Business and industry owners learned more about the guidelines required for reopening during a Thursday morning Zoom conference with the Christian County Chamber of Commerce.
The conference hosted by Chamber Director Kelli Pendleton, with Christian County Health Department officials and Emergency Manager Randy Graham joining in to answer questions.
As places begin to reopen there are a number of minimum requirements and some sector-specific requirements that are being released daily by Governor Andy Beshear. One of the minimum requirements is that employees are asked to wear masks.
Jennifer Watkins, lead nurse at the health department answered a question about how long certain masks can be used.
Watkins adds fabric masks are acceptable and masks that require filters are only needed for medical professionals or anyone dealing with a patient that has tested positive for COVID-19.
Graham says there is a way that N95 masks can be cleaned by using the Battelle system that is set up in Louisville.
More information about the Battelle system can be obtained through the Chamber.
Kayla Bebout, director of the health department, says another recommendation is that every business should have a Health Officer.
Bebout stresses that every business should continue checking the guidelines as things are constantly changing.
She adds they will continue to check out every report of non-compliance that comes in.
Find all current Healthy at Work guidelines below the video.
To report non-compliance at any Kentucky business, click here.
- Construction
- Horse Racing (No Fans)
- Manufacturing & Distribution
- Office-Based Businesses (50%)
- Pet Grooming / Boarding
- Photography
- Vehicle or Vessel Dealerships
- Universal Employee Masks: Businesses, organizations, and entities must ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that their employees, volunteers, and contractors wear a cloth mask (a surgical or N95 mask is not required). A business, organization, or entity need not require an employee/volunteer/contractor to wear a mask when masking would create a serious health or safety hazard to the employee/volunteer/contractor, when the employee/volunteer/contractor is working alone in an enclosed space, or when the employee/volunteer/contractor is working alone in an area with more than six (6) feet of social distancing. Businesses and organizations shall provide PPE at no cost to employees and should offer instruction on proper use of masks and PPE.
- Access To Gloves: Entities must ensure that employees whose job duties include touching items often touched by others (e.g., credit cards/cash, paper, computers) wear gloves that are regularly replaced. Entities should also follow the applicable CDC, OSHA, or other federal guidelines relating to gloves.
- Entities must require employees to undergo daily temperature and health checks; these checks may be either self-administered or administered by the entities prior to workplace entry. Self-administered temperature and health checks may be performed at home.
- Entities must, to the greatest extent practicable, make special accommodations for employees and customers at higher risk for severe illness.
- Entities must educate and train all individuals, including employees, temporary employees, contractors, vendors, customers, etc., regarding the Healthy at Work protocols. This training must be offered during scheduled work times at no cost to the employee.
- May 22 – Restaurants, with limited 33% capacity and outdoor seating with proper social distancing
- June 1 – Movie theaters, fitness centers
- June 11 – Campgrounds, public and private
- June 15 – Child care, with reduced capacity; and potentially low-touch and outdoor youth sports
