COVID-19 and Communicable Disease Policy

Communicable Diseases Prevention Plan

As COVID-19 vaccinations have become widely available to British Columbian’s, the overall risk of transmission and serious consequences has diminished. Despite this, the virus will still circulate like other communicable diseases such as norovirus, and seasonal influenza.

Pihl Law Corporation has devised a Communicable Diseases Prevention Plan in accordance with WorkSafeBC and the Provincial Health Officer. This plan replaces the Covid-19 Safety Plan.

We want to ensure that our employees, clients and all others who enter our premises feel safe and informed with respect to our Communicable Diseases Prevention Plan and the actions that must be taken to keep each other and our larger community safe and healthy.

New policies may be introduced from time to time requiring employees to follow enhanced safety measures in the workplace including but not limited to requirements to wear certain PPE, to take medication or obtain vaccinations in order to prevent communicable diseases, to modify work duties, locations, or hours of work, and any other safety measures as are reasonably necessary and/or recommended by government officials in order to address the Employer’s reasonable safety concerns.

We will assess our plan and make changes as required to ensure we are in compliance with current guidelines.

1. Understanding the risk:

Preventing communicable disease involves taking ongoing measures to reduce the risk of transmission in our workplace and implementing additional measures when advised to do so by Public Health.

The level of risk of certain communicable diseases, including COVID-19 may increase from time to time or on a seasonal basis and it is important to monitor and review information issued by Public Health.

• The Administrator will monitor for orders, guidance, notices, and recommendations issued by either a regional or provincial health officer and will implement and communicate to staff any necessary or recommended adjustments to our Communicable Diseases Prevention Plan.
• The following resources are used to stay informed on current information related to communicable diseases:
  • https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/info/restrictions
  • https://www.interiorhealth.ca/health-and-wellness/communicable-diseases/covid-19
  • https://www.worksafebc.com/en/covid-19
  • bccdc.ca

 

2. Ongoing measures, practices, and policies to reduce the risk:

Our workplace policies ensure that staff and others showing symptoms of Covid-19 and other communicable diseases are prohibited from the workplace:

• All employees are required to be fully vaccinated from Covid-19 and provide proof of full vaccination via the BC Vaccine Card.
• Signage is posted at all entry points directing staff and visitors not to enter the workplace if they are experiencing any symptoms of Covid-19 or other communicable diseases. Symptoms include fever, chills, new or worsening cough, shortness of breath, sore throat and new muscle aches or headache.
• Employees who start to feel ill with any symptoms of COVID-19 or other communicable disease at work should:

1. Put on a mask, sanitize their hands, advise their supervisor, and leave work.
2. The supervisor should ensure that a senior admin team member is advised.
3. If an employee is experiencing symptoms but is well enough to work from home, they may utilize the work at home technology.
4. A rapid antigen test may be helpful to determine COVID-19 infection.
5. A safe return to work will be determined according to public health guidelines.
6. The BC Centre of Disease Control, bccdc.ca offers public health guidance.

• Employees who experience symptoms of Covid-19 or other communicable disease at home should contact their supervisor and a senior admin team member to determine the necessary protocol during their time away from the worksite and requirements for a safe return to work.

Effective cleaning and hand-hygiene practices reduce the risk of surface transmission of communicable diseases:

• A professional cleaning service is cleaning all areas of the offices nightly with a focus on high touch surfaces including but not limited to: entry/exit doors and push bars, door handles/pulls, light switches and hand railings in stairwells with a Health Canada approved broad spectrum viricidal.
• Signage is posted at all entry points asking that staff, clients and visitors sanitize upon arrival and departure from the office.
• Sanitizer and/or wipes are available at reception, all meeting rooms, all entrances, printing stations and other areas throughout the firm.
• The building’s ventilation system is professionally maintained and serviced every 3 months to ensure the system is functioning as designed.
• Masks are not required, but employees may choose to wear a mask and are asked to wear one when meeting with others who are choosing to wear a mask.

Additional measures may be implemented during periods of elevated risk. The kind of measures implemented will depend on the type of disease and the methods of transmission. All directions provided by Public Health will be followed.

3. Monitor workplace and update plan as necessary:

We will continue to monitor our workplace for risks regularly and change our measures, practices, and policies as necessary. During a period of elevated risk, we will follow all orders, guidance, recommendations, and notices issued by the medical health officer or provincial health office in order to best avoid and reduce risk. If a new area of concern is identified or something isn’t working we will take steps to update.

Questions or concerns should be forwarded to a senior admin team member or a shareholder.

 

 

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