New Policy: Preventing COVID-19 in the Workplace

A policy to help keep our employees safe by preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace

Intent

This policy was developed to help keep our employees safe by preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. The precautionary measures have been developing using advice and information obtained from the World Health Organization and the government of Canada.

Guidelines

Nexus Staffing Inc. 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.

Hand Hygiene

• Wash hands frequently. Thoroughly wash hands with an alcohol-based rub or with soap and water. Wash hands for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your face (specifically your eyes, nose, and mouth) as much as possible.
• Cover your mouth when coughing, sneezing, and yawning by doing so into the bend of your arm, not your hand.
• Avoid touching surfaces people touch often.
• Instead of a handshake, give a friendly wave or elbow bump.
• Use any necessary personal protective equipment as directed.
• If you must travel outside of the province or country, it is mandatory that you notify Nexus Staffing when and where you will be travelling so we can help monitor risk. Further you must self-isolate for 14 days upon return

Workspace Cleaning

Use appropriate products provided to clean and disinfect items that you come in contact with at your worksite as directed by your manager.

Social Distancing

• Keep a distance of at least two metres (six-feet) between you and anyone else, including your co-workers.
• Reduce or eliminate activities that require close physical proximity or contact with people inside the workplace.
• Limit any necessary personal proximity to others that is closer than two metres to the shortest time possible.

Updates to Management

• Provide updated personal and emergency contact information to your manager.

Self-Isolation

If you have a symptom of COVID-19 or think you might have such a symptom, do not come to work, STAY HOME. It is critical that if you have at least one symptom of COVID-19 (fever, cough, 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 Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000, or your family doctor and following their advice;
• Notifying Nexus Staffing by telephone at (416) 767-2323 or by email of your circumstances
• Remaining away from work until you have been medically cleared to return, 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 immediately while social distancing (remaining 2 meters apart minimum) 
• Notify your manager on-site and Nexus Staffing via telephone at 416-767-2323 where you worked that day including which departments
• 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 will contact either your emergency contact or the local public health authority or non-emergency services to ensure that you are safety returned home.

Do not return to work until you obtain medical clearance to do so. The quarantine period will likely last a minimum of 14 days.

Employer Responsibilities

To ensure that Nexus Staffing Inc. continues to provide a healthy and safe workplace, the following measures have been implemented. In addition, Nexus Staffing 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.
• Post signs asking ill applicants, clients and employees not to enter our office premises.
• Post signs encouraging good respiratory hygiene, hand hygiene, and other healthy practices.
• Where feasible, implement measures to reduce social contact, such as teleworking arrangements, flexible hours, staggering start times, encouraging the use of e-mail, and teleconferencing.
• All non-essential meetings or travel are postponed until clearance received from the government of Canada or the local health authority.
• 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 and application workstations, 
• Minimize physical interactions between applicants, temporary staff and internal employees.
• Implement and follow increased cleaning guidelines:        
• Make hand sanitizer available at all entries and application workstations
• Clean and disinfect all high-traffic areas and frequently touched areas (such as door handles, fridge handles, microwaves, printers, photocopiers) twice daily.
• Provide cleaning solutions 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.
• Open windows and doors whenever possible to ensure the space is well-ventilated.

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 cough, fever, and difficulty breathing; and
• Avoid crowded places and increase your personal space from others whenever possible

If you develop symptoms, self-isolate immediately and contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 or your family doctor as soon as possible.

Assessment Resources

If you are concerned about COVID-19 exposure, you can use an online self-assessment tool to determine whether you are likely infected. Information on COVID-19 is available at the following link for your information. We encourage you to save this link and check in for regular updates:

https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus