Page 57 - OHS, November/December 2020

smaller businesses, it may mean prioritizing investments that will have the greatest impact and creating a long-term plan to implement additional protections. At all organizations, it means an unwavering focus on keeping workers safe and minimizing productivity disruptions.
Finding that right mix of employee-centric efforts driven by strategic business decisions is key. There is no one-size-fits- all approach. In response to this pandemic, many employers devoted considerable resources to employee health and safety with actions like comprehensive symptom screenings or accepting significant productivity disruptions. These sacrifices were necessary at the outset of the pandemic, but in most cases are not sustainable.
Effective protections can be developed and implemented in a more strategic way. In a post-COVID world, organizations must develop policies rooted in evidenced-based solutions that foster a safer workplace and drive cost savings. They must integrate these COVID-19 protocols into broader, ongoing health and safety initiatives. As employers seek out these solutions, there are a few key areas to focus their efforts to enhance workplace health and safety and minimize the devastating effects of the pandemic going forward.
Focus on the Flu Shot
Every year, tens of thousands of Americans die from influenza, according to the Centers for Disease Control.2 The flu shot is a critical tool in preventing the spread of this annual threat. This year, it’s more important than ever. Research has shown that the influenza vaccine can reduce the chances of severe illness with COVID-19. It’s a critical proactive workplace health and safety tool.
Yet a certain percentage of the population remains reluctant to get it due to lingering misconceptions about how vaccines work. This year, others may not want to visit their doctor’s office or clinics and risk potential COVID-19 exposure. Employers can play a key role in making it as easy as possible for workers to get the flu shot by offering the vaccination on-site.
Make the Business Case for Wellness
As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, many organizations saw a significant decrease in their workforce with employees or employees with family members who were classified as high-risk due to conditions like diabetes, serious heart disease and high blood pressure opting to stay home to reduce the possibility of contracting the virus. The long-term benefits of proactive wellness programs have been well-established. But with the pandemic, the immediate financial impact of workers suffering from preventable health conditions became even more clear.
Now is the time for organizations and occupational health and safety professionals to prioritize wellness initiatives including disease management, weight management, hypertension, smoking cessation and more. There’s a tangible business case to be made, and employees are more likely to be receptive to resources and initiatives that help them improve their own health.
Get Communications Right
As the challenges of COVID-19 evolve and guidelines shift, communication remains a fundamental tool in efforts to protect
workers. Fostering education, engagement and buy-in for COVID-19 policies and all occupational health and safety efforts is essential. Employers have an opportunity to provide clear, actionable information and policies that cut through scientific jargon, media white noise and political spin.
Whether it is details on the flu shot, a new wellness initiative or the latest COVID-19 guidelines, these messages should be conveyed via the channels employees are already using. It should be engaging and must compel employees to take action and better understand a policy or protocol. In some cases, that means providing rationale behind COVID-19 protocols like distancing or masks, spelling out key details for how many employees can be in an elevator at once or sharing specific rules around entering and exiting the building.
Harnessing the Impact of Integrated
Health and Safety Solutions
COVID-19 has underscored the value of comprehensive occupational healthcare services that integrate all aspects of effective health and safety at all levels of the organization. More companies are looking to onsite occupational medical practices to provide that complete and in-depth perspective. The right onsite medical team can provide the right people, processes and protocols to develop a comprehensive approach to all aspects of occupational health and safety, from injury care and case management to compliance and wellness and prevention. Just as critically, this team can help provide strategy in developing an overarching approach to occupational health and safety and serve as an onsite expert and authority in sharing key information with frontline employees and company leaders alike.
COVID-19 has created a new urgency around ensuring the health and safety of workers at all levels. Even the organizations with the most advanced safety cultures and policies are reevaluating how best to protect their entire workforce. Many employers whose operations led them to focus more on injury are now placing stronger emphasis on illness prevention and protection.
A vast majority of employers have met this challenge head- on and created a safe and consistent workforce for employees to return to work. Companies have incorporated the latest guidelines into their return-to-work plans, and they have pivoted when the science or those recommendations changed. It is a testament to their commitment to their employees. Going forward, there is an opportunity to maintain that commitment and foster a healthier workforce in a post-COVID world. Health and safety professionals and company leaders have a key role to play in ensuring ongoing COVID-19 protections are effectively incorporated into broader health and safety efforts.
Dr. Kusti is the Regional Medical Director for Pivot Onsite Innovations. With more than 10 years of occupational medical experience, Dr. Kusti provides oversight of Onsite Innovations full suite of occupational health care services.
REFERENCES
1. https://www.ncci.com/Articles/Pages/Insights-COVID-19-WorkersComp- Modeling-Potential-Impacts.pdf
2. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/index.html
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 | Occupational Health & Safety 51