INDUSTRYNEWS
GLASS SCREENS MAKE PREMISES ‘COVID SECURE’
As more and more businesses open up and offices head back to work, Simon
Boocock, Managing Director of CRL Europe, examines what systems can be employed
to ensure social distancing rules are adhered to in a new ‘Covid safe’ world.
» AS BUSINESSES RE-OPEN
in the UK following the
pandemic, they need to ensure
they follow Government
guidelines and open up in a safe
way, protecting staff and members
of the public as much as possible.
This means that, for many,
changes will need to be made
to ensure that social distancing
is possible. From retail premises
to offices, staff will expect to
return to a different environment
to the one they left, but it is
important also that the spaces are
still familiar, to give people the
confidence they need to resume
‘normal’ life.
Importantly too, is the need
for businesses to make quick
changes, as after a period of
very low economic activity the
pressure is on to regain efficiency
and productivity and improve
company finances. And of course,
the guidelines around Covid-19
are likely to change over time, so
being able to adapt any changes
made now as and when needed is
also crucial.
Practical solutions that are
relatively quick to implement
include hand sanitation points,
signage and protective screens.
The good thing about the latter is
that the overall aesthetics of the
office or retail environment are
unaffected by and large, as the
clear plastic or glass screen still
allows natural light to flow and
does not present a visual obstacle.
This means that the team spirit
and employee camaraderie can
safely return to offices and the
interaction between shop staff
and customers can comfortably
continue in retail environments.
Transparent and easy to clean
screens ensure social distancing
and hygiene and act as a barrier
Ideal for customer-focused environments such as hair salons, the CRL Floor-
Supported Moveable Screen has pivoting wheels for easier manoeuvrability.
Available in a black or
brushed stainless steel
finish, the Portable Partition
Screen Fitting from CRL
has an anti-slip base, with
extra fittings easily added
to increase the width of
the barrier as required.
to viral and bacterial infections,
whilst still enabling eye contact
and interaction., but fixing them
permanently into position has
its drawbacks. Firstly of course
there is the issue of adaptability; if
businesses want to change layouts
or simply make changes as health
and safety guidelines change,
having to unscrew and replace
screens is an inconvenience.
Also though, permanently fixing
screens into place could result in
damage to furniture, which can
prove costly in the long-term.
A suitable alternative is to opt
for a portable screening system,
such as the partition fittings now
available from CRL, which don’t
need to be screwed into place
making them fully portable.
The anti-slip base of the fittings
means the screen will remain
safely in position exactly where
it is required and will be of most
benefit.
Simple and very quick to set
up, such fittings mean that acrylic
and glass screens can be used to
maximise the health and safety of
employees and in situations where
members of the public will be
present, such as retail stores, while
fittings that can be easily extended
to increase the width of the
barrier, enable the screen itself to
be adapted as needed, depending
on the circumstances. Usefully
too, portable partition fittings
are also available in a variety
of finishes, enabling the screen
to seamlessly blend into the
environment without looking out
of place, maximising on comfort
visually and physically. The
result is workstations and retail
environments that put staff and
customer minds at rest, enabling
employees to concentrate on work
while interacting with colleagues
in the usual way and encouraging
customers to shop safely and
confidently.
For more information call
CRL on 01706 863600, email
crl@crlaurence.co.uk, or visit
www.crlaurence.co.uk
22 » JUL 2020 » CLEARVIEW-UK.COM