HEALTH & SAFETY RISK MITIGATION PLANNING To support the gradual return of on-campus, face-to-face learning and operational activities during the COVID-19 pandemic
Purpose This document is intended to be used as a baseline plan to reduce or minimize the risk to the safety and health of workers and students. It must be completed by Academic Schools/Departments with support from COVID-19 Re-Entry Team if they are planning for employees returning to work on campus, experiential learning or any face-to-face activity while the risk of COVID-19 is present. Completion and implementation of this plan as well as ongoing monitoring and check-ins with the employees in your work area will meet the government guidelines for reopening. Updated: July 21, 2020. This document will be updated as needed. Visit lakelandcollege.ca/covid19 for current information.
Guiding Principles In light of the COVID-19 outbreak and the variety of planning initiatives that are taking place throughout Lakeland, a series of guiding principles have been developed. The following principles are intended to enable cohesive planning across the college based on the same fundamental values and understanding of the current COVID-19 challenges now and moving forward: 1. Lakeland places the health and wellbeing of students, staff, and faculty above all other considerations. 2. Decisions regarding in-person and remote learning will be driven by program quality and fairness across all student demographics. 3. Lakeland will provide as much certainty as possible to students and staff by making and communicating decisions as early as possible. 4. Lakeland will work within all established guidelines and restrictions from Alberta Health Services. 5. Decisions regarding other campus operations and business (ie. event services) will be assessed and approved based on compliance with public health protocols and provincial directives to protect the health and safety of the Lakeland community.
Scope Face-to-face activities included within this framework are: • Exams
• Labs (practical skills) & studies
• Continuing education courses
• Organized activities
• Courses that cannot be transitioned to fully online
• Department return to work planning
Practicum/work experience placements are NOT included within this framework, however external agencies should provide appropriate Faculty member and Dean with plans that demonstrate their compliance practices.
Responsibilities At Lakeland, everyone has a direct responsibility for health and safety as an essential part of their job and we work collaboratively to control hazards. Each person takes initiative on health and safety issues and works to solve problems and make improvements on an on-going basis. Senior Leadership Team members are responsible for: • Approving and supporting this plan to ensure a safe return to campus. Health, Safety and Environment, and Facilities and Infrastructure departments are responsible for: • Developing, maintaining and communicating this plan • Recommending and completing updates as necessary • Acting as a resource on implementation of the plan Supervisors, within their area of responsibility, are responsible for: • Completing this process to ensure a safe return to campus for the Lakeland community, including staff, students, vendors and visitors • Reviewing and updating as necessary any emergency response and safe work procedures/guidelines 2 | Health & Safety Risk Mitigation Planning 2020
• Advising staff and students of any new or updated department hazard assessments, safe work procedures or processes • Responding to health and safety concerns brought to their attention Employees are responsible for: • Completing the COVID-19 Lakeland Orientation For Employees orientation, reviewing COVID-19 Re-Entry Guide and applicable operational procedures and checklists for their area. Lakeland community is responsible for: • Completing the Daily Assessment Tool online before leaving home • Practicing personal safety measures including physical distancing, enhanced personal hygiene and wearing 3-ply face coverings (non-medical) as required
Process Each Academic School/Department should complete the supporting documents outlined in each of the steps below in order to effectively implement the Health, Safety and Risk Mitigation Planning for COVID-19. Program heads and instructors should complete the documents either individually or as a group for each program. The COVID-19 Re-Entry Team will be available to assist as required. 1. Review the Lakeland COVID-19 Re-Entry Guide, Office Safety Procedure, Classroom Safety Procedure and your department COVID-19 plan. 2. Complete the People/Space Management checklist. 3. If needed complete the Task Hazard Assessment template and determine controls to implement for anything not identified in 2 4. Submit the plan as outlined on the last page of this document.
