How to Stay Safe as a Grocery Store Worker During COVID-19

Grocery workers are also essential during the outbreak. Their presence in stores essentially ensures everyone else can still have access to bare necessities.

While the CDC is recommending people avoid public, crowded places as a way to protect themselves against the COVID-19 outbreak, some people in the US are putting themselves at risk on a daily basis for the benefit of the country. And it’s not just those in the healthcare industry.

Grocery workers are also essential during the outbreak. Their presence in stores essentially ensures everyone else can still have access to bare necessities. However, one cannot ignore that in doing so grocery workers are at direct risk of getting the virus, considering they do not have the same protections as healthcare workers.

If you are a grocery worker right now, these tips may help you stay safe:

1. Talk to Your Manager

It’s the first thing you need to do, frankly: talk to your manager and voice your concerns. This is an unprecedented situation, and though many people are doing their best to ensure the safety of their workers, some issues may slip through the cracks.

You should talk to your manager and ask for:

• Protective gear, such as face masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer
• To limit the number of customers allowed inside at the same time
• Impose a more rigorous sanitizing process
• Institute card-only rules, or ask customers to use the self-checkout system 
• Allowance to avoid working in the store during rush hours, when the number of customers increases (in the event they cannot limit the number of people allowed inside).

2. Keep Your Distance and Protect Your Face

If your employer cannot offer masks, and you cannot buy them yourself, you can use any cloth to cover your mouth during your shift.

Additionally, you should try to keep at least a 6-foot distance between you and other people.

3. Wash Your Hands as Much as Possible

The stock of hand sanitizer has been problematic in many places, but washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is enough to minimize your risks. You should especially wash your hands:

• If you’ve touched money or products other people have touched
• Before every meal
• If you need to adjust/change your mask

If You Get Sick

In order to file a claim for workers’ compensation regarding COVID-19, the worker must be able to prove that their occupation created a greater likelihood for them to contract the disease because of their job.

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or must self-quarantine due to exposure and you have any questions regarding your workers’ compensation benefits, call the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann today.