Dr. Rachel Levine and Gov. Tom Wolf. PHOTO SUBMITTED –
Pennsylvania businesses with in-person operations permitted under the governor’s life-sustaining business orders, now have a new set of guidelines for maintaining and cleaning their buildings to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
State Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine signed the Building Safety Measures order on Sunday outlining appropriate disease control measures.
In addition to maintaining pre-existing cleaning protocols, the order outlines these new protocols:
- Clean and disinfect high-touch areas routinely in accordance with CDC guidelines, in spaces that are accessible to customers, tenants or other individuals.
- Maintain pre-existing cleaning protocols established in the facility for all other areas of the building.
- Ensure that the facility has a sufficient number of employees to perform the above protocols effectively and in a manner that ensures the safety of occupants and employees.
- Ensure that the facility has a sufficient number of security employees to control access, maintain order, and enforce social distancing of at least 6 feet, provided the security employees are otherwise responsible for such enforcement.
The measures outlined in the order are for owners of buildings of at least 50,000 square feet used for commercial, industrial or other enterprises, including but not limited to warehousing, manufacturing, commercial offices, airports, grocery stores, universities, colleges, government, hotels, and residential buildings with at least 50 units.
“Based upon the manner of COVID-19’s spread in the commonwealth and in the world, and its danger to Pennsylvanians, I have determined that the appropriate disease control measure is the direction of building safety measures as outlined in this order to prevent and control the spread of disease,” Dr. Levine state in the order.
The order went into effect at 12:01 a.m., April 6.
