Northern Dock Systems - Preventing COVID-19 in the Workplace Policy

Last updated: October 29, 2020

This is Northern Docks Systems’ official policy and standards for preventing COVID-19 in the workplace for both our office staff, technicians and installers.

Intent

This policy was developed to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. These precautionary measures have been developed using advice and information obtained from the World Health Organization and the government of Canada.

Guidelines

Our organization will work to achieve a workplace that follows all precautionary measures identified by applicable governmental bodies and public health authorities to reduce the spread of the COVID-19.

Employee Responsibilities

All employees should ensure they understand and comply with the infection prevention policies and practices outlined within this policy.

Office Employees

Hand Hygiene

All Employees will be required to wash their hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer prior to entry and upon exiting the facility.
Employees are required to wash their hands frequently. Thoroughly washing hands with an alcohol-based rub or with soap and water. If using soap and water employees must wash hands for at least 20 seconds.
Employees are requested to avoid touching their face (specifically eyes, nose, and mouth) as much as possible.
Employees must cover their mouths when coughing, sneezing, and yawning by doing so into the bend of your arm, not your hand.
Employees are required to try to avoid touching surfaces people touch often.
Employees are requested to have zero physical contact.
Employees can use any necessary personal protective equipment as directed (masks or gloves).
Every workstation will be provided with hand sanitizer.

Workspace Cleaning

Every employee will be responsible for sanitizing his/her work area. Work sanitization zones will be assigned to volunteering office personnel and they will be required to sanitize these areas twice daily. Employees will be given appropriate sanitation products provided by Northern Dock Systems Inc. (anti-bacterial wipes) to clean and disinfect items like your desk, work surface, phones, keyboards, and electronics at least twice daily and more often if they are visibly soiled. If sanitation products are purchased by office employees for work purposes, they can submit their receipts to the finance department and will be reimbursed for the full amount for these products. The office will be disinfected daily with a disinfectant fogging machine.

Social Distancing

Employees must keep a distance of at least two metres between themselves and anyone else, including co-workers and customers.
All Employees will now be required to wear face coverings/masks in all common areas in the office.
Increased distance between desks, tables, and workstations will be implemented.
Any employees working in our offices cannot sit beside each other at adjacent desks, you must distance yourself and use the TV and Microsoft Teams for training.
All Employees who have travelled outside of Canada will be required to advise Management or Human Resources and be in quarantine for a minimum of 14 days.
Any Employee who has come into contact, suspected to have come into contact or is taking care of an ill family member with COVID-19 will be required to advise Management or Human Resources and be in quarantine for a minimum of 14 days.
Northern Dock Systems will reduce or eliminate activities that require close physical proximity or contact with people.
Team meetings will be conducted online on Microsoft teams unless instructed otherwise.
Any necessary personal proximity to others will be limited that is closer than two meters.

Updates to Management

If not already provided employees will provide updated emergency contact information to their manager.
Employees must consider whom Northern Dock Systems Inc. should call if you require transportation home from work.
Employees are required to immediately notify management or human resources if they rely on public transport to get to work and have no means to safely get home if they start to feel ill while at work.

Remote Work Arrangements

In the event of an outbreak, team members will be advised to temporarily work remotely. In doing so, team members must continue to abide by Northern Dock Systems Inc’s policies and procedures which include, but not limited to time and attendance, confidentiality and non-disclosure, system and data protection, social media and code of conduct, etc.

To ensure that performance is sustained during remote work arrangements, Northern Dock Systems Inc. advises team members to:

Choose a quiet and distraction-free working space
Have an internet connection that is adequate for their role
Dedicate full attention to job duties during core work hours
Ensure schedules overlap with those team members they work most closely with to complete job duties effectively
Work with direct manager to determine short and long-term goals, and frequently discuss progress, results and time management issues.

Northern Dock Systems Inc. will provide remote team members with the equipment that is essential to the job duties, such as laptops, monitors, etc. This equipment is property of Northern Dock Systems Inc. which must be kept safe to avoid any misuse. All equipment must be returned to the office once the state of emergency has lifted and business operations resume as normal within the office. Team members are expected to adhere to Northern Dock Systems Inc.’s policies and procedures including, but not limited to:

Maintaining equipment password protections
Storing equipment in a safe and clean workspace when not in use
Following all data encryption, protection standards and settings
Refraining from downloading suspicious, unauthorized or illegal software.

