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Employers & Businesses

Information for businesses and operations during the pandemic.

Last updated: April 13, 2022

The advice below is based on current recommendations and may change. Please check back often for recent updates from the Office of the Provincial Health Officer, Ministry of Health, WorkSafeBC, and BC Centre for Disease Control.

Updates

 

Wearing a mask is a personal choice is most indoor public spaces. Masks are still required in some situations like visiting healthcare facilities or on federally-regulated transportation like airplanes or trains. Masks are encouraged in some settings like public transportation. 


Some businesses, workplaces or events may choose to require that masks be used on their premises. It’s important that we respect the choices of people, businesses and one another.

Children under the age of two should not wear masks.


Read a review of the efficacy of masks from the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health.

 
  • Employees should practice good hand hygiene including frequent hand washing, as well as coughing or sneezing into your elbow rather than hands.
  • Provision of alcohol-based hand rubs for patrons is recommended.
  • Ensure washrooms are stocked with liquid soap and paper towels at all times, and that warm running water is available.

 
WorkSafeBC is recommending all employers maintain a clean environment through routine cleaning processes that are appropriate for their industry and work practices. 

Questions to be addressed in the Communicable Disease and Prevention Plan are:
  • What is the cleaning schedule at your workplace?
  • Who is responsible for cleaning?
  • Do cleaners have appropriate supplies and training to do their job effectively and safely?
Food businesses are required to have a Food Safety Plan and a Sanitation Plan under the Food Premises Regulation. More information about developing an appropriate sanitation plan.

Document and follow cleaning practices that will reduce risks of communicable disease and food-borne illness. This may include more frequent cleaning of high touch surfaces, such as POS systems, bulk bin handles, garbage can lids, elevator buttons, high touch surfaces on bottled water filling machine, etc.

For further information about surface (fomite) transmission risk, see this evidence review from NCCEH: Fomites and the COVID-19 pandemic: An evidence review on its role in viral transmission

 

Physical distancing: Physical distancing is no longer needed. Measures put in place by businesses, such as plexiglass barriers, may stay in place if they do not interfere with normal business operations (there is no requirement to have these removed). 


Ventilation: a well-ventilated workplace will limit transmission of some communicable diseases, such as the flu and COVID-19. Employers are required to review the ventilation within their workplace to limit communicable disease spread.


Resources and information about ventilation:


If an employee has symptoms of COVID-19, they should stay home and use the When to get tested for COVID-19 resource or the BC Self-Assessment Tool to see if they need to get tested.


  • If they test positive and are fully vaccinated, self-isolate for 5 days. They can return to work if their symptoms have improved and they no longer have a fever.
  • If they test positive for COVID-19 and not fully vaccinated, self-isolate for 10 days. They can return to work if their symptoms have improved and they no longer have a fever.
  • If not tested, they should stay home until they feel well enough to return to your regular activities.

A doctor's note or test result are not required to return to work.


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