Wisconsin officials release safety guidelines for reopening businesses

Posted: May 8, 2020 / 11:56 AM CDT / Updated: May 8, 2020 / 11:56 AM CDT

FILE – In this April 4, 2020, file photo, pedestrians pass closed stores on Roosevelt Avenue in the Queens borough of New York. The coronavirus crisis is upending service businesses, and the crisis may permanently change the way Americans work, shop and socialize, even after the disease fades away. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

MADISON, Wis. (WFRV) – Governor Tony Evers has announced that state officials have provided businesses with information on how to ensure the safety of workers, customers, and families while “turning the dial” toward reopening.

The guidelines include best practices and safety tips as well as industry-specific advice, such as for restaurants, retailers, manufacturers, professional offices, farmers, manufacturers, builders, hotel and motel operators, barbers, personal care services, and other fields.

“Wisconsin businesses have done a great job in adapting to our state’s Safer at Home order,” Gov. Evers said. “As we begin to ‘turn the dial,’ they need to know how to reopen safely so that employees and customers can feel confident when they return.”

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) in consultation with the Departments of Health Services, Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and Tourism, as well as industry experts and associations.

“What these guides really aim to do is provide actionable advice for businesses, especially small businesses, as they begin the road back to reopening,” said WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes. “The guides answer basic questions, such as how to handle transactions at cash registers, what to do about merchandise that’s been handled by customers, and how to set up an office using social distancing strategies.”

Officials offer businesses some general advice, including:

Making sure that employees who are sick don’t come to work
Curtailing business travel whenever possible.
Promoting telecommuting or other work-from-home arrangements
Making sure employees have access to sanitizers and personal protective equipment when appropriate.

According to Gov. Evers, the reopening of state businesses will continue to be guided by the healthcare metrics contained in the Badger Bounce Back plan, which include tracking new cases, accessing available medical resources, and ensuring adequate testing and mitigation resources.

Copies of the guide can be found on WEDC’s website.