In setting up a remote office space, team members are required to:

Create a daily work routine; structure breaks and create rituals to maintain focus and energy levels
Maintain regular work hours, specifically adhering to the core work hours of 7:30 am to 4:30 pm
Stay connected through email and phone calls, responding in a timely manner; respond to client emails and calls within the same day, or at least within a 24-hour time period
Keep calendar up to date
Ensure the remote internet connection is secure and fast enough to keep work processes flowing and inform Todd Fraser of any connectivity issues or other related equipment challenges
If you reside with family or roommates, set expectations during work hours, especially when on calls/meetings
Limit distractions to remain focused and dedicate time to work-related requirements
Be open to feedback to boost performance; openly communicate concerns with others

Illness and Working Remotely

Team members will be granted the opportunity to work from home if the team member:

Has cold symptoms, such as cough/sneezing/fever, or feels poorly, they are to request flex days through their manager and self-isolate for 14 calendar days prior to returning to the office
Has recently travelled outside of Canada, or within Canada by plane or train, or have returned from travel or areas with a high number of COVID-19 cases, they are asked to work from home for 14 calendar days and return to the office only if fully asymptomatic. Team members will also be asked not to come into physical contact with any colleagues during this time
Has been in close contact with someone infected by the disease, with high chances of being infected themselves, the individual should request to work from home. The team member will also be asked not to come into physical contact with any other team members during this time
Is a parent and must stay at home with their children due to schools or daycare centres being closed; the individual must seek approval by their manager to continue to work remotely, and a high level of performance must be maintained
Needs to provide care to a family member infected by the virus, request to work from home. The team member will only be permitted to return to the office 14 calendar days after the family member has fully recovered, provided that the team member is also asymptomatic. The team member will be asked not to come into physical contact with any team members during this time
Has a positive virus diagnosis; they can return to the office only after they have fully recovered, typically after 14 calendar days.

Potentially infected office areas will be closed off, as quarantining the area is important prior to beginning the cleaning operation. If closing off the exposed areas is not possible, the entire office

will be closed until the areas in which the team member was present are disinfected. A professional cleaning service may be called upon to perform the disinfection as deemed appropriate.

Here is a list of areas that may receive the most contact from potentially ill persons that also allow viruses to survive long enough to transfer to someone else.

High Touch Items Mitigation Opportunities

Door Handles
Internal doors to be propped open. Place a hand sanitizer station next to external doors to allow for hand cleaning after touching door handles.

Lunchroom
Stagger breaks; team members to disinfect tables and chairs, microwave and fridge door handles, cupboards, coffee machine, etc. Hand sanitizer placed near the exit.

Shared Printer/Fax
Disinfectant wipes available by all machines, to be used before and after Machine use.

Desks Countertops
Designate single person use or supply disinfectant equipment. Monitor and enforce disinfecting procedures, as described above, to create good habits surrounding disinfecting shared surfaces.

Toilet Seats & Faucet Handles
Professional cleaning frequency. Practice good hand-washing procedures. Focus on the dirty hand turns on the tap, the hand gets clean, use a paper towel to turn off the tap.

Computer Mouse, Keyboards & Workstations
A single mouse and keyboard use where possible, and single person

Light Switches
Turn the lights on once per day and disinfect at the start and end of shift. Do not spray liquid disinfectant directly onto a light switch.

Alarm Panel
Disinfect between each operator. Always spray liquid disinfectant onto a cloth, never directly onto electronic devices.

Phones
Where possible designate for single use. Disinfect between each operator. Always spray liquid disinfectant onto a cloth, never directly onto electronic devices.

On | Off Buttons
Where possible designate for single use. Disinfect between each operator. Always spray liquid disinfectant onto a cloth, never directly onto electronic devices.

Technicians and Installers

Hand Hygiene

All Employees will be required to wash their hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer prior to entry and upon exiting the facility.
Employees are required to wash their hands frequently. Thoroughly washing hands with an alcohol-based rub or with soap and water. If using soap and water employees must wash hands for at least 20 seconds.
Employees are requested to avoid touching their face (specifically eyes, nose, and mouth) as much as possible.
Employees must cover their mouths when coughing, sneezing, and yawning by doing so into the bend of your arm, not your hand.
Employees are required to try to avoid touching surfaces people touch often.
Employees are requested to have zero physical contact.
Employees can use any necessary personal protective equipment as directed.

