Curbside Sales, Car Washes And More Return In Washington

WASHINGTON — This week Washington entered Phase 1 of the state's Safe Start program to reopen the economy as the coronavirus pandemic wanes. As part of phase 1, select businesses are slowly being allowed to reopen: construction resumed, parks have reopened, as have vehicle sales and drive-in religious services.

Now, curbside retail sales, car washes, landscaping services and pet walkers can also go back to work, albeit with a few safety provisions.

Universal guidelines for all reopening businesses

• Workers must be fully informed on the coronavirus and how to avoid spreading the disease.
• Staff and customers must all maintain the minimum six-foot distance for safe social distancing. If that is not possible, use barriers or minimize staff by staggering breaks or shifts.
• Provide personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves, goggles, and face shields as necessary. Every employee must wear at least a cloth facial covering, and some positions may require more.
• Ensure employees frequently and thoroughly wash their hands.
• Create a routine cleaning schedule to sanitize all commonly touched surfaces.
• Screen employees for signs of the coronavirus at the start of the shift. Make sure all sick employees immediately go home.
• Electronic payments should be used whenever possible.
• Keep a log of all customer sales and interactions and maintain that log for 30 days. that way, if anyone does get sick, experts can use contact tracing to track the spread of the virus.

Curbside retail requirements

• In-store operations should be limited to bare minimum of employees required for curbside delivery. They should all also adhere to social distancing and hygiene guidelines.
• Customers should primarily be interacted with over the phone, or online, but can be met in person.
• Only designated employees can deliver products directly to the customer.
  • Those products should be directly placed in a customer's vehicle if possible.
  • If delivered to a home or business, leave products on the doorstep or another agreed-upon location.
  • Customers should use face coverings while receiving deliveries.
  • Delivery tools like hand trucks and dollies must be sanitized frequently.
• Designated pick up areas can be set up by the shopping center or by the retailer.
• The customer should notify the retailer by texting, emailing or calling when they arrive. They should stay in their vehicle for the duration of the delivery.
• Retailers must also develop their own store guidelines based on what they sell and what curbside options they have.

Read all the requirements here.

Car wash requirements

• Require customers to make reservations for in-person car washes.
• Minimize interaction during washes, keep a space between employees and customers or use a barrier.
• Station employees at vacuum areas to clean nozzles after every use.
• Close every other stall if the stalls are too close for customers to practice safe social distancing.
• Only one employee can clean the interior of a vehicle at a time.
• Regularly clean pay terminals, hoses, and cleaning machines.

Read all the requirements here.

Don't miss the latest coronavirus updates from health and government officials in Washington. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters for what you need to know daily.

Pet walking guidance

• If the pet walker or pet owner has a fever, cough, shortness of breath or other coronavirus symptoms, pet walking services must be cancelled.
• Pet walkers and owners should both wear personal protective equipment if possible.
• Keep interactions between walkers and pet owners as short as possible. Pet care details can be shared through texts or online.
• During the process of handing off a pet:
  • Keep six feet between the pet walker and pet owner
  • The pet owner should allow the pet walker to let themselves in, and leave all essential goods at the door.
  • If a hand off is necessary, keep it quick and wash hands after.
  • Pet walkers should bring their own leashes and poop bags.
  • Clean and sanitize all supplies, including food containers and food bowls after a walk.
• If the owner is not home to hand off the pet, try to limit the amount of time and space the pet walker should use in and around the home.
• Pet drop off should occur at the front door or in an outdoor common area.
• Clean and sanitize leads, food containers and bowls before and after the walk.

Read the full requirements here.

Landscaping service regulations

• If employees meet at a central location before travelling to work sites, make sure crews use the same trucks all day and do not rotate.
• Try to avoid having employees share tools. If that's not possible, sanitize the shared tools often.
• Sanitize job sites upon arrival and departure. That includes objects like gate handles, hoses and anything else workers may touch on the job.
• Frequently sanitize any commonly touched objects or surfaces in the workplace.

Read the full requirements here.

Business owners with questions about the new restrictions can contact the state using this form.