NSC announces task force on safely bringing employees back to work

Itasca, IL — The National Safety Council has launched SAFER: Safe Actions for Employee Returns, a comprehensive, multifaceted effort to help guide employers through the process of safely resuming traditional work and operations now and in a post-COVID-19 pandemic environment.

The task force comprises nonprofit organizations, businesses, medical professionals, government agencies and trade associations – all with the intention of sharing their expertise to develop industry- and risk-specific resources and recommendations for U.S. employers of all sizes.

The task force will issue recommendations and develop guidance for employers as they navigate the changed work environment and determine the most critical needs to ensure the safety of their workers.

SAFER also will:

• Identify complexities with reengaging the workforce by partnering with human resources, legal, labor, health care and workers’ compensation providers
• Develop general and sector-specific playbooks for America’s businesses to help them align worker safety with business objectives

“The manner in which employers bring people back to work will define our national response to the pandemic,” Lorraine M. Martin, president and CEO of NSC, said in an April 23 press release. “For more than a century, NSC has been helping employers put safety at the forefront of all their decisions, and we are once again taking action to continue serving this important role. With SAFER, we are confident we’re bringing the best minds together to ensure Americans have the safest transition back to work so we can truly flatten the curve and enable people to live their fullest lives.”