4 Tips to Prepping for Diving Operations After the Pandemic
Your diving business may have been one of the many operations that have been affected due to the lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. But as we all wait for this virus to finally be tamed, it’s best to start preparing for your return of operations now by following these four tips:
Prepare your premises
While you are essentially operating outdoors, you still need to make sure that your office, starting point and boats are cleaned and disinfected properly so that both your employees and guests can feel comfortable during business transactions.
Make sure that proper protocols are followed such as social distancing of at least two meters apart on boats and sanitizers available for people to use whenever they enter your premises.
Implement safety protocols during dives
You will be asked by your local health department to follow certain safety protocols to protect both your staff and customers. But since you’re operating under a unique setting such as a boat, you will need to adjust these protocols to fit your business.
These can be through having alcohol-based hand sanitizers and disinfectants for diving gear on board, forbidding the rental of diving gear and equipment, adjusting diving practices that require sharing of regulators or close contact among divers and still wearing a mask in public places.
Protect your staff at all times
Aside from making sure that your diving instructors are following proper safety protocols on diving expeditions, you should also find ways to protect your staff in the office who are in direct contact with guests.
According to the WHO and CDC, your staff should always wear face masks, gloves when handling personal items from clients, and practice hand hygiene regularly.
Screen your clients
Finally, remember that it only takes one person to infect your staff and other clients. So before you accept anyone for a diving expedition, it is in your discretion to ask for a health certificate or require a COVID-19 test to ensure that no one is infected on your trip.
You also have the right to deny a client who has even minor symptoms that are related to COVID-19.