While you could hire a painter or buy a peel-and-stick mural kit, here at Pro Tapes® we like to DIY and use TAPE! Let’s check out two easy methods for creating a mural.

Use Painter’s Tape to Mask Out Your Mural (Method #1)

Supplies You Need:

• Pro® Scenic 714 Blue Mask Tape
• Paint
• Primer, sealant
• Brushes (small and large)
• Or a roller
• A dropcloth, brown paper, or other material to protect surfaces

Step 1: Prepare the Area to Be Painted

Before you can paint, you have to prepare! Look up ideas for your mural (Pinterest is a great resource.) Consider sketching out your idea on a piece of paper, or very lightly on the walls.

Think about how the colors of the mural relate back to your room: Do you want a more muted look? Or something bold and vibrant? Whichever colors you pick, be sure to stock up on paint so you don’t run out mid-project!

Once you have your idea and your supplies ready, grab our Pro® Scenic blue mask tape and start masking off the sections that will be painted in your mural.

Can’t finish your painting project all at once? Pro® Scenic can stay on for up to 14 days and still remove residue-free.

Be sure to also protect any surfaces nearby that you don’t want paint on. Move any furniture or wall hangings out of the way. You can use newspaper, brown paper, drop cloths, or other materials to create a barrier. You can hold these barriers in place on your wall with tape, too!

Step 2: Paint your Mural

Before you get to painting, apply a primer to your wall first. Once the primer is dry, you’re ready to paint. This is the fun part, so enjoy the process!

Our Pro tip: To ensure really sharp edges along your masked edges, paint a little bit on top of the masking tape.

Once your paint is all dried, consider covering your mural with a sealant to protect your work. If you apply one, let it fully dry before moving on to the next step.

Step 3: Remove Tape, Add Touch-Ups

With everything totally dry, you can begin removing all of the Pro® Scenic tape and any surface protections. Take your time – peel the tape off slowly.

With all the tape removed, you can now spot any gaps you might have missed. You can use a small brush to fill these in.

Create a Tape Art Mural (Method #2)

Supplies You Need:

• Pro Gaff® (in whatever color you like – we offer 20 colors!)
• Optional: Pro® Artist Tape
• Scissors (Pro Gaff® can be torn by hand too)

Warning: Always Spot Test your Tape!

Not all walls are painted equally. While Pro Gaff® removes cleanly from most surfaces, poorly painted walls may experience chipping when pulling your mural off.

Before you go taping up every wall in your house, ALWAYS try out Pro Gaff® on an inconspicuous wall area (like behind a sofa or a tv.) Apply a small section of tape, rub it into the wall, and allow to sit. Peel it off slowly (never fast) and inspect the results.

Step 1: Pick an Idea for your Mural

Before you start taping, think about what you want to do. Where are you placing the mural? On an accent wall? Above a sofa or around a TV? On a door? The possibilities are endless!

Watch our demo video to get inspired for your tape mural:

Pinterest is a great resource for finding tape mural ideas. Get started browsing with our Pinterest board!

You can finalize your idea by sketching it out on paper first. Or, just grab your tape and get to experimenting!

Step 2: Start Taping that Mural!

Once you have your idea ready, getting started on your mural is as easy as peel – rip or cut – and stick! Although Pro Gaff® can be torn by hand to any size, you can also use scissors for a more precise look.

Made a mistake? Peel the tape off slowly and reapply it to a better spot. You can even peel it the tape off, cut the tape to fix the length or shape, and stick it back on again.

While Pro Gaff® in Black gives your mural a classic look, don’t be afraid to experiment with other colors. You can layer different colors for a unique look. There are 20 colors of Pro Gaff® available, as well as specialty tapes like Pro Glow Gaff® (that’s right – it glows in the dark), Pro Gaff® Chroma Green and Pro® Camo Gaff.

For another tape to add a pop of color, check out Pro® Artist Tape!

Show us Your DIY Murals!

When you’re done with your DIY tape mural, snap a pic and send it to us at marketing@protapes.com! We love to see our tape in action!

Get Inspired with Tape Art

You don’t have to be a professional artist to DIY a mural – but you can get inspired by artists! For more creative mural and tape art ideas, take a look at our Pinterest board or check out our Artist Feature blog series.

