McCoy Motors Covid-19 & Sanitisation Policy
 

(The below policy has taken guidance from the NSAI COVID-19 Workplace Protection and Improvement Guide)

The company will carry out a risk assessment on the risks posed by Covid-19 within the workplace and the potential exposure. This risk assessment will form part of the Company Safety Statement.

The Company appoints Art McCoy Jnr / Lee Waterson to be COVID/19 RESPONSE MANAGER/TEAM.

The Company requires all employees and contractors to be aware of:

• Signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
• How COVID-19 is spread.
• Cleaning routines and hygiene controls (including respiratory hygiene, cough etiquette, handwashing and physical distancing).
• The correct use of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and medical equipment (e.g. thermometers, disposable gloves, masks, and disinfectants) as relevant.
• What to do if an employee or a member of the public becomes unwell and believes they have been exposed to COVID-19.
• When individuals in the workplace have had contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19.
• Cleaning offices and public spaces where there are suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19.
• Rubbish disposal, including tissues.
• Travel restrictions and restricted movement advice. Requirement to report any foreign travel either on authorised leave or on personal time off to managers prior to returning to work.
• Documenting all procedures and cleaning activities.

Employees who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness are recommended to stay home, if they are well enough to do so or to contact the health service if they are acutely unwell. They should not come to work and should restrict their movements for 14 days from symptom onset, the last five days of which should be fever free.

Symptoms and how COVID-19 is spread

The following symptoms may develop in the 14 days after exposure to someone who has COVID-19 infection: Cough, Difficulty in breathing, Fever (38.0° C [100.4° F] or greater using an oral thermometer).

There are 2 main routes by which people can spread COVID-19:

• infection can be spread to people who are nearby (within 2 metres) or possibly could be inhaled into the lungs,
• it is also possible that someone may become infected by touching a surface, object or the hand of an infected person that has been contaminated with respiratory secretions and then touching their own mouth, nose, or eyes (such as touching contaminated surfaces (e.g. door knob) or shaking hands, then touching own face).

Hygiene and Contact Reduction

Hand washing

Wash hands properly and regularly and especially:

• After coughing or sneezing and after toilet use;
• Before eating;
• If in contact with a sick person, especially those with respiratory symptoms.

It is important to follow good practices for hand washing which include using soap and water and washing for over 20 seconds. Touching of the face should be avoided.

Mouth covering

Cover mouth when coughing and sneezing. Cover your nose and mouth with disposable tissues. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your arm or sleeve (not hand), put used tissues into a sealed bin and then wash your hands.

Physical Distancing

The introduction of physical distancing measures will be implemented across the business. Employees should keep a space of 2 metres (6.5 feet) between themselves and other people. However, the Company may introduce other measures to ensure physical distancing in the workplace. These measures can include but are not limited to:

• Workplace signage;
• Avoiding making close contact with people (i.e. do not shake hands);
• Setting up screens/barriers at desks where possible;
• Implementing correct distance markings;
• Encouraging use of card payment methods;
• Allocating times for collections/appointments/deliveries;
• Restricting/staggering the use of canteen facilities – 2-3 people in canteen at any one time
• Removing tables/chairs from the canteen and restricting the number of staff per table;
• Use of technology for video/virtual meetings;
• Limiting the number of meetings including length and proximity of gatherings between employees/others;
• Shift handover arrangements should be altered to ensure the appropriate routines are followed for social distancing (maintaining 2 metre distance).
• Altering shift patterns to reduce worker numbers;
• Isolating individual buildings

Zoning

Work areas will be divided into zones (service bays are now individual zones) with personnel allocated to work within each zone. Zones may be identified by colour, number, section, tiles etc. Movement between zones should be minimised and controlled at all times. Cleaning of all work areas must be conducted at regular intervals using disinfectants to kill germs and stop the spread of disease and in a visible manner to instil staff and visitor confidence.

• Eg: spraying down and disinfecting buttons on service lifts
• Disinfectant special tools after use
• Sanitisation products will be provided by the company for each work bay

Employee or a Member of the Public Becomes Unwell and Believes they have been Exposed to COVID-19.

If someone becomes unwell in the workplace with symptoms such as cough, fever, difficulty in breathing, the COVID-19 manager/response team should isolate the employee by accompanying the individual to a designated isolation area via the isolation route, keeping at least 2 metres away from the symptomatic person and also making sure that others maintain a distance of at least 2 metres from the symptomatic person at all times. The unwell individual should be provided with a mask if available.

