During these unprecedented times, we are committed to providing manufacturing and food companies with as much help as possible to navigate this crisis. Below is a list of resources on workforce training, business continuation, personal protective equipment (PPE), financial assistance, and more industry-related resources regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Intertek Alchemy Workforce Training Resources
The following training courses are available both as an eLearning video and as a SCORM file for upload to any learning management system (LMS). They are provided in English, Spanish, and Canadian French.
- “COVID-19: Overview” training course. Trains employees on effective methods to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus and prevent transmission to others.
- “Effective Handwashing” training course. The “COVID-19: Overview” course covers proper hand-washing to mitigate coronavirus spread. This course provides further detail and techniques specifically for food manufacturers.
- “Visitor Procedures” training course. Overview of proper attire and procedures to maintain safety when nonemployees enter a production area.
- “Cleaning & Sanitizing Procedures for Food Manufacturers” training course. Outlines basic cleaning processes for a wet facility to combat microorganisms, including safe handling of chemicals. While not specific to COVID-19, they can be incorporated as general best practices.
- “Cleaning & Sanitizing in a Dry Foods Facility” training course. Outlines basic cleaning processes for a dry facility to combat microorganisms. While not specific to COVID-19, they can be incorporated as general best practices.
- “Promoting Personal Hygiene” training course. Shows how to keep you and your clothes clean and free of microorganisms to avoid spreading germs throughout the workplace.
Below are additional employee engagement tools that can reinforce the key concepts in the above training courses. The below materials are available in English, Spanish, and Canadian French.
- “COVID-19: Overview” breakroom video. Keep on a continuous loop in highly visible areas to reinforce COVID-19 training.
- “Effective Handwashing” poster and supervisor shift guide. Hang posters in high-traffic areas, and provide supervisors with talking points for shift huddles.
- “Personal Hygiene” poster and supervisor shift guide. Hang posters in high-traffic areas, and provide supervisors with talking points for shift huddles.
The following prerecorded webinars include industry experts, panel discussions, and lessons learned for continuing work safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- COVID-19: How to Effectively Train Your Employees. This webinar covers not only what to train employees on but also how to deliver the training safely and keep training equipment sterile.
General COVID-19 Information and Industry Resources
- CDC COVID-19 information page. Comprehensive guidance on how to protect yourself, what to do if you’re sick, and more from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- Cleaning & Disinfection for Community Facilities. CDC recommendations for disinfecting shared community spaces with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
- Disinfectants for Use Against Novel Coronavirus. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) list of products that meet criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, including methods to search by product.
- FDA Food Safety & COVID-19 FAQ. Answers to common questions facing food manufacturing and food retail facilities as they continue their essential work amid the coronavirus pandemic, including what to do if a worker tests positive.
- WHO Food Safety Guide. World Health Organization food safety guide for food businesses.
- FDA Temporary Flexibility on Labeling on Certain Food Packaging During COVID-19 Pandemic. Info on temporary Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance to facilitate food distribution—for example, allowing restaurants to sell ingredients direct to consumer and food manufactures to reallocate inventory previously labeled for use in restaurants.
- GFSI Temporary Audit Measures. GFSI update, including certificate extension in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- OSHA Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Publication 3990, (March 2020). Also available in Spanish.
- OSHA Standards & Directives related to COVID-19. Instructions for safety and compliance officers related to worker exposure to the novel coronavirus, including recording workplace exposures.
- COVID-19 and N95 Masks. This article by Alchemy Safety Consultant Rick Gehrke clarifies OSHA’s guidance on N95 masks.
- WHO Advice on Masks. Guidance from the World Health Organization on when and how to use masks.
- PPE Burn Rate Calculator. Provided by the CDC, use this calculator to plan and optimize the use of PPE for response to COVID-19 mitigation.
- Use and Reuse of PPE for COVID-19. Provided by NYC Health & Hospitals. Guidance on extending the life of PPE during this crisis, including illustrated guides on proper donning and doffing of PPE.
HR and Employment Resources Regarding COVID-19
- Paid Sick Leave. U.S. Department of the Treasury FAQs to help small and midsize businesses navigate paid sick and family leave tax credits established by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
- Equal Employment Opportunity. Resource page from federal government with guidance and answers about Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws and COVID-19.
- Template Letter: Temporary Layoffs or Furlough due to Coronavirus.
Financial Resources
- Paycheck Protection Program. Information from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) on loans providing loan forgiveness for retaining employees during the COVID-19 crisis.
- Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance. Information on a loan advance providing up to $10,000 of economic relief to businesses currently experiencing temporary difficulties.
- SBA Debt Relief. An opportunity for businesses with existing SBA 7(a), 504, and microloans to have payments deferred for 6 months.
- IRS Employee Retention Credit. Many businesses financially impacted by COVID-19 may be eligible for a tax credit.
- IRS Economic Impact Payments. Info regarding stimulus payments from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and federal income tax deadline extensions.