The post Create a DIY Mural with Tape: 2 Ways! appeared first on Pro Tapes®.

Let’s Get Shadow Box Framing with Nicole!

Hey folks! I’m a long time tape user, but a newbie to shadow box framing. However, thanks to Pro Tapes® the process was super easy!

The four Pro Tapes® products I used to create this shadow box frame were:

• Pro® Flocking
• Pro® 410 ATG (along with our Pro® ATG HD Dispenser gun)
• UGlu®
• Pro Gaff®

Step 1: Gather Your Items to Be Framed

Your first step is to gather all of your items and tools:

• Any items that you want to frame
• The shadow box itself (I bought a premade one)
• And most importantly, tape!

For this project, I used items from my wedding that I have been meaning to frame.

Step 2: Prepare your Layout

Don’t wing your layout – practice it first! I laid out how I wanted all of the pictures and items arranged in the shadow box to figure out what the best layout would be.

Try different combinations until you find the one you like best.

Step 3: Create a Velvety Background with Pro® Flocking Tape

This specific shadow box I used as my base came with a canvas background, which I wasn’t a fan of. I wanted to have a darker background. This is where our first product comes in!

Pro® Flocking tape has an amazing permanent acrylic adhesive that allows the product to stick to low surface energy materials. In this case, it adhered to the canvas backing like it was always made to be there.

The liner that is included with Pro® Flocking tape made it easy to apply it to the canvas background gradually. It gives you time to apply it carefully and rub out any creases that might come up.

If the velvet of Pro® Flocking gets dirty, dusty, or covered in pet hair (pet owners will understand), I have a simple PRO tip: Use a lint roller! A lint roller works wonders for fur and dust removal.

Step 4: Stick down photographs with Pro® 410

With our new background complete thanks to Pro® Flocking tape, it’s time to mount our pictures. For that, I used Pro® 410 ATG tape, which I applied using our ATG dispenser.

I used Pro® 410 to adhere the pictures for multiple reasons:

1. It is a thin tape, so you won’t get any lines or bumps coming through the front of the photo
2. The acrylic adhesive on the Pro® 410 is strong enough to bond to a variety of materials, such as the flocking fibers on the new background I made

I applied Pro® 410 to the back of the printed pictures along all 4 sides. This ensures the best bond and prevents pictures from peeling off once the shadow box frame is hung up.

Step 5: Stick Down Bigger Items with UGlu®

Next, I used UGlu® to hold down bigger and odd-shaped items to the flocked background. This double sided tape comes in a variety of convenient shapes and sizes. Thanks to the paper backing on each piece of UGlu®, you can also use scissors to cut it down to even smaller pieces as needed.

I used UGlu® to attach thicker cardstock invitations, as well as a homemade magic wand and homemade mini lightsaber. The wand and lightsaber are as thin as chopsticks in some areas, so being able to cut the UGlu® strips down to smaller pieces was really convenient here.

Even with some of the unevenness of the items, UGlu® adhered really well to them. That is the magic of UGlu®: your objects do not have to be perfectly flat! It works incredibly well with odd shapes and uneven surfaces to ensure a fantastic bond.

Step 6: Finish the Edges of your Shadow Box Frame with Pro Gaff®

Lastly, I used black Pro Gaff® tape in Black along the inside of the shadow box frame. Instead of leaving the sides grey like the original shadow box frame had, I wanted to match the new background I created and give the frame more visual depth.

Just so you know, you don’t have to use the same colors as me for your frame! Pro Gaff® comes in many different colors, which gives you tons of creative freedom. You can mix and match as you like to fit your color palette or to match the décor around your frame.

Final Result

Considering this was my first time ever custom framing with a shadow box, I had tons of fun doing it! I feel inspired to take on more custom framing projects in the future.

What made everything that much easier was working with Pro Tapes®’ high quality products! If you’re thinking of taking on your own shadow box framing project, I highly recommend them.

LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT TAPE? ASK THE PROS!

We offer many more tape solutions for picture framing. Reach out to us, and our experienced customer success team will be happy to help you find the tape that meets your needs. Contact us today at sales@protapes.com.

