How to Manage a Covid-19 Safe Event or Work Place

Getting together with your staff, friends, and family is an essential part of life. And when we talk about the importance of social relationships, it’s easy to think just of events such as weddings and festivals. But, we also need to be proactively managing how our businesses and individuals are returning to workplaces.

There is no denying that Covid-19 has meant we have all had to reconsider how we spend time together. And while social interaction is essential for our well-being, it is crucial that when we plan events or manage workspaces, we gather people together safely.

Covid-19 Safe Gatherings

Helping our customers plan and coordinate Covid-19 safe workplaces and events is close to our hearts. We have seen orders of wholesale wristbands increase dramatically as businesses adapt to using wristbands to coordinate their teams successfully. Our wristbands have become an invaluable tool for many workplaces and events to keep their spaces Covid-19 safe.

The popularity of using our bulk and wholesale wristbands for Covid-19 safety at hospitals, medical clinics, offices, daycare centres, and more has led us to create a 5 point checklist to help you work through how you can create a Covid-19 Safe, successful space.

Covid-19 Safety Check List

1. Good Covid-19 Hygiene at Events

The World Health Organisation (WHO) strongly advocates for good personal hygiene at all times, regardless of where in the world you are.

  Following their current guidelines, it is always a good idea to:

► Keep at least a 1-metre distance from others;

► Wear a mask;

► Avoid crowded or poorly ventilated areas;

► Cover coughs and sneezes with a bent elbow or tissue; and

► Clean your hands frequently.

Our COVID awareness wristbands take these key messages from the WHO and communicate them effectively and quickly to your staff and attendees. You can quickly see how using wristbands like this can be a perfect solution whether you are at a public event or wanting to keep your workplace safe.

As an event organiser, make sure you have dedicated places where your attendees can wash their hands regularly and also have hand sanitiser available for attendees and staff to use.

Ensure that PPE (personal protective equipment) is provided for all your staff, and they and your attendees know how to use it correctly. Did you know PPE equipment is made from Tyvek? The same material we use to manufacture our wristbands! Learn more about Tyvek here. The current Australian guidelines advise that it is not necessary to wear a mask where there is low community transmission of Covid-19. However, you are advised to wear a mask where there is a significant chance of community transmission, e.g. should physical distancing become challenging to maintain.

The correct guidelines for mask-wearing can be found on your local government’s website. Also, keep current on how these rules apply to workplaces, as procedures can be different for staff and guests at events. Finally, make sure to keep informed as Covid is a fast-changing situation.

2. Covid and Physical Distancing at Events

Although some states and territories are relaxing rules, the Australian Government advises that everyone should keep a 1.5m distance from one another, and extra care needs to be taken when using public transport or attending events.

As an event planner, you need to think about how your event is laid out. Do you have any critical points where there might be large congregations of people? Have a look at areas such as:

►  Queuing – are there areas where you expect attendees or staff to line up? On entry, departure, or during the event. We are seeing more and more of our partners using our security wristbands to reduce the need for queues and improve the flow of their events. In addition, you can create personalised wristbands for your attendees, adding QR codes at no extra cost. This allows for quick and efficient scanning, dramatically reducing queuing times.

► Food stations – how are attendees being served? Can you reduce traffic by spreading orders over time?

► Covid related checkpoints – do you have temperature checkpoints that all attendees must visit?

► Our COVID-19 Safe wristbands can be used to highlight those that have passed through specific checkpoints positively.

►  Flow – how will attendees be encouraged to move around your event? Can you manage the layout of the event to reduce the crowding of people? Can you use wristbands to ensure attendees only have access to certain areas of your venue?

3. Covid-19 and Event Cleaning Practices

It can be easy to only think of the clean-up after an event. But the reality is that you need to make sure you have clear procedures for cleaning AND disinfecting your event space. It must happen pre-event, during your event, as well as the closedown after the event. Safe Work Australia has created thorough guidelines on managing your cleaning schedules and what you should include.

During your event, make sure you have transparent cleaning systems in place that are communicated to your staff and attendees. In addition, you need to pay extra attention to high traffic areas or touchpoints such as door handles, lift buttons, bathroom facilities etc.

However, it is good to use a professional cleaning company like AllAces, who can provide deep cleaning and infection control within events. Using a professional company will mean that the correct procedures laid out by the Department of Health are applied.

4. Record and Review your Event’s Covid Systems

If you are organising an event, you will need to record who is attending. Both working there or as a guest.

You may have additional safety points set up throughout your event, such as :

►  Temperature checkpoints

►  Staff only access areas

►  VIP areas

►  Adults only areas

You must have a reliable system of organising this and record who has been present in each area and when. Our Security Wristbands can help you manage these checkpoints quickly and efficiently by restricting access to various event areas.

Alongside this reporting, you will need to review your event’s covid plans regularly. The Covid-19 situation is ever-evolving, meaning that guidelines and government advice are periodically updated. So keep informed of the situation and adapt your plans to any new procedures as they come into action.

5. Event Communication

Arguably the essential point, we saved it until last! The above 4 points will only be successful at your event if you communicate them to your staff and attendees.

Pre-event, make sure your staff are educated, trained and knowledgeable about what is expected of them. Similarly, attendees will need to know what the current health guidelines are in accordance with your event. Do they need to provide specific information when booking tickets or perhaps on arrival?

During the event, it is essential that you communicate regularly with all participants to make sure they act correctly. This can be with posters, Covid-19 Safe wristbands, signs or recorded announcements reminding attendees where they can find handwashing facilities, how to wash their hands, what to do if they feel unwell, etc.

By consistently reinforcing these important, key messages, you can ensure that your event attendees can relax, enjoy and make the most of their day, whilst keeping your business safe.

Covid-19 Safe Events

These are our top tips to help you plan and coordinate a Covid-19 safe event. However, Covid-19 is an ever-evolving situation. Local governments are continually updating guidelines to help reduce the spread of the virus. If you are planning an event, the first step is to educate yourself. What are the current policies in place? Are there limits to crowd size? Find all the up-to-date information on what Covid-19 public health rules apply in your state or territory here.

Have you organised an event during Covid-19 times? Did you use our wristbands to help you manage it safely and successfully? We’d love to hear about it – send us a message here!