Even as we return to work and things begin to try and approach “normal”, America is still in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that means we all have to keep being safe.

While information and data on the virus seems to change by the day, certain safety measures still need to be adhered to in the workplace to protect yourself and those around you from potential illness, and that applies just as strongly to warehouses as it does anywhere else.

Warehouse workers in particular were among the first to be considered “essential”, as their job duties allowed many other businesses to continue functioning, as well as their role in providing needed supplies and groceries to the people that needed them most. As a result, increased precaution is needed in busy warehouses in order to keep the workers and products within as safe as possible.

Four Warehouse Worker Dos & Don’ts During COVID-19

DO: Perform frequent temperature checks

Ideally, every warehouse is taking care to check for the health of their workers as they arrive for the day. If your warehouse has provided things like a thermometer to take your temperature as you arrive, make sure to check yourself every day to maintain an idea of how you’re feeling and what your risk of contagion may be.

DON’T: Try to “tough it out” when you’re sick

There’s a strong culture in America of just “working through” an illness, and while you think it might carry favor with the suits, there’s never been a worse time to ‘tough it out’ than right now. If your temperature reads outside of safe levels, or if you just plain old don’t feel good, tell your boss immediately and either return home or just stay home altogether.

DO: Social distance the best you can

We all know how crowded warehouses can be, and it can be tough to adhere to CDC safety guidelines when everyone is crowded amongst the racks and shelves. Try to make a plan for your warehouse to spread their warehouse shelving and pallet racks out farther than before to allow for greater spacing between workers, decreasing the risk of anything getting shared unknowingly amongst your staff.

DON’T: Crowd in any given area

We all look forward to our lunches and breaks throughout the day, but with the realities of safe distancing during COVID-19, we’ll all have to be a little more careful about when we take them. Stagger your arrival times and lunch breaks to make sure there’s not too many workers in any one given area, and keep everyone spaced out even if they’re not on the clock.

DO: Wipe down all devices as needed

While the jury is still out on just how fast COVID-19 can spread on surfaces, it’s always a good idea to wipe down anything you may have to share with your fellow workers, including RFID scanners, tablets, laptops, and the like. Whenever you’re done using a handheld device in the warehouse, wipe it down with something that can kill bacteria before you hand it off.

DON’T: Share things like you used to

In most warehouses, we know how many warehouse tools and supplies get passed around, like scanners and mobile devices. A little restraint may start to be necessary in these situations, however – workers should be a little more cautious about keeping their devices to themselves and using the same tools every time to help reduce the possible spread of anything.

DO: Seek feedback and input from your team

The response to COVID-19 has taken a number of forms, and as we learn more about the disease, these responses will inevitably change and grow over time. One of the best ways to see how your current methods are working is to solicit feedback from your team on the floor – see how safe/prepared they feel, see if any of the changes are proving to be a massive hindrance for productivity, and the like.

DON’T: Despair

It can be really easy to start feeling pretty hopeless about this whole thing. As difficult as it may seem sometimes, keeping a positive outlook on everything can go a long way towards keeping yourself motivated and ready to face whatever else this strange new world might throw at you.