The post Shadow Box Framing with Pro Tapes® appeared first on Pro Tapes®.

Supplies You Will Need:

• UGlu^® Dashes
• Balloons
• Foam Board
• Construction paper or scrap paper
• Ruler
• X-Acto Knife or Scissors
• Battery-operated LED lights

Step #1: Prepare Your Number Bases

Draw and cut out your numbers to your desired size from the foam board.

To make this process easier, you can first draw out your numbers on construction paper or other scrap paper, then use it as a template to draw on the foam.

Step #2: Create the Foam Border for your Numbers

Cut 12” long strips (about 1” wide, but you can adjust it as needed). These strips will line the edges of your numbers to create the 3D, shadowbox effect.

To figure out how many strips you will need to cut, you can measure out the width of the strips along the edges of your numbers and make tick marks, then count it up.

When you’re ready, use UGlu^® Dashes to attach the strips along the edges of your numbers.

UGlu^® Dashes are very easy to use:

• Just peel a dash off the paper liner
• Stick the dash down on your first surface (the edge of the number)
• Peel the small paper liner off the back of the dash
• Attach the strip to the side of the number, and press on it for a few seconds

By the way, if you made a mistake and didn’t cut enough strips to cover the whole number edge the first time, don’t worry! You can always cut more foam strips to the exact size you need.

Step #3: Add in your LED Lights with UGlu^®

Time to add the GLOW! I used a battery-operated LED light kit for this project. Make sure to test out your lights before and after you add them to your numbers to make sure they work.

Use UGlu^® Dashes to attach the battery case and lights to the back of your numbers. Your balloons will go on top of this.

Keep in mind that you want to place the battery case somewhere that will be easy to reach later, so you can switch the lights on or off. I like to put it in the bottom corner of my numbers, and plan to put a balloon combination there that will be easy to reach behind.

Step #4: Fill your Numbers with Balloons

Finally, you can start filling your numbers in with your balloons!

UGlu^® Dashes are perfect for sticking the balloons to your foam and to other balloons. With UGlu^®, the balloons should sit nice and securely inside your numbers!

I used a mix of balloon sizes to create a cool “mosaic” look. I placed bigger balloons inside the numbers the fill them up (plus, the LED lights show through very nicely.) Then I used smaller balloons along the edges to make a sort of “border.”

Enjoy your finished Light-Up Balloon Numbers!

That’s it- how easy was that? You can make so many awesome color combinations, too. Try different colors of LED lights, color matched to your balloons. You could even take an extra step and paint or spray paint your foam pieces to blend in, too!

When it comes time to display your balloon numbers, remember that UGlu^® can help too! Use UGlu^® to secure your numbers to a floor, wall, table and more.

To learn more about Rosaura and check out her beautiful balloon arrangements, visit her Instagram: @rdecoart

Questions about our products? We’re here to help! Reach out to our Customer Success team at sales@protapes.com.

The post DIY Balloon Numbers with UGlu® by Rosaura Villafaña appeared first on Pro Tapes®.

Looking to upgrade your dining room table centerpiece? Floral arrangements made with faux flowers are a great option because you can set it and forget it! They do not have the maintenance or shelf-life of real flowers.

You can make faux floral arrangements for any table, counter or shelf and when you do-it-yourself it can be an inexpensive way to brighten up any room!

It’s also a great gift idea for Mother’s Day, birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, get-well or any occasion or celebration! UGlu^® makes putting together faux floral arrangements easy, here is how:

Supplies You Need for This Floral Arrangement:

• UGlu^® 900 Contractor Pack
• UGlu^® Industrial Roll
• Floral scissors/cutters or wire cutters
• Floral Styrofoam
• Faux Florals
• Base for centerpiece arrangements
• Candles (optional)

Step 1: Select a base to create your faux floral arrangement in.

If your table is rectangular in shape, you want to select a base that is rectangular in shape, too. My kitchen table is long and rectangular, so I selected a rectangular shape with a wooden insert and black metal frame.

I selected this base because the wooden insert could be removed. I removed the wooden insert and painted it grey, then placed it back into the black metal frame.

