Covid-19 Resources

COVID-19 Resources and Information

Creating A Plan To Maintain Your Business

1.       Develop a COVID-19 Operational Plan
2.       Awareness (signage)
3.       Pre-Screening Tool
4.       Physical Distancing
5.       Cleaning and Disinfection Procedures
6.       Facilitating Personal Hygiene Etiquette
7.       Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)
8.       If You Cannot Ensure Physical Distancing
9.       Sector-Specific Guidance

Develop a COVID-19 Operational Plan

In order to open your business, you must develop a COVID-19 Operational
Plan outlining how daily operations will be managed to meet the additional measures
outlined by the Government of Ontario and summarized in this document. Your
first step should be conducting a risk assessment (# and intensity of contacts, social
distancing) within your operation and identify appropriate mitigation measures.
 
The government also does not intend to review operational plans in advance but may ask to see your plan during a scheduled or unscheduled visit by provincial officials . Your Operation Plan should include, at a minimum:  COVID-19 Awareness (signage), Pre-Screening Tool, Physical Distancing, Cleaning and Disinfection Procedures, and Facilitating Personal Hygiene Etiquette.

Signage

Signage must be posted on proper hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, and physical
distancing throughout the facility and outdoor settings as applicable. How this is applied
will vary depending on your facility, but signage is required. Signage should be placed at a
minimum at any common entrance and where people tend to congregate. Further
information can be found on the Ontario Coronavirus webpage. (Click on
Awareness Resources/More Resources). Available Public Health Posters Include:
 

Screening

Businesses and organizations should advise that staff and patrons who are either
symptomatic and/or have been advised by Public Health to self-isolate, should remain home and not enter the premises. Operators should actively pre-screen staff before the beginning of each shift. The government’s pre-screening questionnaire example can be found on the last page of its Reopening Guidance Document.

Physical Distancing

Remember that this is not ‘business-as-usual’. In order to accommodate physical distancing requirements, patrons and staff must not be permitted to congregate in groups. This may (and likely will) result in alterations to how the workplace is set up, how the activity would normally occur or how patrons and staff would normally interact and go about business.

  • Patrons may partake in their activity while maintaining a minimum of two metres or six feet between themselves and others at all times (with the exception of members of the same household or ‘bubble’).
  • Where possible, a designated staff member should monitor adherence to physical distancing requirements on premise.
  • Situations where interfacing between staff and customers is common might deserve special considerations for mutual protection (installing a plexiglass screen at the cash, for example).
  • In elevators, limit the number of people getting into each car to no more than 2 at a time.
  • People should consider only riding the elevator with their own family, taking the stairs, or waiting for the next elevator.

Cleaning and Disinfecting

All common areas must be cleaned and disinfected twice daily, or more often as required (e.g., if soiled).
 
  • Items such as countertops, chairs (including below the front of the seat), rental/shared equipment, cashier equipment, light switches, public washrooms, doorknobs, and furniture will need to be disinfected more frequently throughout the day. We recommend keeping a record of your cleaning efforts daily
  • Use disposable gloves when cleaning surfaces. Make sure that other staff and patrons are removed from the area during clean-up.
  • When choosing a cleaning product, it is important to follow product instructions for dilution, contact time and safe use, and to ensure that the product is:

–  Registered in Canada with a Drug Identification Number (DIN)

–  Labelled as a broad-spectrum virucide 

–  More information here

Facilitating Personal Hygiene Etiquette

Businesses and organizations will need to ensure that they are enabling thorough and frequent hand hygiene for patrons and staff by signposting and making sure basic supplies are provided. These supplies include: 

For hand-washing:

  • hot/cold potable running water
  • liquid soap
  • paper towel
  • garbage bins
  • or minimum 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer

Other Supplies:

  • toilet paper
  • cleaning and disinfecting supplies
  • personal protection equipment (non-medical masks and disposable gloves)              as appropriate.
  • Where public washrooms are available, they must be equipped with hot and cold running water under pressure, liquid soap, paper towel, toilet paper, and garbage containers. Hand-wash signs must be posted

Personal Protection Equipment

Risk of infection with the virus that causes COVID-19 can be mitigated using multiple
strategies in combination. The first strategy is to avoid situations and people that pose a risk, by having people stay home when ill and maintaining a two-metre distance from others. When it’s not possible to avoid contact with others, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette are very important to reduce spread. Personal protective equipment (PPE), such as face masks and gloves, can be used in certain situations to protect people from infectious diseases. Stay tuned for the Chamber’s list of local PPE providers.

