Guidance on lunchroom/breakroom practices during COVID-19 from the Brant County Health Unit

Maintain physical distancing while in the lunch or break room. Physical distancing means maintaining a distance of at least two meters (six feet) or more between persons.

Restrict eating to clearly identified and dedicated eating areas. These areas should have handwashing stations, cleaning and disinfectant materials and adequate space to maintain minimum physical distancing.

Post physical distancing signage to remind workers to keep their distance.

Ensure enclosed lunchrooms are well ventilated or only made available during inclement weather if they are not well ventilated.

Post signage to remind workers to wash or disinfect their hands before and after eating.

Ensure maximum limits are put on the number of people allowed in eating areas.

Stagger coffee/lunch breaks to reduce the number of workers in the lunchroom at the same time.

Limit access and use of shared devices like coffee machines, water fountains, microwave ovens, etc.

Clean and disinfect tables, microwaves, and other commonly handled items between workers’ lunch shifts. Also, ensure that the means to clean and disinfect these devices between uses is provided.

Where there are touch points such as door handles and water coolers, etc., paper towels should be provided to allow users to avoid skin contact.

Organize chairs and stagger seating arrangement to maintain physical distancing, or have workers take lunch and coffee breaks outside.

Remove garbage often.

If air circulation is a concern, install negative air units and vents outside the lunchroom.

Separate PPE and clothing that is hung up in the lunchroom to avoid potential cross-contamination.

Workers intending to take work clothing home should place the clothing in a plastic bag and not remove the clothing until it goes into the laundry to be washed (ideally separately).

For more information, visit www.bchu.org/coronavirus