I selected a second base, also with a wooden insert and black metal frame that was square in shape. This smaller, square base is for the center of my end table next to my couch in the living room. I removed the wooden insert from this base and painted it grey as well and then placed it back into the black metal frame.

Pro^® Tip: By selecting a shape for a base that is the same shape as the table you are putting the arrangement on, the table appears larger.

Step 2: Shop for or select your faux florals for the arrangement.

Four things you want to consider when selecting your faux florals: color, texture, size and amount.

I selected neutral tones. My dining room and living are an open floor plan with white, beige, grey and black tones. I selected florals that bring out the beige tones in the room by selecting varying sizes of beige faux florals.

I prefer the arrangement style of varying sizes of florals, so the arrangement looks as realistic as possible. I also will not shop for faux florals online, only in-person. Therefore, I can guarantee that I can get the actual look (color, texture, size) accurate that I’m trying to attain.

If you’re shopping for faux florals and the store doesn’t have enough in inventory for the one you’ve selected, approach a store associate and ask them to place an order online and have it shipped to your door for any additional amount you need!

Pro^® Tip: Make sure you check out the small pre-arranged bouquets for weddings! They are often useful for centerpiece arrangements because “filler” florals are already included. Several small pre-arranged bouquets can be used for one centerpiece. This makes your centerpiece balanced and looking full!

Step 3: Gather all your supplies in one area to start working.

It’s best to lay down a sheet or table cloth on the area you are working on as faux florals have a tendency to shed and this makes clean up very easy when you’re done. Laying down a sheet or table cloth to work on also ensures you don’t scratch the delicate surfaces you’re working on.

If you line up all your supplies and faux florals in one spot, you can easily see how much florals you have to work with and this makes pre-arranging easier.

Step 4: Pre-arrange your faux florals.

Experiment with where you want to place the faux florals before you UGlu^® anything down or insert the florals into the Styrofoam.

Step 5: Place your Styrofoam bases down.

Take Styrofoam bases and place a strip of UGlu^® from the UGlu^® Industrial Roll, cut to size to the length of the base.

Remove the white liner. Turn the Styrofoam base over and press down. UGlu^® is very useful in this application because it keeps the floral Styrofoam in place. If you go to pull the Styrofoam block straight up, it will not move.

Place the Styrofoam in the wrong spot? No problem! With UGlu^® you can easily move the Styrofoam by twisting the block in the opposite direction. Turning UGlu^® to the right or left will cause the UGlu^® to release and you can adjust your location and firmly press it back down again!

For my smaller square arrangement for the living room end table, I used two Styrofoam pieces on top of one another to ensure I’m giving my arrangement the height and placement that the florals will need.

Step 6: Place UGlu^® on Styrofoam blocks and remove white liner.

 Styrofoam blocks not only keep the florals in place, but also give the arrangement height.

Step 7: Place your candles in the faux floral arrangement, using UGlu^® to hold them down.

If you are using candles in your centerpiece arrangement, place them in before you put your faux florals in. Utilize UGlu^® Contractor Pack 1” x 3” stripes on the bottom of the candle and remove the white liner to firmly hold the candle in place.

For my large rectangular arrangement for the dining room table, I’ve used three candles. For my smaller square arrangement for the end table in the living room, I didn’t use any candles.

Step 8: Arrange your faux floral arrangement in the base by sticking them onto the UGlu^® or piercing the stems through the Styrofoam.

Any UGlu^® used can easily be adjusted by pulling or turning in the sheer direction, so this makes it easy to adjust your arrangement as you’re completing it.

As you’re arranging your faux florals, make sure to take a step back and check your arrangement between each placement. You don’t want to wait till the end to check the arrangement! That’s a big mistake because you don’t want to end up pulling apart the whole arrangement to fix one issue.

That’s all! Have fun crafting your faux floral arrangement!

And if you LOVE how it came out, feel free to send us a photo at marketing@protapes.com!

The post Assemble a Faux Floral Arrangement with UGlu® appeared first on Pro Tapes®.

What I love best about UGlu^®…

What I love best about using UGlu^® is the fact that it adheres to multiple different surfaces, and it comes in different sizes and shapes to hold up different kinds of things.