Step 1: Review the COVID-19 Re-Entry Guide The Lakeland COVID-19 Re-Entry Guide is a general plan that applies to all Lakeland operations, and it should be reviewed to assist in the completion of other steps in this plan. A Risk Mitigation Plan is required in a workplace where there is an identified risk of exposure to a hazard or biological agent (COVID-19) and it documents the specific and appropriate controls that will minimize or eliminate that risk. COVID-19 Transmission Prevention Guidelines These general COVID-19 Transmission Prevention Guidelines or hazard controls are outlined in the COVID-19 Re-Entry Guide, which is based on current provincial and federal requirements. These guidelines should be used as controls during the risk assessment of critical tasks to mitigate the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Any controls that are chosen to mitigate an identify risk should follow the hierarchy of controls, beginning at the most effective strategies. The following general transmission prevention guidelines will be used throughout this plan. They are measures that have been recommended by provincial and federal health authorities. Many of these guidelines are built into the checklists found throughout this plan and will be implemented as part of those processes. They are listed here in order to provide another layer of guidance when completing the Task Hazard Assessment for critical tasks.
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More Effective Stay 2 metres apart
Physical distancing
Physical barriers
Engineering controls
Personal hygiene, 3-ply face coverings, stagger work schedules
Administrative controls
Gloves and respirators
PPE
Less Effective
FACE-TO-FACE WORK & LEARNING: GENERAL COVID-19 TRANSMISSION PREVENTION GUIDELINES Ensure that classrooms/labs/meeting rooms and work areas are set up to allow 2-metre physical distancing between all occupants. Implement classroom capacities in order to maintain 2-metre physical distancing. Capacity information is at lakelandcollege.ca/covid-19
SAFE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS
Cordon off demonstration/instruction areas to allow for students and staff to maintain 2-metre physical distancing. Set up physical distancing (with signage, etc.) for the use of any shared tools/equipment for the employees/students. Set up physical barriers when distancing is not an option. Ensure all staff and students have completed the online COVID-19 Lakeland Orientation. Post infection control practices and physical distancing posters. Remind people to avoid face touching and to wash hands often.
PERSONAL HYGIENE
Advise/remind employees/students to stay home if sick and ensure that accommodation measures are developed. Promote no eating during classes/in classrooms. Wear a 3-ply face covering when entering Lakeland buildings and in classrooms, hallways, washrooms, and other public campus spaces. Face coverings must also be worn in indoor and outdoor labs and office spaces where physical distancing of 2 metres is not possible. If possible avoid providing physical handout papers/forms or any pens, pencils, and other common writing/learning tools. Remove any unnecessary common touch points, objects, or self-serve items (i.e. hearing protection, gloves).
ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE
For any class-provided tools/equipment – if possible, ensure each student has their own dedicated items. Identify all tools/equipment that must be shared. Develop and post transmission prevention and/or sanitization procedures for all shared items and common touch points. Ensure that cleaning supplies and safe work procedures are provided on how to correctly clean/sanitize.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPEMENT (PPE)
Instruct employees and students on how to safely use and remove any required PPE Note: PPE (gloves, respirators, face shields, etc.) should only be recommended/required for pandemic exposure control if absolutely necessary (i.e. work with COVID-19 patients). Due to global healthcare burdens there are shortages in common prevention PPE, and most resources are being directed to healthcare individuals.
Step 2: Complete People/Space Management Checklist The following checklist shall be completed to ensure mitigation strategies are utilized to maintain safe spaces, anticipate issues and capture required administrative tasks. Think about how COVID-19 is spread (through the droplets from infected people, often from coughs or sneezes).
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PEOPLE/SPACE MANAGEMENT CHECKLIST Directions: • Use this checklist to ensure you have considered the following factors & assess pandemic prevention measures in your instruction/work space. • State the details for each control measure indicated as ‘yes’. • Keep completed questionnaires as part of this plan Activity/Class
Department
Person(s) Completing This Plan:
Room Type
Completion Date:
Room #s:
#
Control Measure
Yes
NA
o Classroom o Office o Lab o Shop o Studio o Simulation Room # of students
Details/Applicable Supporting Comments
Illness/Pre-screening 1.
A process is in place to advise students to stay home if sick? Supporting measures are in place to accommodate absences?
o
o
Online COVID-19 orientation, Lakeland COVID-19 Re-Entry Guide Indicate how you are going to reiterate this information.
2.
A process is in place to advise employees to stay home if sick? Supporting measures are in place to accommodate absences and provide coverage, if applicable?
o
o
Online COVID-19 orientation, Lakeland COVID-19 Re-Entry Guide What is the process if the instructor becomes ill?
3.
