Hands-On Work
When COVID-19 spread, we had to adapt our workspaces and daily practices almost overnight. Through technology and creativity — and a lot of patience — we’ve figured out a way to move forward and continue to be productive.
But what about the many essential businesses and professions that require close contact? How do those who perform hands-on work — from registered massage therapists to hairstylists—navigate the challenges of applying the new health guidelines while serving clients up close and personal?
As in all relationships, communication is key
Karen McLellan is a registered acupuncturist with her own clinic in Victoria. After closing her doors for nine weeks at the beginning of the pandemic, she found she needed to completely rethink the way she did things — to meet her regulatory authority’s new guidelines, and for the health and comfort of her clients and herself.
It started with opening the lines of communication. “I contacted [my clients] to let them know of the new procedures and safety protocols I would be implementing,” she says.
Business owners and hands-on practitioners, like Karen, need to ensure that customers feel safe when seeking treatment or services. That means not only following guidance provided by the Provincial Health Officer (PHO), WorkSafeBC and other organizations such as a regulatory authority, but clearly communicating it to clients up front.
Still, Karen notes the risks, “They needed to understand that although I would be taking all necessary precautions…there’s still an added risk of exposure due to how close we would be during treatment.” Karen told her patients that they would ultimately have to decide for themselves whether the benefits would outweigh the risks — even if it means temporarily losing clients.
Doubling down on cleanliness
Workers like Karen who work hands-on with the public are uniquely qualified to meet the challenges the pandemic presents. As acupuncturists are part of a governing regulatory authority, they are used to meeting a high-safety standard in their practices. After all, preventing the spread of disease and infection has always been of primary concern for individuals in jobs that require close contact with their clients. With COVID-19, however, the focus on cleanliness can’t be stressed enough.
Upping the creativity
For regulated practitioners, like Karen, who wish to continue performing acupuncture, they must now do so while wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Whenever Karen is with a patient, she wears a mask under a face shield, along with a freshly laundered apron. She also has reduced her patient load to allow extra time between treatments to swap out PPE, clean surfaces and keep clients from encountering one another in her small workspace.
However, it’s not always clear-cut. For instance, you can’t tattoo a client behind a plexiglass barrier or give a haircut via Zoom. So, in addition to keeping regular cleaning standards, other types of hands-on workers must find new creative ways of doing their jobs. (The Health and Safety page on WorkSafe BC is a great place to start.)
Doing the best for the long term
Karen’s efforts won’t be short term. Like many hands-on practitioners, she’s planning to translate her new procedures and layers of protection into best practices going forward. She’s installed a new HVAC filtration system that will clean the air for years to come, and she’ll continue with the extra cleaning protocols. She’s also adding a standard safety note to each appointment reminder, asking patients to reschedule if they’re experiencing certain symptoms of illness.
After all, what will help stop the spread of the pandemic will also help curb the transmission of common colds and the flu. And that can only be good for business, now and in the long term.