Health and safety agency posts free e-course on how to reopen businesses

HAMILTON – The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety has released a guide for employers to reopen their businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The online course walks business owners, managers and employees through preparations to return safely to the office, the warehouse and the factory floor.

Topics include how the coronavirus spreads, cleaning and disinfection protocols, and the impact of a pandemic on mental health.

Anne Tennier, who heads the occupational health centre, says organizations are looking for information and guidance.

The ultimate goal of the course, dubbed “Pandemic Planning: Reopening for Business” and available at the centre’s website, is to minimize the spread of infection while getting Canadians back to work.

The outbreak forced thousands of businesses to close their doors and implement work-from-home policies, but many are starting to contemplate how to return to the workplace while maintaining public health protocols.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 17, 2020