I gravitate towards our UGlu^® 900 1” x 3’ strips to hold up my lighted garlands. The UGlu^® 200 Family Pack is great too!

Just some examples of surfaces UGlu^® can stick to are concrete, brick, painted drywall, and wood. And in my living room, all of these are present, and my lighted garland holds up on them all thanks to UGlu^®!

Here’s how I decorate with UGlu^® tape for the holidays:

My process is as follows:

First, I plan how to lay out the garland and any decorations I’ll be using in my room. I figured putting the lighted garland around the mantel and the door would highlight my Christmas tree very nicely.

Grab a UGlu^® strip, remove one side of the paper liner, then place the UGlu^® strip where you desire to have the garland or decorations stick to.

Remove the 2^nd paper liner and stick on those decorations! I make sure to apply pressure to ensure that the decorations really adhere to the UGlu^® and the surface underneath.

Then, plug in your lights and watch your room glow! It’s as easy as that!

Here’s the final result! How awesome is that?!

Tip for removing your decorations:

Here’s a Pro® tip: When it’s time to take all your holiday decor down, don’t PULL them off – you should TWIST off! Check out our demo video on Youtube (and subscribe!) to see how.

Now have fun decorating with UGlu^®, and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all you folks out there!!

The post Holiday Decorating Tips (featuring UGlu® tape!) appeared first on Pro Tapes®.

Although traditional trick-or-treating has been on the fall even before the pandemic (we’re looking at you, trunk-or-treating!), this year has pushed Halloweeners to find creative new ways to safely take part in this spooky Autumn holiday loved by both kids and adults.

One great way to help Halloween still happen this year -but avoid strangers coming uncomfortably close to your front door- is this new “candy sticking” or “trick-or-treat sticks” trend!

You take a long stick, attach candy and Halloween decor to it, and put it out on your lawn on Halloween day for happy trick-or-treaters to come a’pickin. It’s a simple and fun craft!

Find out how our UGlu^® Dashes make it extra easy to assemble these trick-or-treat sticks below.

What you need:

• UGlu® Dashes
• 100 Plastic Yard Sticks/Placeholders
• 100 Die-cut Vinyl Bats (or your decoration of choice)
• 100 Mini Packages of M&M’s (or your favorite mini package treat)
• 100 Packages of Pirate Booty (or your favorite potato chip bag)
• 100 Lollipops

Yield: 100 Sticks

Note: To make 100 sticks, you’ll need about 3 packs of UGlu^® Dashes

Step-by-Step Process:

Step 1: Take two UGlu^® Dashes and place on the on back of M&M package, line up with top of stick and press down to apply.

Step 2: Take two UGlu^® Dashes and place on the on back of Pirate Booty package, line up with bottom of M&M package on the stick and press down to apply.

Step 3: Take one UGlu^® Dash and place on die-cut vinyl bat and place on top left corner of M&M package and press down to apply.

Step 4: Take one UGlu^® Dash and place on die-cut vinyl bat and place on top right corner of M&M package and press down to apply.

Step 5: Take one UGlu^® Dash and place on one side of one of the lollipops and place down on top of the pirate booty directly underneath the M&M package and press down to apply.

Step 6: Place the yard stick in your front yard for your trick-or-treaters to take and enjoy!

Check out how these Trick-or-Treat sticks came out!

If you make your own trick-or-treat sticks with our tape, be sure to tag us @protapes let us know!

The post Trick-or-Treat Sticks for Halloween with UGlu® appeared first on Pro Tapes®.

In fact, it is believed that Roman soldiers played hopscotch as part of their training regimen. This exercise helped soldiers build endurance and balance in preparation for battle.

Having multiple players can also encourage leadership and teamwork. A preschooler can vastly improve their counting skills by playing hopscotch.

Create a hopscotch design with Pro® Pocket Spike Tape or Pro Gaff® tape 

Hopscotch is traditionally played outdoors, but Pro Tapes® can help you bring the action indoors!

Pro® Pocket Spike Tape and Pro Gaff® tape are both excellent tapes to make a hopscotch board with. They’ll stick down to almost any surface (like concrete and asphalt outdoors, or carpet and hardwood flooring indoors) and remove cleanly!

