How to Keep Your Family Safe if You Go Back to Work and They’re Still at Home

Many essential workers have continued to go to their jobs each day during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you’re one of them, you might have been exposed to the virus during work and are rightfully concerned about your health and safety and your family’s well-being. As you transition from your work life to your home life, keep these suggestions in mind for simple daily habits you should acquire. They will help you keep everyone as safe as possible:

Before you leave for work

  • Remove your watch and jewelry.
  • While you may wear your street clothes to work, take your work clothes in a washable bag, along with a pair of shoes that are easy to clean and can be left at work or in the car.
  • Take your lunch in a disposable bag.
  • Practice proper hand hygiene: wet, lather, scrub for 30 seconds, rinse, and dry with a clean towel or air dryer.

While you’re at work

  • Disinfect your phone, ID badge, safety glasses, ear protection, and any other work supplies regularly.
  • If you are touching any objects and surfaces frequently, wash your hands properly.
  • No handshakes or high-fives.
  • Disinfect your lunch space before and after you eat.
  • Practice social distancing, which means staying at least 6 feet away from other people and avoiding groups of more than ten people.
  • Wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) like gloves or a mask as directed.

After you’ve finished working

  • Once again, disinfect your phone, ID badge, eyewear, and any work supplies, leaving whatever you can at work.
  • Handle any possibly contaminated items–shoes, work bags, work clothes, etc.—very carefully.
  • Put work clothes into the dirty clothes bag in the trunk of your car and then immediately into the washing machine when you get home.
  • Wash your work clothes and dirty clothes bag with detergent.
  • Leave your work shoes at work, outside the home, or in the trunk of your car.
  • Keep your street clothes and shoes in a clean and washable bag, and keep them separate from your work clothes.
  • Shower right after you arrive at home.

Keep asking yourself what you can do to decrease your risk of exposure while you’re working. Don’t take chances. If you aren’t sure if you’ve come into contact with surfaces or objects that are frequently touched, err on the side of caution and use these suggestions to keep you and your family out of harm’s way.

Will you be looking for a new job after it’s safe to return?

Look at our staffing agency for your next job. Contact the experts at Select Staff, a leader among job recruiters and temp agencies in Dallas and throughout Texas.

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