Workspace Cleaning

Every technician will be responsible for sanitizing his/her work vehicle and tools. All technicians will be provided with sanitation supplies by Northern Dock Systems including (but not limited to): Hand Sanitizer, disposable gloves, garbage bags, paper towel, disposable masks, ventilator masks, ventilator cartridges (effective for 6 months unless contaminated with oil-based products), anti-bacterial wipes and anti-bacterial spray. Waste should be disposed of at the shop in the waste bin (if possible). If sanitation products are purchased by technicians for work purposes, they can submit their receipts to the finance department and will be reimbursed for the full amount for these products.

Please Note: These are additional steps to the existing NDS protocols NOT substitutions.

Do Not Sign into Walmart or Lowe’s sign-in books. Explain to the manager that this is a safety measure
Prior to entering any building, ensure you have your disinfectant kit which must include
- Hand Sanitizer and/or disinfecting spray
- Anti-bacterial wipes
- Designated plastic garbage bag (New bag per location only. Do Not use a bag from another site.)
- Disposable gloves
- Reusable ventilator masks as well as disposable medical masks
- Paper Towel
Prior to entering, put on rubber gloves, safety glasses and the accredited medical mask
Prior to entering the building, spray the bottom of your CSA approved safety boots with sanitization solution.
Only enter through a door closest to the asset and only use this door from then on, if possible.
Before touching any parts that need to be replaced/repaired, spray with sanitization solution.
Any parts that are removed must go straight into the garbage bag. DO NOT throw these items into the site garbage cans/bins.
Once complete, advise the manager and exit the building through the same door.
Once outside, spray the bottom of the boots with a sanitization solution.
Before entering the truck, remove rubber gloves and mask and throw into garbage bags, making sure not to touch the edge of the bag used to tie it. Spray safety glasses with alcohol.
Return to the vehicle to use hand sanitizer
Perform zero contact disinfection of all door handles used to enter the office
13. Disinfect door handles and steering wheel in the truck

Social Distancing

Employees must keep a distance of at least two meters between themselves and anyone else, including co-workers and customers.
All Employees will now be required to wear face coverings in all common areas in the office.
The maximum size of a technician work team will be 2 going forward.
If technicians are working in groups of 2, masks must be worn when closer than 6 feet (2 meters).
Masks/Face coverings must be worn indoors at all times.
Written approval is required for all technicians that agree to work in teams of 2.
Building entry will be limited to all field workers to a maximum of 1 person at a time and other office workers are not permitted entry until further notice – no exceptions. Management may come from time to time and they are aware of these rules.
Technicians cannot congregate in the morning while waiting for parts. If they chose to have a smoke, they need to be a minimum of 6′ apart. This will be managed and corrected if regulation is not followed.
Only one field worker can be in the building to use the bathroom (with the single stall and the shower) at a time. They are not allowed in the office bathroom (with multiple stalls). They can only use the office bathroom if they are given special permission.
Stay outside and do not enter the facility once the sectional door is opened. Keys, parts, PPE, supplies etc. will be passed through the door.
All field workers and other office workers who are not permitted entry into the office can ring the bell or text for building entry.
All Employees who have travelled outside of Canada will be required to advise Management or Human Resources and be in quarantine for a minimum of 14 days.
Any Employee who has come into contact, suspected to have come into contact or is taking care of an ill family member with COVID-19 will be required to advise Management or Human Resources and be in quarantine for a minimum of 14 days.
Increased distance between desks, tables, and workstations will be implemented.
Northern Dock Systems will reduce or eliminate activities that require close physical proximity or contact with people.
Team meetings will be conducted online on Microsoft teams unless instructed otherwise.
Any necessary personal proximity to others will be limited that is closer than two meters.

Updates to Management

If not already provided employees will provide updated emergency contact information to your manager.
Employees must consider whom Northern Dock Systems Inc. should call if you require transportation home from work.
Employees are required to immediately notify management or human resources if they rely on public transport to get to work and have no means to safely get home if they start to feel ill while at work.

