As the dust settles and states begin to look forward to reopening, it’s time to think about what measures your bar, restaurant, or other establishments in Pennsylvania should undertake.
Before reopening, you should address concerns regarding sanitation and safety, employee education, liability, and distancing and continue to offer pick-up and delivery.
Restaurants and Bars were allowed to reopen starting May 29th. However, only those counties are in the “yellow phase” of recovery. More counties are slated to open on June 5th. Unfortunately, Philadelphia is still in the “red phase,” and most activities are limited.
Sanitation And Safety
The Pennsylvania Governor has provided guidance for bars and restaurants to reopen. To protect employees, the Governor has requested compliance with a Building and Safety Order, which states businesses should:
Clean and disinfect high-touch areas
Establish a plan for employees who have or possibly could be exposed to COVID-19
Prevent large groups from entering or leaving at once
Limit the number of employees in common areas
Conduct meetings or training virtually (see the next section for suggestions)
Give employees constant access to soap, water, and disinfectant
Provide non-medical masks that must be worn at all times
Support these efforts with an adequate number of employees
In addition, you should update business policies that dictate when and for how long an employee should be out from work. The CDC currently recommends self-quarantining for 14 days for someone who is symptomatic and who subsequently tests positive.
Liability
Before opening, be sure to post a clear and concise liability waiver. This statement should be available for patrons and servers to read on the door or in seating areas.
This waiver should also communicate how you would like your customers to conduct themselves, how the staff has been trained, and how cleaning procedures have been enhanced.
Distancing
To maintain the recommended six feet of separation, it’s recommended that you redesign the dining room areas to seat customers farther apart.
You may want to consider canceling or postponing events that typically bring in crowds, like fundraising, bands, and banquets.
It is also recommended that you temporarily discontinue self-service food and drink areas.
Pick Up/Delivery
Many will be eager to rejoin their daily social activities like getting a bite to eat or drinking at the local pub.
There will be regular patrons who would prefer to remain distanced from the general population, so it may still be lucrative to maintain pick-up and delivery options that were put into place.
If this option was previously not in place, it may be a good time for management to reconsider.
Additional resources related to COVID in your state include:
