HEALTH HAZARDS OF PANDEMIC COVID-19

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NRRM Exposure Control Plan - Pandemic COVID-19 Page 1 of 9

To: All Employees

Subject: Exposure Control Plan for Pandemic COVID-19 Revision Date: April 1, 2020

This exposure control plan should be reviewed in conjunction with the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality COVID-19 Response Plan. While similar in nature, this exposure control plan deals specifically with worker safety and exposure control of Pandemic COVID-19.

HEALTH HAZARDS OF PANDEMIC COVID-19

The effects of pandemic COVID-19 are expected to be much more severe than for seasonal influenza because most people will not have any immunity to the virus.

SYMPTOMS

COVID-19 affects people to varying degrees, with symptoms including fever, dry cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat and fatigue/difficulty rousing. In some cases, secondary infections such as pneumonia may develop. Serious symptoms of pandemic COVID-19 are likely to include high fever (higher than 38ºC), chest pain, and difficulty breathing. Those who are infected with COVID-19 may have little to no symptoms.

TRANSMISSION

The BC Centre for Disease Control advises that COVID-19 is communicable before the onset of symptoms. Symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to COVID-19. This is the longest known infectious period for this disease.

Pandemic COVID-19 is spread in the same way that seasonal cold and influenza is spread. Exposure to the virus may occur in a variety of ways, including the following:

 shaking hands with an infected person or touching a surface contaminated with the virus, followed by touching one’s eyes, nose, or mouth

 Infectious droplets from a coughing or sneezing person landing in the eye or onto the moist inner surfaces of the nose or mouth

 Breathing infectious airborne droplets or particles (from coughing, sneezing, or aerosol-generating medical procedures on infected patients)

 Sharing food items or utensils with an infected person  Exposure to the virus in sewage

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for all of our staff. A combination of measures will be utilized to minimize worker exposure to pandemic COVID-19, including the most effective control technologies available. Our work procedures will protect not only our

Northern Rockies Regional Municipality

Municipal Office 5319 - 50th_{Avenue South}

Bag Service 399, Fort Nelson, BC V0C 1R0 Tel 250.774.2541 Fax 250.774.6794 www.northernrockies.org

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NRRM Exposure Control Plan - Pandemic COVID-19 Page 2 of 9 workers, but also other workers or public who enter our facilities. All employees must follow the procedures outlined in this plan to prevent or reduce exposure to pandemic COVID-19.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Employer Responsibilities

The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality will:

 Ensure that the materials (for example, gloves, alcohol-based hand rubs, and washing facilities) and other resources such as worker training materials required to implement and maintain the plan are readily available where and when they are required.

 Select, implement and document the appropriate site-specific control measures.

 Ensure that supervisors and workers are educated and trained to an acceptable level of competency.  Ensure that workers use appropriate personal protective equipment – for example, gloves, eye

protection and respirators.

 Conduct a periodic review of the plan’s effectiveness. This includes a review of the available control technologies to ensure that these are selected and used when practical.

 Maintain records of training and inspections.

 Ensure that a copy of the exposure control plan is available to workers.  Close facilities or limit services to the public if warranted.

Supervisor responsibilities

Our supervisors will:

 Ensure that workers are adequately instructed on the controls for the hazards at the location.  Ensure that workers use proper respirators, for which they have been fit tested, and the results are

recorded.

 Direct work in a manner that eliminates or minimizes the risk to workers.

 Send workers home if they are ill will symptoms associated with flu like illnesses.

Worker Responsibilities

Our workers will:

 Know the hazards of the workplace.

 Follow established work procedures as directed by the employer or supervisor.  Use and required PPE as instructed.

 Report any unsafe conditions or acts to the supervisor.  Know how and when to report exposure incidents.

 Leave work if suffering from the flu and stay home until the symptoms are gone.

NOTE: The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality Fire Department may have additional responsibilities and Operational Guidelines/protocols as it relates to pandemic response.

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RISK IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT

Three primary routes of transmission are anticipated for pandemic COVID-19, all of which need to be controlled. These include contact, droplet, and airborne transmission.

Contact transmission, both direct and indirect

Direct contact involves skin-to-skin contact, such as patient care or emergency response activity that requires direct personal contact. First Aid Attendants or Fire Department first responders could be exposed by direct contact. Indirect contact involves a worker touching a contaminated intermediate object such as a table, doorknob, telephone, or a computer keyboard, and then touching the eyes, nose, or mouth. Contact

transmission is important to consider because influenza viruses can persist for minutes on hands and hours no surfaces.

Droplet transmission

Large droplets may be generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes, occasionally when an infected person speaks and also during certain medical procedures such as cough induction. Droplets travel a short distance through the air, and can be deposited on inanimate surfaces (leading to indirect contact

transmission), or in the eyes, nose, or mouth.

Airborne transmission

Airborne (inhalable) particles can be generated from coughs and sneezes.

Coughs and sneezes produce both large droplets and smaller airborne particles. The smaller particles remain suspended in air for longer periods, and can be inhaled. The large droplets can also evaporate quickly to form additional inhalable particles. As the distance from the person coughing or sneezing increases, the risk of infection from airborne exposure is reduced, but it can still be a concern in smaller, enclosed areas, especially where there is limited ventilation. As the number of infected people in a room increases, the risk of infection can increase.

The following risk assessment table is adapted from WorkSafeBC Occupational Health and Safety Regulation Guideline G6.34-6. Using this guideline as a reference, we have determined the risk level to our workers, depending on their potential exposure in the workplace. See Appendix A at the end of this document for the level of risk and risk controls in place for workers.

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Table 01: Risk assessment for pandemic COVID-19 Low Risk

Workers who typically have no contact with people infected with pandemic influenza

Moderate risk

Workers who may be exposed to infected people from time to time in relatively large, well-ventilated workspaces

High risk

Workers who may have contact with infected patients or with infected people in small, poorly ventilated workspaces

Hand Hygiene Yes (washing with

soap and water, using an alcohol-based hand rub, or using hand wipes that contain effective disinfectant)

Yes (washing with

Disposable gloves Not required Not required, unless handling

contaminated objects on a regular basis

Yes, in some cases,

such as when working directly with pandemic influenza patients Aprons, gowns, or similar body protection

Not required Not required Yes, in some cases,

such as when working directly with

pandemic influenza patients

Eye protection – goggles or face shield

Not required Not required Yes, in some cases,

such as when working directly with

pandemic influenza patients

Airway protection – respirators

Not required Not required unless likely to be exposed to coughing and sneezing Yes (minimum N95 respirator or equivalent)

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RISK CONTROL

The Regulation requires us to implement infectious disease controls in the following order of preference: 1. Elimination

2. Engineering controls 3. Administrative controls

4. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Elimination of face-to-face contact is the best control possible. This would include closing facilities and reception counters, relying on phone, email or regular mail to answer public questions. Limit meetings and rely on conference calls, mail or messenger tools. Take financial transactions by electronic means rather than cash or cheque at the municipal counter.

Engineering controls would be such things as working from inside an enclosure when receiving bill payments in the finance department or selling passes at parks and recreation facilities. This will not prevent all exposure so Administrative and/or PPE will be required.

Administrative controls include hand washing and cough/sneeze etiquette. A policy of no hand shaking at meetings is also a suitable control.

Personal Protective Equipment would be the wearing of respirators, coveralls/turnout gear, gloves, goggles and/or face shields.

Safe Work Procedures Hand Washing

Hand washing is one of the best ways to minimize the risk of infection. Proper hand washing helps prevent the transfer of infectious material from the hands to other parts of the body – particularly the eyes, nose and mouth – or to other surfaces that are touched.

Wash your hands immediately:  Before leaving a work area

 After handling materials that may be contaminated

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Hand Washing Procedure

Use soap and warm running water; it does not have to be hot to be effective. Wash and rinse your hands for at least twenty seconds. If water is unavailable, use a waterless hand cleanser that has at least 60%-70% alcohol. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to use the cleanser. Cleansers can be found in the

staff lunchrooms and most meeting rooms of the Municipal Office, Fire Hall, Airport, Recreation Centre, and Public Works. If you are a worker in the High or Moderate Risk area and frequently work away from a main facility, please contact your supervisor for a personal supply of hand cleanser.

Physical Distancing

Physical distancing is a practice recommended by health authorities that means staying physically apart from one another. While outside the home people are expected to maintain a distance of two meters or so between you and any other individuals, to the best of your ability. Leaving the home is strongly discouraged except for work (unless ordered by the Province) and essential services, including groceries.

Cough/Sneeze Etiquette

Our workers are expected to follow cough/sneeze etiquette, which is a combination of measures that minimizes the transmission of diseases via droplet or airborne routes. Cough/sneeze etiquette includes the following components:

 Cover your mouth and nose with a sleeve or tissue when coughing or sneezing  Use tissues to contain secretions, and dispose of them promptly in a waste container  Offer surgical masks to people who are coughing

 Turn your head away from others when coughing or sneezing  Wash hands regularly

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Sanitization

Upon notification of a Pandemic, municipal facilities will see increased sanitization based upon level of risk per area and guided by the NRRM Pandemic Sanitization Plan and the NRRM COVID-19 Response Plan. Additional sanitizing will be completed as needed following three stages of cleaning protocols.