All Employees (Office Staff and Technicians)

Self-Isolation

If you have a symptom of COVID-19 or think you might have such a symptom, do not come to work. It is critical that if you have at least one symptom of COVID-19 (fever, cough, loss of taste or smell, repeated shaking with chills, headache, sore throat, muscle pain or difficulty breathing), or even mild symptoms, you must stay home to avoid spreading illness to others. Mild symptoms may be similar to a cold or flu.

Additional actions you should take include:

Immediately isolating yourself to prevent any possible spread of COVID-19;
Contacting your local public health authority and follow their advice;
Notifying the company by telephone or e-mail; and
Remain away from work until you have been advised to return by your public health authority, normally after a minimum of 14 days.

You need to self-isolate if you:

Have symptoms, even if mild, associated with COVID-19;
Have been diagnosed with COVID-19;
Are waiting for laboratory test results after being tested for COVID-19; or
Have been advised to self-isolate by your regional public health authority.

Self-isolating means:

Staying home until the regional public health authority says you are no longer at risk of spreading the virus; and
Avoiding contact with others.

If your symptoms worsen, immediately contact your healthcare provider or public health authority, and follow their instructions.

Developing Symptoms at Work

If you develop even mild symptoms while at work:

Separate yourself from others.
Contact your manager or human resources using a telephone or by e-mail.
Notify your manager where you worked that day;
Disclose any interactions with fellow staff, customers, or others; and
Disclose any equipment you used, items you handled or surfaces you touched.

If you drove yourself to work, immediately go home and start self-isolating. If you took public transport, your manager would contact either your emergency contact or the local public health authority or non-emergency services to ensure that you are safely returned home.

Do not return to work until your public health authority advises it is safe to do so. The quarantine period will likely last a minimum of 14 days.

Employer Responsibilities

To ensure that Northern Dock Systems Inc continues to provide a healthy and safe workplace, the following measures have been implemented. In addition, Northern Dock Systems Inc continues to stay updated on guidelines and information provided from the World Health Organization and the government of Canada, and on measures implemented at a provincial level.

Use the risk-informed decision-making guidelines for workplaces and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic to help develop policies and procedures.
Continue to communicate with staff and customers about COVID-19, including the measures we are taking to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
All employees and guests are now required to wear Face Coverings/Masks in all common areas.
All employees will now be required to sign in upon entry to our facilities and sign out upon departure.
All employees entering our Mississauga office must use a contactless thermometer to check their temperature daily.
All temperatures will be logged daily.

If any employee has a temperature above 37 degrees, they are to immediately head home and contact their manager to let them know of their temperature. They will then be required to get tested for COVID-19 and provide the results to Management/Human Resources.

All guests to the Mississauga, On office will be required to complete a COVID-19 related questionnaire prior to entry to our facility.
All employees that enter any facility must complete a COVID-19 checklist prior to entry.
Results will be kept on an ongoing basis.

If the guest or employee answers NO to all questions, they will have passed the screening and will be required to use hand sanitizer upon entry.

If the guest or employee answers YES to any of the screening questions, or refuses to answer, they will be professionally advised/made aware that they may not enter the office at this time. A new appointment will be made with any guest and if it is an employee they must immediately head home, advise their Manager/Human Resources and begin to self-isolate.

Post signs asking ill clients or customers to stay away from the premises.
Post signs encouraging good respiratory hygiene, hand hygiene, and other healthy practices.
Sanitization zones have been assigned to volunteering employees.
Sanitization zones are required to be cleaned using anti-bacterial wipes 2 times daily.
Where feasible we are implementing measures to reduce social contact, such as teleworking arrangements, flexible hours, staggering start times, encouraging the use of e-mail, and teleconferencing.
Floor markings and barriers (including plexiglass) will be added to manage traffic flow and physical distancing.
Northern Dock Systems Inc. will continually evaluate the workplace for areas where people have frequent contact with each other and shared spaces and objects to look at measures to reduce contact.
Ensure increased cleaning of high-contact areas.
Evaluate and implement ways that employees can practice social distancing, such as increasing distance between desks, workstations, and people in queues.
Minimize interactions between customers and employees.
Northern Dock Systems Inc. has implemented and will follow increased cleaning guidelines:
- Hand sanitizer will be available at all entries, kitchens, workstations, and common areas
- Sanitization zones will be assigned to clean and disinfect all high-traffic areas and frequently touched areas (such as door handles, fridge handles, microwaves, printers, photocopiers) twice daily.
- Northern Dock Systems Inc. is providing cleaning wipes that are at least 70% alcohol to ensure proper disinfection or use other approved disinfectant sprays and solutions in common areas and workspaces for employees to clean workspaces.
We are going to open windows and doors whenever possible to ensure the space is well-ventilated.