Choose your favorite color of Pro Gaff® or Pro® Pocket Spike Tape and make a hopscotch board wherever you like. Use the tape to write “1” on the first square, “2” on the next square and so forth up to “10”.  Then you’re ready to play!

How to Play:

1. Create a hopscotch design with Pro Gaff® tape or Pro® Pocket Spike Tape

2. Choose a beanbag as a marker. Gently toss your marker to land on square “1”

3. Hop through the tape squares, skipping the one you have your marker on

4. Pick up the marker on your way back

5. Pass the marker on to the next person!

The post Hopscotch – a timeless game, made with tape! appeared first on Pro Tapes®.

Tape is an amazing tool for getting things organized, from labeling boxes in your closet to tools in your garage. But it can organize so much more than that!

Today, we take a look at how one of our Pros, Nicole (Sales Account Specialist), helped her gym out by labeling and organizing weights and gym equipment with just one simple tool – tape!

What Makes Pro Gaff® Tape Excellent for Organizing a Gym?

Pro Gaff® tape is write-able, easy to stick anywhere, and comes in tons of bright colors. You can choose colors that match your gym’s branding, or set up a color-coding system for weights (like you’ll see below!)

You can stick Pro Gaff® to walls, floors, shelves, dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, treadmills, weight benches, and so much more. Use it on floors to mark off and separate areas of your gym. Or, set up aerobic and callisthenic workout areas! Check out our Pro Gaff® Agility Ladders blog here for one great example!

Plus, Pro Gaff® removes cleanly and easily if you need to shift things around. No damage to equipment, and no sticky residues left behind. Pro Gaff® is also inexpensive to replace, making it a simple and cost-effective solution for many organizing problems.

That makes Pro Gaff® the perfect tool for organizing just about any space in a gym!

How our Pro Made her Local Gym More Organized

Check out the photos below for some awesome ideas on how to organize your gym with Pro Gaff® tape. Whether you’re a commercial gym owner and manager, or the designer of your own home gym, we’re sure this will get you amped and inspired!

Color Code Your Weights Area

You can use different colors of Pro Gaff® to categorize your weights. Here, she used it on the handles of the kettlebells and on the shelves containing the weights, too!

Mark Off Where Equipment Should Be Stored

You could also use Pro Gaff® to mark off where and how equipment should be stored when it’s not in use, like these spaces laid out for storing cardio machines.

Create Activity Spaces and Games

Pro Gaff® makes it easy to quickly set up spaces and special activities. Define your areas for weight lifting, yoga, personal training and more. Plus, Pro Gaff® is inexpensive to replace, making it a simple and cost-effective solution for many space organizing problems.

You can even use tape to create workout activity zones. Check out our Pro Gaff® Agility Ladders blog here for one great example!

Bonus: Temporary Repairs with Pro Gaff® tape!

If someone’s been throwing their weights around a little too hard, Pro Gaff® can come to the (temporary) rescue! Here, she used some Pro Gaff® in Gray to temporarily patch these crumbling holes in the wall.

How do YOU use Pro Gaff® in your gym? Reach out to us at @protapes and let us know!

The post Organize your Gym with Pro Gaff® Tape appeared first on Pro Tapes®.

Solving Mazes is Fun and Stimulates Your Brain!

Mazes are a stimulating way of incorporating play with learning. Solving mazes can boost concentration, cognitive thought process, resilience and patience. Mazes can set a foundation in identifying a multifaceted approach to solving issues.

Mazes can improve many skills for young students: improving fine motor control, boosting problem solving skills, improving hand-eye coordination, memory, and patience. For the same reasons, it’s great for adults of all ages to try a maze game!

Get Creative and Design Your Own Pro® Pocket Spike Tape Maze!

Pro® Pocket Spike Tape comes in bright, dark and fluorescent stacks. These mazes can be done at home or in schools, so they’re an excellent tool for parents and teachers. Choose your favorite colors and lose all your inhibitions! 

Below is an example of a tape maze one my colleagues created – check out the video above and the photos below! She used some graph paper to plan out her maze first. If possible, I recommend taping out your maze on a plastic sheet (or even a white erase board), so you can “draw” your way through your maze with a marker!

