National Safety Council to Offer Post-Pandemic Reopening Guides

Employers looking for guidance on reopening after a coronavirus shutdown are the focus of a new effort coordinated by the National Safety Council.

The council, with the participation of multinational companies, government agencies, and safety and health organizations, is initiating the Safe Actions for Employee Returns (SAFER) program. Business representatives include AECOM, BNSF Railway Co., Cummins Inc., Dow, McDonald’s Corp., and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Representing workplace health interests are the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and professional organizations. Unions will have a voice through the council’s Labor Division.

The goal is to soon start issuing a series of best practices for employers to follow as they bring workers back and open for customers, said Lorraine Martin, president of the council, headquartered in Itasca, Ill.

Many of the employers joining have started to reopen locations in Asia and have practical advice to share.

“Everyone is going to need this resource,” Martin told Bloomberg Law. SAFER will start with general advice and move toward industry-specific information, she said.