Public-Private Coalition Launch ‘Safer at Work’ Campaign

A coalition of government agencies and business groups in Los Angeles County this week launched the “Safer at Work” campaign to encourage companies, workers and customers to follow best practices to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace.Spearheading the campaign were the Los Angeles County Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services, or WDACS, and the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp., or LAEDC.The organizations have created marketing materials businesses can display for customers and employees and on social media as a reminder of small actions that offer protection against the virus, including wearing a mask at all times, washing hands frequently and social distancing.  Also, the campaign includes a toolkit of resources for small businesses, including training webinars in multiple languages and one-on-one consulting with the LAEDC for business owners.LAEDC and WDACS have even established relationships with local artists who can be commissioned for murals or chalk art that reinforces the importance of keeping a business safe.“Thousands of small businesses have told us their dreams and life savings are on the line, as are the health of their employees and customers without whom there is no future for their enterprises, so they want all of us to be in the fight to preserve the health and safety of everyone in the workplace,” LAEDC Chief Executive Bill Allen said in a statement. “We have the messages and tools to kick off this campaign, and we are asking every employer and every Angeleno to adopt and support this campaign and truly keep each other safer at work.”The campaign officially debuted Monday.According to a press release from the coalition, 59 cities, eight business chambers and 61 individual businesses within L.A. County have aligned with the Safer at Work campaign and committed to using its framework for safe workplace operations.Also, four of the county’s five supervisors have publicly voiced their support for the program.Kathryn Barger, chair of the Board of Supervisors who represents much of the San Fernando Valley, said in a statement: “Everyone has a shared responsibility to protect one another and our local economy. The county is working to support essential businesses, essential workers and the customers that rely on them, throughout this pandemic by providing easily accessible tools and resources.”