Contents
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….3
Policy – Keeping Our Families & Community Safe………………………………………………………………4
Policy – Office and Shop…………………………………………………………………………………………………….5
Policy – Recruitment, Interviews & Orientation………………………………………………………………….6
Policy – Potential Coronavirus in the Workplace…………………………………………………………………7
Policy – D. Squared Support for workers………………………………………………………………….………….9
Safe Work Practice – General…………………………………………………………………………………………….10
Safe Work Practice – Site Works…………………………………………………………………………………………14
Safe Work Practice – Work Within 2m ……………………………………………………………………………….15
Appendixes…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………16
Introduction
D. Squared Construction Limited is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for all employees as outlined in our Health & Safety Company Policies and Programs. However, due to COVID -19 pandemic we have created this Emergency Response Plan to consolidate and expand on our Policies, Safe Work Procedures as they relate to the pandemic
Some of the ways we are monitoring our program include:
COVID – 19 Joining the Workforce Questionnaire
· Required by all staff returning to work from 3 or more consecutive workdays off
COVID – 19 Sub-Contractor Screening Questionnaire
· Required by all sub-contractors starting or returning to work from 3 or more consecutive workdays off
COVID – 19 Safe Work Practices: Request to Work Within 2m
· Required by supervisors who are requesting permission to have staff complete the work within 2m of each other.
We are actively monitoring the situation and listening to recommendations of various agencies including Ottawa Public Health, Ontario Ministry of Labour and the Government of Canada. We will keep operations going if it is safe to do so, and our clients and the government allows.
These are challenging times, but we will make it through them together.
_____________________ ___________________
President Domenic Franco Madonna April 13, 2020
Policy – Keeping Our Families & Community Safe
We ask that all owners, consultants, sub-contractors, suppliers & the community follow these same principles when interacting with each other and our staff. If you must be on our jobsite and interacting with our staff, please check-in with the Site Supervisor first.
Company-Wide Principles:
· Stay positive we will get through this together
· Support each other to the best of our ability
· Self-isolate in accordance with Ottawa Public Health
· Stay home if you’re not feeling well
· Practice social distancing (2m rule) and be “handshake free”
· More frequent and thorough cleaning of work areas
· Wash your hands regularly and after interacting with people, paper or devices
· All non-essential in person meetings have been replaced with video or phone calls
· No non-essential visitors and limited interactions with 3rd party deliveries
· No digital signatures on devises that are not your own.
Jobsite Principles:
· Daily Toolbox Talks regarding best practices while practicing social distancing (2m rule)
· Discourage staff from gathering in groups, no group meetings in site trailers
· No transporting staff in work vehicles
· Limit movement of operators between equipment and only after a thorough disinfecting
· Disinfect yourself before & after working on equipment
Policy – Office & Shop
With the goal of keeping our office and shop staff safe we have implemented the following principles:
Company – Wide Principles:
· Stay positive – we will get through this together
· Support each other to the best of our ability
· Self – isolate in accordance with Ottawa Public Health
· Stay home if you’re not feeling well
· Practice social distancing (2m rule) and be “handshake free”
· More frequent and thorough cleaning of work areas
· Wash your hands regularly and after interacting with people, paper or devices
· All non-essential in person meetings have been replaced with video or phone calls
· No non-essential visitors and limited interactions with 3rd party deliveries
· No digital signatures on devices that are not your own
Office Principles:
· If you have the ability, work from home – D. Squared Construction will accommodate to the greatest extent practical
· One person per office and one person every second cubicle
· No visitors (including deliveries) inside any of our buildings
· The transfer of internal paperwork will be limited to the greatest extent possible
· Handling of paper should be done in bulk sessions and not periodically throughout the day
Policy – Recruitment, Interviews & Orientations
Recruitment:
Participation in public job-fairs are suspended for the duration of the pandemic. The organization of internal job fairs and any other community facing events are suspended for the duration of the pandemic.
Interviews:
Potential D. Squared employees will apply for and be contacted for positions in accordance with our usual practices which include online and phone interactions. Priority will be given to conducting interviews via virtual portals. If not possible or practical interviews can be conducted in person while respecting company policy related to COVID-19 including submitting the COVID-19 Joining the Workforce Questionnaire prior to the in-person interview.
Orientations:
Priority will be given to conducting orientations via virtual portals. If not possible or practical orientations can be conducted in person while respecting company policy related to COVID-19 including submitting the COVID-19 Joining the Workforce Questionnaire prior to orientation.
Policy – Potential Coronavirus in the Workplace
The following procedure is based on the recommendations of Ottawa Public Health and will be used to safely deal with any staff member who has cold/flu like symptoms during the coronavirus outbreak.
If a staff member is observed at work with cold/flu like symptoms:
1. If someone appears to have cold/flu like symptoms (i.e. fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath) they will be separated from other staff and sent home to seek medical attention as necessary.
