What spatial changes can be made in the workplace for social distancing?

When setting up the workplace for social distancing there are many things to keep in mind. Taking the time to figure out the best way to move things around will help you to make sure everyone is safe while minimizing the impact that it has on your day to day work. Of course, the specific special changes that need to be made will depend largely on the type of business that you are running.

Special Changes for Office Environments

If you are running an office environment, you may need to move people’s desks around to ensure they are always at least six feet apart. This is mainly going to be a concern in areas where people sit in low-wall cubicles since those with higher walls or offices will already have barriers between them. One thing that can be done is make sure that desks are facing in the same direction so that people won’t be coughing or sneezing toward each other. Another option is to place desk on diagonal angles since that will maximize the distance while still remaining efficient.

Spatial Changes for Manufacturing Environments

In manufacturing environments, it is not always easy to move people around since they often work at large machinery that can’t be relocated. If possible, moving the actual workplaces so that they are better spread out is a good idea. When this is not possible, installing plexiglass partitions between each work area can help to provide the needed protection. Keeping at last six feet apart, however, is the ideal solution.

Spatial Changes for Close Quarters

Some work environments have very limited space, so it is necessary to get creative. For example, in airline operations it may be necessary to have flight attendants positioned at different points in the plane rather than having their station all together. Having an individual attendant assigned to a specific section of the plane will allow everything to get done, without cross-contamination. Of course, this would be in addition to keeping open seats and limited passengers on the plane.

The important thing is to come up with ways that you can move things around to keep people safe, while still running your business efficiently. In addition to physically moving work spaces, it can also be helpful to adjust shifts and even have people work from home when possible.

 

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