Have fun with it – and let us know how your tape maze comes out!

The post Table Maze Game with Pro® Pocket Spike Tape appeared first on Pro Tapes®.

Without putting the appropriate employee safety measures in place well in advance of (successfully) reopening your business, you’re destined for failure before you get started. Let’s face it, a big part of a successful reopening will be overcoming the psychological effects of this pandemic.

Many folks are scared & anxious to head back out into the world after months of being quarantined, and the last thing you need is an employee becoming ill the first week back on the job.

With that in mind, here are 10 safe-operational “Best Practices” you should consider implementing before you re-open your business:

#1: Assess your Workers’ Individual Risk Factors

Old age, presence of chronic medical conditions (including immunocompromising conditions) pregnancy; these are all factors to consider. Implement Controls necessary to address those in higher-risk categories, such as making arrangements for at-home working accommodations or physical spacing in order to isolate your high-risk employees from your lower or less at risk employees.

#2: Consider Flexible Worksites and Flexible Hours

Employers should explore whether they can establish policies and practices, such as flexible worksites (e.g., telecommuting) and flexible work hours (e.g., staggered shifts), to increase the physical distance between employees in order to avoid clusters of employees working in close physical proximity, or reducing the overall number of employees in the building at one time.

#3: Reconfigure Your Operational Layout

Consider reconfiguring your operational layout to create the appropriate physical distance between workstations, equipment & assembly lines. Where ever possible, eliminate areas that lead to employee clusters for prolonged periods of time. Eliminate the use of time-clocks that require physical touching, or excess employee congregating in one central area.

#4: Start Each Day with a Wellness Check

Establish Daily pre-work wellness checks. As each employee enters the building at the start of each business day, their temperature should be taken and recorded to insure they are not running a fever. A template form should be created to include a checkbox system indicating if your employees are experiencing any problematic symptoms (Score throat, chills, headache, stiffness or soreness, etc.)

#5: Maintain (And Improve) Good Housekeeping Practices

Maintain regular housekeeping practices, including routine cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces, equipment, and other elements of the work environment. When choosing cleaning chemicals, employers should consult information on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved disinfectant labels with claims against emerging viral pathogens.

#6: Promote Personal Hygiene (with PPE)

Create a work environment that promotes personal hygiene (and provide the resources if necessary.) For example, provide personal protective equipment such as gloves & masks, no-touch trash cans, hand soap, alcohol-based hand rubs containing at least 60 percent alcohol, disinfectants, and disposable towels for workers to clean their work surfaces. Provide the proper resources for the clean & safe disposal of all used PPE.

#7: Incorporate Health Training and Education

Incorporate health training & educational resources as part of your on-going training programs. Increasing employee awareness as to how viruses are spread and how to monitor for early warning signs of illness in themselves & fellow employees will help provide for prompt identification and early intervention of outbreaks.

#8: Encourage Sick Employees to Stay Home

Revise human resource policies to encourage sick employees to stay home when feeling ill. Provide a level of flexibility in the use of paid time off, or increase the availability of PTO in the case of illness. Provide the same level of flexibility when it comes to providing paid time off to care for sick family members or address child care concerns in the event of illness.

#9: Develop & Promote Open Lines of Communication

Develop & promote open lines of communication across your organization. Work within the privacy protections afforded your employees with HIPAA laws, but openly communicate news of any outbreaks within your organization. Develop a system that allows for speedy & accurate dissemination of information in the event that one of your employees becomes infected or has been exposed to someone who has been infected. Be able to rapidly trace all inter-employee contact within your organization, so that you can quickly notify & isolate any of your employees who may be contagious.

#10: Invest Upfront in Preventive Health Maintenance

By providing for extra paid time to allow for pre-work wellness checks, or allowing for extra paid break time to encourage proper hygiene practices like hand washing & proper disposal of used PPE, you’re actually saving money by preventing a very costly outbreak. It’s important to remember that the cost you’re investing on these up front preventive measures, will pale in comparison to the cost you’ll incur if you experience a wide spread breakout. Remember, without our heath we have nothing.

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