A daily process to pre-screen students/employees/attendees has been developed and self-reporting is mandatory?
o
o
People are required to use the Daily Assessment Tool
People/Resources/Communication 4.
A process is in place to keep daily attendance and contact information for students, employees or attendees?
o
o
Student Services manages student contact information, HR has employee contact information. Instructor to manage daily attendance, records to be kept by instructor. Departments encouraged to use sign in sheet in offices.
5.
Student/employees are provided instruction on where to spend their break time?
o
o
Provide details and how communicating. E.g. leave the building, inside personal vehicle etc.
6.
Employees/students are reminded to cover coughs and sneezes, avoid touching face, and to wash hands often for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer?
o
o
Online COVID-19 orientation, Lakeland COVID-19 Re-Entry Guide, posters
7.
If possible handouts, papers, pens, etc. are not physically provided to students?
o
o
E.g. e-versions, students provide their own, etc. is preferred. Explain your process.
8.
When possible, students/staff have dedicated tools/equipment? E.g. items are not shared between students during class.
o
o
E.g. assign or sign out tools/equipment
9.
Common touch points and tools/equipment that must be shared are identified? Procedures for disinfecting are documented?
o
o
Identify shared tools/equipment
10.
Cleaning/sanitizing materials are provided?
o
o
Request supplies from facilities
11.
Employees/students are given instruction/training for any new safe work procedures?
o
o
E.g. safe use of any provided face coverings or personal protective equipment
o
o
What process will be followed if there is non compliance
Supervision 12.
A process has been developed to manage staff/students/attendees not following the established control measures?
Activity/Instruction/Work Space 13.
Entry/exit process is in place?
o
o
E.g. safe work procedure — one door, hand sanitizing
14.
The maximum number of persons allowed in a space has been determined? Assess room set up to allow for 2 metre physical distancing between people?
o
o
Considerations for equipment providing sufficient distance requirements to be included. Refer to the website for details on maximum occupancy in specific classrooms and spaces.
15.
Demonstration and work areas set-up to allow for 2 metre physical distancing? Identified other areas within the classroom to be blocked from access or to support flow of people throughout the space?
o
o
E.g. using barriers, floor decals, tape, etc. or contact Facilities with your needs
16.
Is there any other equipment or supports required?
o
o
E.g. webcam for live demonstrations
17.
Are there other hazards in relation to your task that need to be identified and controlled?
o
o
List tasks here. If you require additional space, please use the Task Hazard Assessments document at @lakelandcollege.ca/covid19
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Step 3: Plan Completion and Submission The final step is to complete the H & S Risk Mitigation Plan Submission and Approval Checklist and submit along with all supporting documentation to the Dean/Director for review and discussion. The Dean/Director will email the package to covid19@lakelandcollege.ca for review by the COVID-19 Re-Entry Team. The package will be returned to the Dean/Director with any comments or recommendations for final approval and implementation. H & S RISK MITIGATION PLAN SUBMISSION & APPROVAL CHECKLIST Proposed Activity/Class: Activity/Class Dates & Time (if known): Approximate # of Students/Attendees: Please provide a summary of the proposed face-to-face activity/class and any other relevant information.
Submit this checklist and the following documents to your Dean/Director for review and discussion: 3 Completed People/Space Planning Checklist 3 Included Task Hazard Assessments identified, if applicable Plan approval ยง The Dean/Director will sign & submit a copy of the completed plan to covid19@lakelandcollege.ca ยง The COVID-19 Re-Entry Team will review the plan and provide feedback (if necessary) ยง The plan will be returned to the Dean/Director for final sign off and implementation ยง Safety and Environment will retain a copy of this plan and may also provide a copy to the Lakeland Joint Health and Safety Committee as an information item. Submitted by (print name(s) & sign) Dean/Director (print name & sign) Date: Date of COVID-19 Re-Entry Team Review:
Comments/Recommendations:
Final Approval - Dean/Director signature: Date:
NOTE: The requirements of this plan are based on current provincial and federal requirements as well as AB OHS guidelines. It is expected that the requirements of this plan could change in the future. Any changes in requirements will be communicated as soon as possible with the expectation that every endeavour will be made to conform to the changes as soon as practicable.
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Thank You Our thanks to Medicine Hat College for sharing their COVID-19 health and safety resources and giving us permission to use them in our planning and in the creation of this document.