A Sanitation Guide for Front-Line Workers

Promoting and Advancing Petroleum Marketing, Retail Grocery, and Convenience Stores in West Virginia

Driving Local Business and Community Growth Across West Virginia

Our Purpose and Commitment

OMEGA is a West Virginia-based organization dedicated to supporting and advancing the business interests of the state’s petroleum marketing, retail grocery, and convenience store industries.

As a network of over 225 locally owned businesses, OMEGA actively promotes cooperation, advocates for favorable legislation, and provides education and resources to its members. With over 50,000 employees, OMEGA members significantly contribute to the state’s economy, generating more than 10% of all state taxes and supporting local communities through scholarships, charitable donations, and civic involvement.

OMEGA is committed to fostering industry growth while serving West Virginians with essential services like fuel, food, and convenience.

who frontpage

member frontpage

Join a Community that Champions, Connects, and Elevates!

Your Essential Connection in West Virginia

OMEGA offers three types of membership: Convenience Store Members, Petroleum Marketer Members, and Grocer Members, all of which play a vital role in providing fuel, food, and essentials across West Virginia. As a liaison with state and national agencies, OMEGA works closely with organizations like NACS, PMAA, FMI, and the N.G.A. to advocate on behalf of its members.

We keep members informed through newsletters, legislative updates, an online resource hub, and educational seminars. Additional member benefits include access to the Encova Workers’ Compensation Discount Program and participation in our annual Trade Expo and fundraising efforts for children’s charities. OMEGA is here to support, advocate, and enhance the success of our industry members.

During these extraordinary times, grocery stores must maintain a clean and sanitary facility to ensure the health and well-being of all customers and employees. Along with important community mitigation strategies, cleaning and sanitation procedures for frequently touched human surfaces can help protect customers and employees from COVID-19.

By: Adam Friedlander, MS, Manager, Food Safety and Technical Services, FMI <img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/grocery-carts.tmb-large-350-.jpg?sfvrsn=213e626e_2" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="Grocery Carts" title="Grocery Carts" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px;" />During these extraordinary times, grocery stores must maintain a clean and sanitary facility to ensure the health and well-being of all customers and employees. Along with <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/community-mitigation-strategy.pdf">important community mitigation strategies</a>, cleaning and sanitation procedures for frequently touched human surfaces can help protect customers and employees from COVID-19.  While some grocers are limiting store hours to thoroughly clean and disinfect their entire store before opening the follow morning (i.e. deep clean), most grocers are more aggressively cleaning and sanitizing high-touch surfaces throughout the day to reduce the risk of transmission.   Coronavirus is spread mainly from person-to-person through respiratory droplets and is <a href="https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-frequently-asked-questions">not known to be transmitted through food or food packaging</a>. However, it may be possible for a person to contract COVID-19 by touching common high-touch surfaces that are contaminated with the virus and then touching their mouth, nose, or eyes. Examples of these high-touch surfaces include stainless steel surfaces in check-out areas, shopping cart handles, touch screens, sneeze guards or door handles. Due to the virus’ ability to survive on surfaces for hours to potentially days, CDC recommends that food retailers continue to use cleaners and disinfectants according to label instructions for sanitation activities, and leverage <a href="https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2">EPA-registered</a> cleaning and disinfecting products that are already on the market. To empower front-line sanitation heroes at the grocery store, FMI developed a guide for “<a href="https://www.fmi.org/docs/default-source/food-safety/covid-19-cleaning-and-disinfection-for-human-touch-surfaces.pdf?sfvrsn=6fed8e1_0">COVID-19 Cleaning and Disinfection for Human-Touch Surfaces</a>.” <h5>This guide:</h5> <ol> <li>Identifies a number of human-touch surfaces within stores and during food delivery to focus employee cleaning and disinfecting efforts. </li> <li>Addresses <a href="https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2">approved disinfectants</a> for retail use (EPA List N).</li> <li>Advises how to properly use disinfectants and cleaning agents (Hint: <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/cleaning-disinfection.html">Do not mix household bleach with ammonia</a>).</li> <li>Contains a model sanitation standard operating procedure (SSOP) for employees to follow when cleaning and disinfecting surfaces (Step 1: <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html">Wash your hands</a>).</li> </ol> As the food industry continues to provide essential services and items to communities across the nation, FMI members will continue to emphasize the importance of <a href="https://www.fmi.org/food-safety/coronavirus/worker-and-customer-covid-19-safety-resources">worker and customer safety</a>. Mastering cleaning and sanitizing protocols, enhancing handwashing practices and honoring social distancing guidelines can help keep families—and the world—safe.   <a href="https://www.fmi.org/docs/default-source/food-safety/covid-19-cleaning-and-disinfection-for-human-touch-surfaces.pdf?sfvrsn=6fed8e1_0" class="button">Download the Cleaning & Disinfection for Human Touch Surfaces Guide</a>

Read full article on FMI

Menus

Some of the main menus of the template are now set via the template parameters saving you having to set up menu modules for each menu. From this section you can choose what menus you would like connected with these pre assigned menu areas of the template.

Copyright Information

Enter the copyright information that will appear in the footer area of your template.

Supporting West Virginia Communities

OMEGA members play a vital role in West Virginia, supporting communities through substantial tax contributions and a wide-reaching presence across the state. With over 55% of the population living in border counties, our members are dedicated to serving both local and regional needs. Beyond business, we’re proud to give back, having contributed over $3.1 million to children’s charities since 2003, reflecting our commitment to making a positive difference.