2. The sick staff member will report to their supervisor where they have worked since feeling sick, with whom they interacted with, if those interactions were for an extended time and if they were within the 2m social distancing bubble.
3. The sick staff member will self-isolate in accordance with Ottawa Public Health.
4. All hard surfaces that the sick staff member may contacted within the past 24hrs will be sanitized.
5. The supervisor will report this information to the Health & Safety Officer.
6. The Health & Safety Officer will notify management and supervisors of all potentially impacted staff of the situation.
7. All potentially impacted staff will monitor cold/flu like symptoms and act in accordance with this procedure and will self-isolate in accordance with Ottawa Public Health. If the potentially impacted staff has not spent extensive time within 2m social distancing bubble with the sick staff member and are not showing cold/flu like symptoms they can continue working with discretion.
8. All external communication with owners, consultants, sub-contractors, suppliers and the community in general will be done by a D. Squared spokesperson.
If a staff member calls in with cold/flu like symptoms:
1. Staff member is directed to remain at home and seek medical assistance as necessary
2. The sick staff member will report to their supervisor where they have worked since feeling sick, with whom they interacted with, if those interactions were for an extended time and if they were within the 2m social distancing bubble.
3. The sick staff member will self-isolate in accordance with Ottawa Public Health.
4. All hard surfaces that the sick staff member may contacted within the past 24hrs will be sanitized.
5. The supervisor will report this information to the Health & Safety Officer.
6. The Health & Safety Officer will notify management and supervisor of all potentially impacted staff of the situation.
7. All potentially impacted staff will monitor for cold/flu like symptoms and act in accordance with this procedure and will self-isolate in accordance with Ottawa Public Health. If the potentially impacted staff has not spent extensive time within 2m social distancing bubble with the sick staff member and are not showing cold/flu like symptoms they can continue working with discretion.
8. All external communication with owners, consultants, sub-contractors, supplier and the community in general will be done by a D. Squared spokesperson.
Insert Support for Workers Memo
Safe Work Practice – General
Introduction
This document serves as a general guide to Safe Work Practices (SWP) that are expected of our field workers. The basic tenants that underpin this SWP include:
· Stay home if you’re not feeling well; notify your Supervisor and complete the Province of Ontario – Self Assessment
· Practice social distancing (2m rule)
· Wash your hands regularly and after interacting with people, paper or devices
· Use disinfectant supplies provided
· Self-isolate in accordance with Ottawa Public Health
Monitor each other. If you see someone doing something they are not supposed to or they have forgotten to do something, remind them. No one should take offence to this as these are necessary to keep everyone safe.
Social Distancing (2m rule)
Social or physical distancing is 2-meters, workers will be reminded of this daily during Toolbox Talks. The 2-meter rule will be strictly enforced by D. Squared. Workers will be given one warning in a day, should the employee break the rule again they will be sent home by their direct supervisor without pay for the remainder of the day. It is expected that all workers will look-out for each other and enforce this rule amongst each other.
Hand Washing (Soap & Water and /or Sanitizer)
Wash your hands at the start and end of every workday including after interacting with people, paper or devices. Regularly disinfect phones, tablets and computers. Do not share drawings blueprints, tablets or phones. Avoid touching your face and wash your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds before and after eating, drinking, smoking or using the washroom facilities.
Toolbox Talks will be completed daily with a group of 5 workers or less and make mention of COVID-19. Supervisors may stagger start times or split workers in two groups as required.
Gloves
D. Squared will supply work and nitrile gloves to employees as required. All employees should wash their hands prior to putting gloves on and after they are removed. Work gloves will be re-used as per normal use and cleaned at the end of every workday or throughout the day as required. Note that they can typically be washed in a washing machine. Nitrile gloves will be used for short term handling of paperwork and be disposed of directly after their use.
Paperwork
Paperwork should be avoided to the greatest extent possible, where not possible it will be handled in a controlled environment in bulk batches. A touchless mailbox will be provided on all sites where all paperwork delivered to site will be deposited. The mailbox will be emptied once per day, nitrile gloves will be worn, paper will be signed and placed in an envelope for pickup, gloves will be disposed, and hands will be washed.
Each supervisor / employee will have their own set of project specific paperwork. Sharing of paperwork under no conditions will be permitted
Transportation to and from Work
Wherever possible, workers should travel to the site while respecting physical distancing measures by driving alone. If you are taking public transit to work, respect Social Distancing protocols and avoid touching common surfaces. Wash your hands immediately after leaving public transit and avoid touching your face.
Hand & Power Tools
All workers who work directly with hand tools will always be required to wear work gloves. All hand tools will be washed at the beginning and end of every shift. Sharing of hand tools is to be minimized to the greatest extent possible; they are to be washed before and after being shared.
