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At some point, everything will hopefully go back to normal.

In the meantime, however, Lincoln Electric has been hard at work preparing for the return of welding lessons. We got a glimmer of hope for normalcy when our Welding Technology & Training Center became one of the first welding schools in the United States to welcome back students on May 18.

It was a much-needed step in the right direction for economic recovery, especially considering the impact the trade has on several industries.

In preparation for this good news, it was important for the Welding Technology & Training Center to get policies and protocols established to make sure the transition back to welding education was as safe and effective as possible. These new policies took into consideration not only hygienic safety, but overall welding safety, as well.

In drafting these policies, we reviewed guidelines for school reopening from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and other best practices recommended by national, state and local leaders.

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Some of the most important protocols we put in place were:

• Mandatory temperature screenings at the main entrance to the school
• Required facial covering from nose to chin at all times (except when alone in welding booth) for all building occupants
• Eliminated lunchroom seating, restricting students to eat at their own desks to minimize points of contact
• Reporting and self-isolation protocols for students and employees who become ill or notice COVID-19 symptoms – and not to have them return until they’ve been symptom-free for 14 days
• Cleaning and sanitation schedules
• Reduction in class sizes/staggered schedules

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Welding Safety Refreshers We Taught

In addition to hygiene-related safety measures, we also realized there was a need for students and staff to brush up on some of the fundamental rules of welding safety. Having been away from school for two months, we made sure to revisit the basics, such as:

Safe Work Practices/Hazard Prevention
Shop Warning Labels
Personal Protective Equipment
Products We Ordered
The team at the Welding Technology & Training Center also took several pro-active steps to help ensure a safer facility. This includes pre-ordering essential cleaning supplies in advance, including high-demand items such as antibacterial soap, hand sanitizer, disinfectant sprays and paper products.

Signage We Installed
We also understood the importance of visual reminders for social distancing, which is why we provided signage at points of interest throughout the building to help direct students and staff – as well as reminders to keep proper hygiene top-of-mind.

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Practices We Implemented

We also reviewed our cleaning practices and established procedures to ramp up the frequency of disinfecting surfaces such as desks, workstations, seats and welding booths – as well as common areas such as doors, doorknobs and kiosks.

Ongoing Monitoring
No one knows what’s going to happen in the next three months – let alone the next three days. One thing will be certain: safety is our number one concern.

We’re going to be diligent about our new safety and health protocols and pay attention to what needs to be done to provide the best possible educational welding program by any means necessary.

For more insights on our welding school reopening and instructional strategies, read our white paper or tell us how we can support you.

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