      • Consider your policies for employee non-compliance.
    • Will you require employees to wear disposable gloves?
    • How will you deal with deliveries to your facility? 
      • Will you clean new deliveries?
      • Will you require delivery personnel to wear masks?
      • How will they sanitize their hands, pens, etc.?
    • Do you have sanitizer dispensers at all high-traffic, essential locations?
  2. Social Distancing for Employee-to-Employee Interactions
    • Do you need reminder signs, plastic barriers or sanitizer dispensers in break-rooms, bathrooms, conference rooms, etc?
    • Do you need floor spacing or flow control guidelines between desks and in hallways, or in lunchrooms, etc?
    • Should you move desks farther apart, or add plastic barriers and/or sneeze guards between desks?
  3. Social Distancing for Employee-to-Customer Interactions
    • Do you need plastic barriers at check-out stands or counters?
    • Do you need signage on the floor to help with spacing for lines, entry ways and/or aisles?
    • Do you need signage on any walls to remind everyone of safe practices?
  4. Social Distancing for Customer-to-Customer Interactions
    • Do you need floor spacing signage to ensure safe distance?
    • Consider your policies for customer non-compliance?
  5. Policies
    • Prepare a policy guideline for COVID-19, detailing handwashing frequency, respiratory etiquette (cover your mouth when sneezing, etc.), and discourage employees from unnecessary contact.
    • Some employees may feel unsafe to return to work for varying reasons. How will you approach this?
      • Some may have high risk medical factors, or family at home with those factors.
      • Some may want hazardous duty pay.
    • Create a plan for anyone exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. Be prepared to put them in-touch with medical resources if needed.

Our team is here to help you prepare. We can provide the following high-quality COVID-19 Products to help you ensure a safe environment for your customers and employees during and after the pandemic lockdown.
  • Hand Sanitizer Dispensers
  • Sneeze Guards
  • Wall Signs
  • Free-standing Signage
  • Floor Decals
  • Branded Face Masks


More Resources related to How to Re-Open Business after COVID-19 Shutdown:

WHO (World Health Organization) guideline for preparing  your business for COVID-19

CDC guideline for businesses during COVID-19.

OSHA guideline for Preparing Workspaces for COVID-19.

EPA List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2 

Discussion of WHO guideline for Mass Gatherings