The following personal protective equipment is available for office employees and provided based on the following situations:

Disposable gloves for employees. Hands must be washed before putting on gloves and immediately after removing gloves. While wearing gloves, employees must refrain from touching their face. Gloves should be frequently removed and disposed of to limit contact transfer.
Heavy-duty gloves and masks will be provided to the cleaning staff.
Anti-bacterial wipes and hand sanitizer will be available to all staff.

The following personal protective equipment is available for technician and service employees and will be provided:

Hand Sanitizer and/or disinfecting spray
Anti-bacterial wipes
Designated plastic garbage bag (New bag per location only. Do Not use a bag from another site.)
Disposable gloves
Reusable ventilator masks as well as disposable medical masks
Paper Towel

Work-Related Travel

Non-essential travel is postponed until further notice.
Travel for essential transportation workers is permitted as necessary.
Essential workers are not required to self-isolate for 14 days after work-related travel but must self-monitor closely for symptoms, and self-isolate immediately if they develop even mild symptoms.

Self-Monitoring

You need to self-monitor if you have no symptoms but may have been exposed to COVID-19 in the last 14 days, are in close contact with elderly people or medically vulnerable people, or have been instructed to self-monitor by your public health authority.

Self-monitoring means to:

Monitor yourself for 14 days for symptoms of respiratory illness, such as fever, cough, loss of taste or smell, repeated shaking with chills, headache, sore throat, muscle pain or difficulty breathing; and
Avoid crowded places and increase your personal space from others whenever possible

If you develop symptoms, self-isolate immediately and contact your public health authority as soon as possible.

Approaches to COVID-19 Cases

Where a team member’s test results come back negative, they may be asked to work remotely for 14 days. The team member may discontinue isolation at 14 days after symptom onset provided that symptoms are improving for at least 72 hours. The team member may work remotely with the approval of management during this time.

Where a team member tests positive for the virus, they are to continue self-isolation until they receive negative test results. Results that are either positive or negative must be provided to management or Human Resources through online communication. Testing may begin after symptoms are improving for at least 24 hours. The absence of cough is not required for those known to have a chronic cough or who are experiencing reactive airways post-infection.

Privacy and Confidentiality

Northern Dock Systems Inc. assures the appropriate treatment of private health and personal data and holds this information with high regard for confidentiality and sensitivity.

Northern Dock Systems Inc. has a right to collect, use and disclose private information in order to take reasonable precautions to maintain a safe workplace. Northern Dock Systems Inc. will take reasonable precautions not to disclose specific and sensitive details regarding a team member’s diagnosis, sick leave or work from home plans unless it is reasonably necessary to do so. Accordingly, in these circumstances, Northern Dock Systems Inc. may ask for and collect private information from team members such as travel history, symptoms, diagnoses, risk level and treatment, but will do so in a manner that is not overly insensitive and intrusive.

Northern Dock Systems Inc. has a duty to notify other team members that an individual or multiple team members have tested positive for an infectious disease. Northern Dock Systems Inc. will take every reasonable precaution not to disclose information that could identify a person and their specific symptoms and diagnosis unless it is reasonably necessary in the circumstances. Generally, Northern Dock Systems Inc. will relay that a team member tested positive, and that necessary precautions are being taken to stop the spread in the workplace. However, those individuals that came into contact with a high-risk person will be notified of more specific details.

Northern Dock Systems Inc. will take direction and advice from public health officials, all levels of government and other experts to determine the contingency, workplace health and privacy obligations.