If You Can't Facilitate Social Distancing

If an employer cannot consistently maintain a two-metre separation between people due to essential work activities that require brief sporadic interaction with others, or if there will be unavoidable periods of close interaction, the following steps must be taken:

  • First consider the installation of a physical barrier, such as a clear plastic guard, that can protect workers from potential exposure. If not possible;
All persons entering a workplace must be actively screened for symptoms of COVID-19
 
  • Active screening must include temperature checks of all persons, provided a non-contact thermometer (e.g. infrared) is available. Disposable thermometers may be used provided a proper procedure to maintain a non-contact temperature check is implemented.
  • For personnel working 24-hour shifts, active screening, including temperature checks, must be conducted a minimum of four times during normal waking or active working hours, spaced in intervals of not more than five active working hours
  • Any person exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 must not enter the workplace or, if already mid-shift, be immediately asked to leave the workplace. Dial 811 immediately for instructions
Proper hand-washing and enhanced sanitation/cleaning practices must be followed in areas where multiple people handle tools, goods, supplies, equipment or other shared items. Limit tools to one person if possible. Tools or equipment which must be shared, must be disinfected before and after use.
 
A risk assessment to determine the engineering and/or PPE controls necessary must be completed, and adequate personal protective equipment must be provided such as:
  • Hand protection (nitrile gloves)
  • Eye protection (safety glasses, goggles, or face shield

Sector-Specific Guidance

The Workplace Safety & Prevention Services have provided sector-specific guidance pages  WSPS may help with developing your Business’s Operational Plan:

The Government of Ontario has published the following Guidance tips and Plans:                Click Here For The Full List

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety has published the following sector-specific tip sheets:
 

We will endeavour to keep you updated as new guidelines are presented

Local PPE Suppliers

Gloves, Masks, Hand Sanitizer and Cleaning Equipment.

102 Argyle Street, Delhi (519) 582 – 3222

*Calling first is recommended

Copper Infused Masks.

Call or Text Michelle Bobby at (705) 999-8763

Face Shields (has produced over 600 for Norfolk General Hospital)

(905) 512-8549

Masks and gloves of different varieties.

479 Queensway W., Simcoe

(519) 426-0525

173 Hillcrest Road, Simcoe (519) 410-4722. 

Online ordering available, and delivery available within Norfolk County. Featuring, but not limited to:

  • Full range of Disposable Gloves (vinyls, nitriles, all sizes available)
  • Disinfectants: ready to use, or concentrate, all DIN registered. Including REVIVE – aerosolized isopropyl alcohol ideal for disinfecting POS systems, high touch surfaces, and all electronics
  • Hand Sanitizer – individual containers, bulk orders, and dispensers
  • Hand crafted face masks, triple layer protection and washable masks with disposable filters (inventory arriving this week)
  • HiViz shirts, or vests for identifying Social Distancing officers, or staff working on disinfecting
  • Disposable coveralls if high risk scenarios are involved
  • Closed Vent goggles, and full range of safety eye wear

Fully trained, and outfitted for deep disinfection of your business for reopening, or should exposure be a concern. Call to arrange a walk through and quote to ensure nothing is left to chance, we specialize in decontamination, let our years of experience be your partner in seeing your employees and patrons are kept safe.

262 Queensway W., Simcoe (519) 428-5282

For all signage; Distancing, Arrows, Personal Hygiene, ect.

Regional Relief and Recovery Fund - Community Futures Supporting Rural Communities

Applications are now being accepted

Canadian Business Resiliency Network

Visit the Canadian Business Resiliency Network for up-to-date information and resources.

Government of Canada

Visit the Government of Canada’s site to learn more about COVID-19 and the Economic Recovery Plan.

Haldimand & Norfolk Health Unit

For more information locally to help you through the COVID-19 crisis, visit the Haldimand Norfolk Health Unit.

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce

As discussions shift to reopening the economy, we urge governments to continue to examine all relief measures to ensure businesses can adapt to the economic challenges posed by #COVID19. Read the report here.

Canadian Survey on Business Conditions

The Canadian Survey on Business Conditions, a joint effort between Statistics Canada and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, provides the most detailed insight yet into the impact of COVID-19 on Canadian businesses. The survey is Canada’s first comprehensive view into how our businesses are managing as the COVID-19 shutdown continues. In all, more than 13,000 businesses participated – thank you!  Explore the findings here.