Protecting Your Liquor Store Employees from COVID-19

In these times of quarantine and only traveling for essentials, it is important for liquor stores to act similarly to grocery stores in taking necessary precautions to disinfect the store and protect employees. With everyone trapped inside, alcohol consumption and sales have gone up quickly, and the liquor store is one of the few places the public can still go.

Some things that cities need to consider are  providing employees with disposable latex/nitrile gloves and providing hand sanitizer at the counter. It is also a best practice to spray down the counter, register, and surrounding areas with a disinfectant such as Clorox wipes or disinfectant spray periodically during the day. 

At first, it was not all that uncommon to see cashiers also wearing facial masks if available along with enforcing social distancing. Most recently, that has been replaced with use of barrier shields, which have been installed separating the cashier from the customer with the only opening at the counter level to allow for currency transactions. These barrier shields, also now being referred to as sneeze guards, are typically 36" to 48” in height and the length would vary depending on the area being protected. These can be commercially purchased or easily made by something as simple as cutting a groove into a 2x4 making a frame, using angle iron for framing, and placing a sheet of plexiglass or clear plastic as the barrier.

While these barrier shields or sneeze guards do provide excellent protection for the register area, social distancing is still a key control regardless of where you or your employees are at. Some have used signage that forces spacing at the register lines. It is more common to see taping placed on the floor leading to the registers with sectioned waiting areas of 6-foot intervals. But social distancing also applies when an employee is stocking shelves or assisting customers. This can all be done while still maintaining social distancing.

The CDC guidelines for disinfecting your store include:

• Clean the area or item with soap and water or another detergent if it is dirty. Then, use disinfectant.
• Recommend use of EPA-registered household disinfectant. Follow the instructions on the label to ensure safe and effective use of the product. Many products recommend:
• Keeping surface wet for a period of time (see product label)
• Precautions such as wearing gloves and making sure you have good ventilation during use of the product. 
• Diluted household bleach solutions may also be used if appropriate for the surface. 
• Check to ensure the product is not past its expiration date. 
• Unexpired household bleach will be effective against coronaviruses when properly diluted. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for application and proper ventilation. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser. Leave solution on the surface for at least 1 minute.
  To make a bleach solution, mix:
• 5 tablespoons (1/3rd cup) bleach per gallon of water OR
• 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water.
• Alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol.

When doing the store cleaning and disinfecting the employee completing the task should follow extra steps to protect themselves even for something as simple as taking out the trash. The CDC recommends the employee be completely covered with gloves, a gown, and a mask if possible. Educating workers and providing training on the proper way to disinfect and proper way to use/wear PPE could also go a long way in limiting their individual exposure especially when performing the cleaning tasks.

Tying into this precaution is thinking about the exchanging of money or payment method from the customers. Considering a short-term policy where the store won’t accept cash payments could be necessary, and if you can let the customer use the keypad for their card themselves without touching it that would be effective in limiting exposure. If you are still accepting cash payments, like touched on before, the employees should have gloves on, and you could even set out hand sanitizer for customers to use. Make sure to disinfect any shopping carts or baskets, or just put them away for the time being.

Another possible precaution to take is limiting the amount of people in the store at one time, or doing a curbside pickup routine, which would be similar to what a restaurant’s carry out service is doing. This would eliminate the need for many people to come inside. Since barrier shields are not an option in a curbside scenario, it is suggested that those employees should be wearing disposable gloves and mask as they will be in closer contact.  Even a homemade mask or cloth can serve this purpose. 

The key controls at a liquor store or any activity continue to be maintaining and enforcing social distancing and good personal hygiene practices. By doing this and incorporating some of the steps indicated above you can provide a safe environment for these employees and limit overall exposure to COVID-19 for everyone involved.

Additional information:

How Liquor Stores Adapted to the COVID-19 Crisis

Plexiglass to Protect From theSpread of Coronavirus 

CDC Information on Cloth FaceCoverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19

Submitted by: Michael Neff, Loss Control Consultant