COVID-19 | Edmonton | Midwest Fabricators Ltd.

COVID-19 RESPONSE PLAN

A. Purpose

Midwest Fabricators Ltd. is committed to helping prevent COVID-19 exposure to employees, contractors, clients, and visitors. Due diligence is imperative to help ensure Midwest Fabricators Ltd. and its employees will combine efforts to ‘engage and care’ in maintaining a safe and healthy workplace. As per government direction, Midwest Fabricators Ltd. has implemented preventative measures to reduce COVID-19 exposure and manage hazards related to COVID-19. This includes providing personnel with the appropriate means to manage COVID-19 hazards and preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Midwest Fabricators Ltd.’s COVID-19 Response Plan is subject to change at any time as per Alberta Health Services guidelines.

B. Definitions

Fever – A body temperature measured to be above the normal (37°C or 98.6°F) by a thermometer or other temperature recording device. In practice, a person is not considered to have a fever until their temperature reaches or exceeds 38°C (100.4°F). (As per Health Link AB.)

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – Protective equipment is worn to limit exposure potential to hazardous infectious disease. PPE includes an N95 respirator or equivalent, nitrile gloves, and a face shield or close-fitting safety goggles.

Close Contact - Provided direct care for the case (including health care workers, family members or other caregivers), or who had other similar close physical contact without consistent and appropriate use of recommended personal protective equipment

who lived with or otherwise had close, prolonged contact (within 2 meters) with a case up to 48 hours before symptom onset or while the case was symptomatic and not isolating,

had direct contact with infectious body fluids of a case (e.g., was coughed or sneezed on) without the appropriate use of recommended personal protective equipment.

AHS – Alberta Health Services

WCB – Workers Compensation Board

OHS – Occupational Health and Safety

C. Enhanced Preventative Measures

COVID-19-related signage posted throughout the facility
Additional supplies of cleaning products, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant wipes will be provided
Space-adjusted work areas, staggered break times, additional barriers, and directional routing where practical
Establish cohorts for staff to reduce exposure risk by reducing a wide person-to-person exposure
Education and training regarding Midwest Fabricators Ltd. COVID-19 protocols and procedures, updates of government COVID-19 information and PPE use.
Regular cleaning procedures with disinfectant wipe downs.
Conduct, develop and implement the Hazard Assessment for COVID-19 exposure and associated safe work practices and procedures.

D. Medical/Health Screening

Employees, visitors, contractors, and clients must complete a COVID-19 Alberta Health Daily Checklist before entering the workplace. If any answers indicate potential COVID-19 exposure, they will be asked to leave the workplace and return home.
If employees, visitors, contractors, and clients display COVID-19 symptoms, they will be asked to leave the workplace and return home.
If any screening process identifies potential exposure to COVID-19, Midwest Fabricators Ltd. will advise employees, visitors, and clients to call 811 Health Link for further instructions upon leaving the Midwest Fabricators Ltd. premises.
If the employee does not have transportation and he/she must wait for their ride, they must remain in an isolated area. Midwest Fabricators Ltd. advises not to use public transportation, uber or taxi to prevent further exposure to the public.

Note: Medical information of the infected employee(s) must remain confidential except for their name and test result (positive or negative).

E. Workplace Access

Employees are asked to contact their Midwest Fabricators Ltd. Manager to communicate any changes in health status before arriving on site.

Each morning employees who enter the Midwest Fabricators Ltd. premises through the office front entrance or west yard door must complete the COVID-19 Health Screening Form.
Visitors, consultants, contractors, and clients must complete the COVID-19 health/screening form, wear a disposable/cloth mask, and follow the standard sign-in/out process.
Deliveries and pickups are restricted to east yard shipping/receiving doors and must wear a face mask and applicable PPE.

Due to rapidly changing COVID-19 circumstances, Midwest Fabricators Ltd. may decline or refuse access to personnel at any time.

F. Employee Responsibilities

Maintain a minimum 2-meter (6 feet) distance between yourself and others, whenever practical.
When a 2-meter distance cannot be maintained all affected individuals must wear a mask.
Wash your hands following proper techniques as posted, frequently and after touching any communal surfaces.
When washing your hands is not practical, use a hand sanitizer.
Disposable gloves can be worn but should not replace the handwashing protocol.
Avoid touching your face, nose, or mouth.
Observe respiratory etiquette by coughing or sneezing into a bent elbow, and promptly disposing of used tissues in a lined garbage bin.
Clean your personal use items (coffee mugs, phones, etc.) frequently.
Do not use a co-worker’s tools or materials or touch anything in their work area/office without their knowledge and/or consent.
Clean all shared items (coffee pots, microwaves, etc.), tools/equipment (drills, wrenches, etc.) and areas (lunchroom tables) after each use. Use a Health Canada Approved cleaning product or disinfecting wipes.
Physical distancing with co-workers in other departments (even during break periods).
Where in-person group meetings are necessary, limit attendance to small groups and ensure the above protocols are followed.
Support co-workers with friendly reminders if a protocol is not being followed.
Observation of potentially harmful protocol breaches (i.e. continuous/frequent coughing and sneezing, or close contact without appropriate PPE) should be reported.
Communicate any physical/psychological stress to your manager, supervisor, human resource personnel, or health and safety personnel.

Recommendations when not on Midwest Fabricators Ltd. premises

Follow the AHS COVID-19 precautionary measures
Continue to limit contact with others and co-workers outside of your cohort group, and members of your household.

G. COVID-19 Exposure

CORE COVID-19 Symptoms: cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose, or sore throat that is not related to a pre-existing illness or health condition.

