Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Southerland Develops 5-point Safety Plan for Retailers
May 20,
2020 by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Industry 
As the nation resumes business, independent sleep products manufacturer Southerland has announced a five-point retailer safety plan that addresses store and warehouse sanitation, employee wellness checks, required use of masks, proper social distancing and additional regulations for delivery drivers.
Developed from Southerland’s own corporate program designed to maintain a healthy environment for its employees, products, customers and end consumers, the checklist provides retailers with a list of safety recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control, other government agencies and health officials.
“We, as an industry and a company, are currently operating in unprecedented times and everyone is anxious about safety,” said Bryan Smith, president and chief executive officer of Southerland. “As retail doors begin to open back up, we know consumers will remain cautious in choosing where they shop. Because of that, we wanted to share some of our best practices with our valued partners to help reassure their teams and customers. With information about the virus being updated daily, we will continue to follow the latest safety and health recommendations available.
Southerland’s in-house plan includes a detailed cleaning protocol throughout the company’s six facilities, employee wellness checks, staggered work shifts and additional regulations for its Southerland Transport drivers.
Southerland’s safety plan started in its factories located in Tennessee, Arizona, Oregon and Oklahoma where the company has implemented stringent cleaning routines disinfecting the factories before and after each shift to prevent exposure from asymptomatic carriers. Every employee is given a wellness check that includes temperature screens prior to entering the building to begin work. Employees who fail the check are sent home and not allowed to return until being cleared by a healthcare provider.
To accommodate the recommended “social distancing” by the Centers for Disease Control, Southerland has implemented shifts with staggered start times to allow six feet between team members, and all employees are required to wear masks at all times throughout the day.
Southerland Transport, the company’s dedicated delivery operation, requires its drivers to where PPE in public locations and conduct frequent surface cleaning. It also prohibits drivers from entering Southerland factories at any time.