Commit to These 4 steps to Help Overcome COVID-19:

Stay apart – Maintain 2-metres distance from everyone outside your safe social circle.
Lather up – Wash your hands often with soap and water or use hand sanitizer.
Mask up – Wear a non-medical mask where maintaining physical distancing is difficult and where masks are mandatory. Protect the supply of medical-grade masks for health care team members.
Get tested – If you think you might have COVID-19 or have been exposed to it, you should get tested. While waiting for test results, stay home, self-isolate and prevent potential spread.

Assessment Resources

If you are having difficulty breathing or experiencing other severe symptoms, call 911 immediately. Advise them of your symptoms and travel history.

If you are concerned about COVID-19 exposure, you can use an online self-assessment tool to determine whether you are likely infected. Please visit the appropriate provincial government websites for self-assessments.

https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/

Discrimination and Harassment

Northern Dock Systems Inc.’s harassment and discrimination policy continues to apply where a team member has potentially been exposed, perceived to have been exposed, or has tested positive for COVID-19. Northern Dock Systems Inc. is committed to providing team members with a work environment free from harassment and discrimination, and the organization maintains a zero-tolerance for such behaviour.

Indictments and blame of team members are not acceptable. Jokes associating the virus with people of any descent or origin are likewise not acceptable. Should a team member experience any form of harassment or discrimination in the workplace, this is to be reported to a manager and/or Human Resources immediately. It is a violation of human rights and goes against Northern Dock Systems Inc.’s Violence, Harassment and Discrimination policy. All complaints will be taken seriously, and the appropriate investigation measures will ensue in accordance with firm policy.

Right to Refuse Unsafe Work

Team members have a right to refuse to return to work upon recall from temporary layoff if they genuinely believe that conditions are unsafe for them or their team members. Northern Dock Systems Inc. will follow the necessary work refusal procedures as set out by the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). Where attending at the workplace is “likely to endanger” the spread of infectious disease, team members will be permitted to stay away from the workplace until the situation is resolved without fear of reprisal. As well, if a team member refuses to come into work in the absence a genuine virus illness or quarantine, this would be considered “willful neglect”, and management will investigate to determine if termination for cause is warranted.

Post Pandemic

Northern Dock Systems Inc. will continue to conduct screening and symptom monitoring with team members as well as clients and visitors. The goal of screening programs is to ensure that no person with clinical symptoms consistent with the infectious disease enters the office, whether visitors, team members, or clients. However, Northern Dock Systems Inc. asks that team members diligently monitor themselves for signs of illness and communicate this to their manager and/or a member of the JHSC if they feel unwell. If a team member begins to feel unwell while at work, they should immediately don a facial mask and notify their manager through e-mail or telephone.

Good communication channels are key to reinforce public health measures in the workplace. Northern Dock Systems Inc. will continue to review, revise and establish policies related to the infectious disease, and make sure these are communicated and understood by team members. In general:

Increase communication to team members and clients about infectious diseases and measures being taken for prevention.
Post signage encouraging good respiratory hygiene, hand hygiene, and other healthy practices.
Evaluate the workplace for areas where people have frequent contact with each other and share spaces and objects and increase the frequency of cleaning in these areas.
Consider staggering work hours to reduce crowding and close contact.
Consider minimizing interactions between team members and clients/visitors, such as limiting the number of visitors permitted in the office at any given time.
Consider increasing the spatial separation between desks and workstations as well as team members from each other, ideally a 2-metre separation or use a physical barrier (e.g., cubicle, Plexiglas window), if possible.
Create “traffic flow” within the office.
Reinforce social distancing measures as it pertains to appropriate greetings such as handshakes.
Provide access to handwashing facilities and hand sanitizing dispensers in prominent locations throughout the workplace.
Avoid potlucks, buffets, etc., where serving utensils, plates, trays and other objects may be handled by multiple people.
Update emergency contact information of team members.

Northern Dock Systems Inc. will facilitate arrangements to ensure that best practices are put into place, revised and maintained to every extent possible. Northern Dock Systems Inc. may restrict physical access to the workplace in any way it deems necessary to ensure the safety of the team. This may include some team members to the exclusion of others at times and may include the closing of common areas within the office itself. Again, any deviations will be communicated to team members as required.

Northern Dock Systems – Preventing COVID-19 in the Workplace Policy