The COVID-19 manager/response team should initially assess whether the unwell individual can immediately be directed to go home, call their doctor and continue self-isolation at home. Where that is not possible, the unwell individual should remain in the isolation area and call their doctor, outlining their current symptoms.

They should avoid touching people, surfaces and objects. Advice should be given to the unwell individual to cover their mouth and nose with the disposable tissue provided when they cough or sneeze and put the tissue in the waste bag provided.

The COVID-19 Manager/response team should notify management and arrange transport home or hospital for medical assessment. Public transport of any kind should not be used.

The COVID-19 Manager/response team should carry out a risk assessment of the incident, which will form part of determining follow-up actions and recovery. Advice on the management of staff and workplace will be based on this assessment. Immediate action following a suspected case should include closure of the isolation area until appropriately cleaned.

Contact with Confirmed Cases

If a confirmed case is identified in the workplace, staff in question will be asked to stay at home for 14 days from the last time they had contact with the confirmed case and follow the restricted movement’s guidance on the HSE website.

All affected staff will be actively followed up by the COVID-19 manager/response team. If the person develops new symptoms or their existing symptoms worsen within their 14-day observation period they should call their doctor for reassessment. The above eventualities will be recorded by the COVID-19 manager.

Cleaning in the Event of a Suspected/Confirmed Case of Covid-19
 

General

If an employee is suspected of or has tested positive for Covid-19, here are some general tips for cleaning/disinfecting rooms where the employee was situated in the workplace:

Keep the door to the room closed for at least one hour before cleaning. Do not use the room until the room has been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected and all surfaces are dry.

• The person assigned to clean the area should avoid touching their face while they are cleaning and should wear household or disposable single use non-sterile nitrile gloves and a disposable plastic apron (if one is available).
• Open the window while you are cleaning.
• Clean the environment and the furniture using disposable cleaning cloths and a household detergent followed or combined with chlorine-based product such as sodium hypochlorite (often referred to as household bleach). Chlorine based products are available in different formats including wipes.
• For more information on chlorine-based disinfectants, then please refer to the HPSC
• Pay special attention to frequently touched flat surfaces, the backs of chairs, couches, door handles and any surfaces or items that are visibly soiled with body fluids.
• Place all waste that has been in contact with individuals, including used tissues, and masks if used, in a plastic rubbish bag and tie when full. Remove your apron and gloves and discard into the waste bag and clean your hands. Place the plastic bag into a second bin bag and tie it, then clean your hands.
• Store the bag in a safe place until the result of the test is available. If the individual tests negative, place the waste in the normal domestic waste bin. In the event the individual tests positive, Public Health will advise what to do next.
• Once the room has been cleaned and disinfected and all surfaces are dry, the room can be put back into use.

Cleaning of communal areas

Communal areas and bathroom facilities should be cleaned with household detergent followed by a disinfectant (as outlined above), Pay special attention to frequently touched sites including door handles, backs of chairs, taps of washbasins, toilet handles. Once cleaning and disinfection have been completed and all surfaces are completely dry, the area can be put back into use.

Current evidence suggests that novel coronavirus may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials. Cleaning of visibly dirty surfaces followed by disinfection is a best practice measure for prevention of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory illnesses in community settings.

Routinely clean all frequently touched surfaces in the workplace, such as workstations, countertops, and doorknobs. Use the cleaning agents that are usually used in these areas and follow the directions on the label.

Cleaning should of communal areas should be done after usage by all staff. This should not be the responsibility of just one person.

Cleaning of Contaminated Area

For further detail on environment cleaning following a confirmed COVID-19 case within the workplace see Interim guidance for environmental cleaning in non-healthcare facilities exposed to SARS-CoV-2: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/coronavirus-SARS-CoV-2-guidance-environmental-cleaning-non-healthcare-facilities.pdf

Waste disposal

All waste that has been in contact with the individual, including used tissues, and masks if used, should be put in a normal waste bag. Double bagging should be used. The waste bag should be kept for 72 hours, then thrown into the normal waste.

Safety & Welfare during recovery

Special attention should be paid to any groups that are considered high risk or with physical disabilities or other specific needs (e.g. pregnancy, temporary disability due to injury). Planning in advance to meet these requirements can reduce risk and reassure those affected. The long-term impacts of incidents should not be underestimated.

The company’s priority at all times is to promote employee safety and wellbeing within the organisation.

Failure to Adhere to Covid-19 Policy

Failure to adhere to the company policy on Covid-19 will be dealt with, in the first instance, under employee disciplinary procedures and could lead to dismissal.

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