Operated Equipment
The movement of operators between operated equipment will be minimized to the greatest extent possible. Equipment will be disinfected at the beginning and end of each operator’s workday. This includes door handles, steering wheels and all touchable controls and touchable surfaces. When equipment is required to be serviced it will be disinfected before and after servicing.
Site Trailers
Site trailers will not be used unless their use is unavoidable and social distancing can be respected. If they must be used, a toolbox talk will be conducted prior to each use. The site supervisor will be responsible for ensuring the trailers work surfaces, doorknobs and other touchable surfaces are disinfected after every use. Trailers will be locked when not in use. Worker’s belongings will not be allowed to be stored in site trailers.
Storage Sea-Cans
Only one person at a time will be allowed in a storage Sea-Can to access tools or supplies. If workers are loading tools and equipment, respect social distancing. Worker’s belongings will not be allowed in storage. Sea-Cans will be disinfected after regular use and at the end of each workday.
Company Vehicles
Each person assigned a company vehicle will be responsible for sanitizing the vehicle either at the beginning or end of each workday. Only the person assigned the company vehicle can be in the vehicle, no workers will be transported in a company vehicle, unless it is an emergency. Company site vehicles, if used will be assigned to one worker only, there will be no passengers allowed. No one is permitted to ride in the bed of a company truck to get around the work site. At the end of the workday the assigned worker will be responsible for sanitizing the vehicle.
Common Areas
Common areas include, but are not limited to: Door Handles, Water Coolers, Photo Copiers, Refrigerators and Microwaves. Common areas should be disinfected a minimum of 4 times a day by a designated person. They should also be disinfected after use by the person using them to the greatest extent possible. Staff should respect social distancing (2m rule) and not congregate in groups greater than 5 people.
Face Masks
In accordance with Ottawa Public Health face masks are recommended, but not mandatory to be worn. Staff are welcome to provide their own face masks and wear them as they see fit. Generally D. Squared Construction will not be providing face masks out of respect for the current shortage of supply but will provide them if mandated by the Ottawa Public Health. D. Squared Construction will supply non-medical face masks for work that must occur within 2m as per our SWP – work within 2m
Summary of Best Practices
· Stay home if you’re not feeling well – Notify Supervisor and complete the Province of Ontario Self Assessment
· Practice social distancing
· Wash your hands regularly and after interacting with people, paper or devices
· Use the disinfectant supplies provided
· Self – Isolate in accordance with Ottawa Public Health
· Conduct daily Toolbox Talks with a group of 5 workers or less and make mention of COVID – 19
· Wear the supplied work and Nitrile gloves
· Avoid touching paperwork to the greatest extent possible; where not possible handle it in a controlled environment in balk batches
· Utilize the touchless mailbox system
· Do not share paperwork with anyone
· Wash your hands immediately after leaving public transit – avoid touching your face
· Wear work gloves when working directly with hand tools – avoid sharing them
· Minimize movement of operators between equipment and disinfect regularly
· Site trailers can only be used after conducting a use specific toolbox talk and must be disinfected prior/post use
· Storage Sea-Cans will be accessed by one person at a time and must be disinfected prior/post use
· No passengers in work vehicles and disinfect daily
· Disinfect PPE with mild soap and water at the start and end of every workday
· Disinfect common areas regularly by an assigned person and after use by the user
Safe Work Practice – Site Works
We recognize that site works are inherently prone to workers working in close quarters with each other and are providing this Safe Work Practice as an extension to our SWP – General Field Work to address this concern.
Social Distancing (2m rule)
Social and physical distancing is 2- meters, workers will be reminded of this daily during Toolbox Talks. The 2 – meter rule will be strictly enforced by D. Squared Construction. Workers will be given one warning in a day, should the employee break the rule again they will be sent home by their direct supervisor without pay for the remainder of the day. It is expected that all workers will look out for each other and enforce this rule amongst each other.
Excavations
All excavations will comply with the Construction Regulations 213/91 – Part 111 – Excavation. Access / Egress will be per the regulation.
Site Works
All site work will be completed in such a manner that 2m rule can always be maintained. The Supervisor will direct the work and observe them to ensure the 2m rule is being maintained and other D. Squared Construction best practices are being followed. There will be only 2 workers allowed in the excavation at any tone time. These 2 workers will always respect the 2m rule. Each member of the crew will at the start of their day take and disinfect the tools necessary to complete their work, they will only use their tools throughout the day. At the end of the workday they will disinfect their tools. All workers will wear the appropriate PPE for the task they are completing. This will include work gloves which will always be worn by workers who are required to use hand tools.
Hoisting and Lifting
Only experienced and trained personnel will perform hoisting and lifting duties. The crew will have the appropriate lifting devices available to them. All lifting devices will be washed prior and post use.