 Stage 1: Preventative Sanitization. This is an increased frequency of regular sanitizing practices.  Stage 2: Sanitization of Asymptomatic Contact. This stage is a targeted sanitization of identified areas

of contact with an asymptomatic patron or worker who has had indirect or direct contact with a suspected or confirmed case. Access to designated areas will be restricted until sanitization is complete.

 Stage 3: Sanitization of Symptomatic Contact. This is case where a confirmed or suspected

symptomatic patron or worker was on a NRRM work site. Work will cease at the effected work site until trained personnel can address the situation. Sanitization will be done with guidance from a health official.

If workers show symptoms of COVID-19

If workers are ill with symptoms as described (cough, fever, sore throat and/or difficulty breathing) they should stay home. If they develop symptoms of influenza while at work, they should notify their supervisor, leave the workplace and isolate themselves from others as quickly as possible. Workers should immediately call a healthcare professional, a local public health authority or 8-1-1. Symptoms, travel history and close contacts should be shared with the health professional and the health professional will provide advice for the worker. Workers should only return to the workplace once they no longer show symptoms and have isolated for the recommended time set by a health authority.

Use of masks

A protective mask is a protective barrier that is worn on the face, covers at least the nose and mouth, and is used to contain large droplets generated during coughing and sneezing by the person wearing the mask. Surgical masks help minimize the spread of potentially infectious material from the infected wearer to other people.

Only under some circumstances and for specified positions (for example, First Responders, water operators or others determined as essential by the Provincial Government), workers who have COVID-19 may be required to return to work. These workers should wear protective masks and practice cough/sneeze etiquette to avoid infecting other workers. Workers who develop symptoms of COVID-19 or suspect that they might have COVID-19, and must remain at work, must wear protective masks in the workplace. Protective masks are available from the HR & Safety Officer or your Supervisor.

Worker training

Our workers will receive training in the following:

 The risk of exposure to pandemic COVID-19, and the signs and symptoms of the disease  Safe work procedures to be followed, including hand washing and cough/sneeze etiquette  Location of washing facilities, including dispensing stations for alcohol-based hand rubs  Proper use of masks and or N95 Respirators

 How to seek first aid

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NRRM Exposure Control Plan - Pandemic COVID-19 Page 8 of 9 Training will be in the form of policy and procedure reviews and training courses on the NRRM Safety Sync web based platform. In addition to online training information will be shared on staff bulletins and email communications. Resources will be shared as they become available from public and and/or local health authorities.

Health monitoring

During the workday, staff will self-monitor as instructed by the government of Canada, to determine if they are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19. Workers will promptly report any symptoms of pandemic COVID-19 to their manager or supervisor.

Record keeping

All instruction and training provided to workers regarding pandemic COVID-19, on the Safety Sync platform, is tracked through the system. In addition the NRRM will keep records of, exposure reports and first aid records.

Annual review

We will review the exposure control plan every year and update it as necessary, in consultation with our Health and Safety Committee.

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APPENDIX A: RISK CHART AND CONTROL PROCEDURES FOR PANDEMIC INFLUENZA

POSITION LEVEL OF RISK CONTROL PROCEDURES

Cashier - Municipal Hall, Parks & Recreation facilities

Moderate Regular and effective hand hygiene First Aid Attendant Moderate Regular and effective hand hygiene Firefighter/First Responder High Hand hygiene, disposable gloves,

turnout gear, goggles and/or face shield, N95 respirator*

Lifeguard Moderate Regular and effective hand hygiene

Public works employees who have contact with sewage

High Hand hygiene - including washing hands prior to going to the bathroom, disposable gloves, disposable coveralls, rubber boots, goggles and faceshield, N95 respirator* or equivalent

Other Municipal employees with limited public exposure

Low Regular and effective hand hygiene Any employee cleaning

municipal facilities including handling dishes or cleaning up at meetings where meals were served

Moderate Regular and effective hand hygiene before and after handling items

All workers need to be aware of the signs and symptoms of Pandemic influenza. Regardless of position, any worker may be required to use additional control procedures in the event they suspect exposure to Pandemic COVID-19 so they should make themselves familiar with the proper control procedures for all risk levels.

* For those employees in positions requiring the use of an N95 respirator, please contact the HR & Safety Officer to ensure you have been instructed in the use of and have gone through a fit test for an N95 mask.