Sneeze guards have been a staple fixture in a number of industries, especially restaurants, for a number of decades. It all started with the pioneering restauranteur, Johnny Garneau (a known germophobe), who designed the first prototype for sneeze guards that were used in buffets. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the need for sneeze guards has expanded to a variety of other customer-facing and non-customer-facing businesses alike. Employers are emphasising the need to not only protect their customers but also their employees. Providing them with the proper PPE such as gloves, masks, and face shields and encouraging them to wash or sanitize their hands frequently is a good start. But installing sneeze guards adds a whole new level of protection against the virus.
Keep reading to learn more about why sneeze guards are so effective and how they can help you do your part in preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Why Are Sneeze Guards Necessary?
Sneeze guards provide an added layer of protection against liquid droplets that are released from people’s mouths when they speak. Face coverings such as masks and shields are designed to prevent water droplets from being dispersed through the air, but they’re not completely infallible. Some droplets may still be released. Sneeze guards prevent these rogue droplets from making contact with certain surfaces and products that will be touched by other people.
Given the new and emerging government-mandated health and safety guidelines, businesses will be legally required to install sneeze guards wherever people come in face-to-face contact with one another to prevent or minimize the spread of these droplets. It’s up to business owners and management staff to guarantee the safety of employees and customers alike. Businesses that fail to comply with COVID-19 health and safety standards will be accordingly penalized. So, it’s in their best interest to follow the guidelines as closely as possible.
How Can Your Business Benefit from Installing Sneeze Guards?
The current climate and state of the world has caused many people to understandably feel a little on edge about going out and about to run errands, eat in restaurants (when dining rooms are actually open), or even getting their hair cut at the salon. While no method of COVID-19 prevention is completely foolproof, installing sneeze guards in between work stations, at restaurant hot tables, and at grocery checkout lanes can certainly ease some of the tension and anxiety people may be feeling.
It’s simply not enough to tell your customers and employees that you’re regularly sanitizing and cleaning your place of work for their well-being. They need to see tangible proof of the measures you’re taking to give them more peace of mind. Installing sneeze guards is just one prong of a multi-prong COVID-19 prevention process.
Of course, every business needs to adapt sneeze guard installation based on their specific needs. Here are some of the businesses and industries that stand to benefit the most from installing sneeze guards throughout their premises.
Restaurants and the Service Industry
Indoor dining is one of the many things that was taken for granted pre-pandemic but is now greatly missed. Enjoying a nice meal with friends and family every once in a while was one of the simple pleasures of life that’s been taken away from us.
Japanese restaurants that prepare fresh sushi in-house have always had sneeze guards along with buffets. But now, many restaurants are proposing installing sneeze guards at individual dining tables to further mitigate the potential for spreading COVID-19. Although it won’t be the same as before, this could be a step in the right direction for restoring indoor dining setups.
Salons, Barbershops, Nail Bars
Certain sectors of the beauty industry have also suffered greatly as a result of the pandemic. Deemed non-essential, salons, barbershops, and nail bars have been forced to shut down on and off again during the course of the pandemic.
In response to hygiene concerns regarding space restrictions and close proximity to other patrons and employees, salon and barbershop business owners have taken it upon themselves to install sneeze guards separating work stations from one another. In addition to implementing stringent sanitation measures, this also forces customers to social distance from each other and most employees in the place of business.
Gyms and Fitness Centers
For a while, many gyms and fitness centers operated on an appointment-only basis, which limited the amount of people using the facilities at any given time. Unfortunately, gyms are like a breeding ground for bacteria and they’re the ideal environment for viruses like COVID-19 to spread rapidly. The very premise of a gym or fitness center involves people working out and therefore inhaling and exhaling the same air that’s constantly being circulated throughout the property. To better adapt to the current circumstances and prevent the spread of COVID-19, gyms can install sneeze guards to serve as partitions between customers in common areas such as between exercise equipment, at the service desk, at juice bars, and at customer hangout spots.
Grocery Stores
Grocery stores have been deemed an essential service from the very beginning. As such, they’ve been subject to the greatest scrutiny when it comes to mitigating the spread of COVID-19 and protecting customers and their employees alike. Corporations have gone to greats lengths to minimize the spread by installing sneeze guards at all cash registers including self-checkout and asking customers to refrain from touching glass, plastic, or metal surfaces throughout the store as much as possible. Continuing these measures and maintaining cleanliness and sanitation methods is critical.
Offices
Many office management teams are allowing some employees to indefinitely work from home during this time. However, not all office jobs allow for that. Office managers are implementing strong measures such as installing sneeze guards between cubicles, enforcing physical distancing protocols, providing hand sanitizing stations, and asking people to wear masks in common areas. Combined with regularly scheduled office sanitations, all of these measures can effectively limit the spread of COVID-19 in these settings and prevent business disruptions.
What Are Common Sneeze Guard Materials?
- Acrylic
- Glass
- Plexiglas
- Polycarbonate
Are You Looking for a Sneeze Guard Supplier in Toronto?
Canada Plastics & Belting Inc. is one of the premier suppliers of sneeze guards in Toronto. We design and manufacture custom sneeze guards using a variety of materials including acrylic, glass, Plexiglas, and polycarbonate. Our sneeze guards are suitable for any work environment and effectively create safe barriers in public locations to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Contact us today to learn more or to place an order.