OTHER COVID-19 symptoms: chills, painful swallowing, stuffy nose, headache, muscle or joint aches, feeling unwell (fatigue or severe exhaustion), gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or unexplained loss of appetite), loss of sense of smell or taste, and/or conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye.

1. If an employee exhibits one or more of the Core or Other COVID-19 Symptoms at work:

Stop work safely.
Put on your mask and gloves.
Exit the Midwest Fabricators Ltd. facility via the most direct route (DO NOT retrieve your personal belongings unless they are readily at hand).
Maintain physical distancing until you reach your vehicle.
Call your manager from your vehicle to notify them.
If you are not at work, DO NOT come to work.
Call 811 Health Link and schedule a COVID-19 test and follow their recommendations.
If you become seriously ill with these symptoms, call 911 and inform them that you may have COVID-19.
After you have confirmed your health condition, contact your manager at your earliest opportunity.

2. If an employee has any of the core or other symptoms outside Midwest Fabricators Ltd. premises, they must stay home and limit contact with others until symptoms are gone. The employee must contact their manager and communicate their health status regularly.

3. Close Contact to a Confirmed COVID-19 Case

Employees are legally required to isolate for 14 days and monitor for symptoms if you were in close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 (provides care, lives with or has close physical contact without appropriate use of personal protective equipment, or comes into direct contact with infectious body fluids).
If an employee becomes sick with a cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose or sore throat during this period, the employee must isolate for an additional 10 days from the beginning of symptoms or until the employee is feeling well, whichever takes longer.
If the employee has been in close contact with a Confirmed COVID-19 case outside work, the employee must:
- NOT come to work.
- Stay home and limit contact with others.
- Call 811 Health Link and follow their recommendations.
- Contact the manager to determine the next steps.

4. Tested negative for COVID-19 but the employee still has COVID-19 symptoms

An employee is not legally required to isolate if the employee tested negative and has no known exposure to COVID-19.
However, Midwest Fabricators Ltd. expects employees to remain home until symptoms are resolved so they do not infect others.

5. Tested positive for COVID-19

An employee is legally required to isolate for a minimum of 10 days from the start of symptoms, or more (until symptoms are resolved)
If an employee is COVID-19 positive, the employee must:
- NOT come to work.
- Stay home and limit contact with others.
- Call 811 Health Link and follow their recommendations.
- Follow AHS instructions and recommendations.
- Contact the manager to determine the next steps.

H. Isolation Requirements by Alberta Health Services

1. An employee is legally required to self-isolate if:

Their test is positive for COVID-19.
They exhibit a cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose, or sore throat that is not related to a pre-existing illness or health condition.
They have been in contact with someone known to have COVID-19.
They have travelled outside Canada within the last 14 days.

2. An employee does not have to self-isolate if they:

Have no symptoms of illness.
Display symptoms of illness that are related to a pre-existing illness or health condition.
Have tested negative for COVID-19. However, Midwest Fabricators Ltd. expects employees to remain home if they still have COVID-19 symptoms.

I. Procedure upon a Confirmed COVID-19 Case

Step 1: The Department Manager must:

Ensure the Joint Health and Safety Committee and Management are informed.
Contact Alberta Health Services to discuss the next steps.
Ask the employee to track their recent contacts as this will help contact tracing to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Step 2: Managers must assess the Level of Exposure:

If the infected employee has been in the workplace and directly or potentially in contact with Midwest Fabricators Ltd. employees, the department manager must:
- Inform all employees about the confirmed COVID-19 case.
- Ask employees who were in direct contact or may have come into contact with the infected employee to leave Midwest Fabricators Ltd. premises (or stay home), contact 811 Health Link and get tested for COVID-19. Record date and employee names.
If an employee tests positive, an employee must isolate for a minimum of 10 days from the start of symptoms or more until the symptoms are resolved.
Managers must communicate with employees to check their health status.

Step 3: Managers must ensure the health and safety of workplace employees by:

Coordinate cleaning and disinfecting of all surfaces that the infected employee(s) may have touched.
Implement an internal communication strategy so that employees are aware of measures being taken to manage the situation.
Keep isolated employees informed about their return to work.

J. Procedure upon a Potential COVID-19 Case

Step 1: The Department Manager must:

Ensure Joint Health and Safety Committee and Management have been informed.
Contact Alberta Health Services to discuss the next steps.
Ask the employee to track their recent contacts as this will help contact tracing to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Step 2: Managers must assess the Level of Exposure:

If the potentially infected employee has been in the workplace and been directly or potentially in contact with other employees, the department manager must
- Inform Midwest Fabricators Ltd. employees about the potential COVID-19 case and wait for the COVID-19 test results of that employee. Employees do not have to isolate or get a COVID-19 test.
If that employee tests positive, employees in contact/potentially in contact with the infected employee must isolate for 14 days and monitor their symptoms. Contact 811 Health Link to schedule a COVID-19 test.
If that employee tests negative, employees can continue to work at Midwest Fabricators Ltd. without isolation or getting a COVID-19 test.

K. Recall Employees and Reinforce Precautionary Measures

Develop a Return to Work Plan.
Once exposed or potentially exposed employees have been cleared by AHS, implement the Return to Work Plan.
Review and reinforce protocols with all employees.

L. Contact Tracing

Managers are required to complete contact tracing. Contact tracing should include:

Identifying people (employees, visitors, contractors, and clients) who were in contact with symptomatic cases starting 48 hours before the case developing a COVID-19 symptom.
Identifying people (employees, visitors, contractors, and clients) who were in contact with an asymptomatic case that is COVID-19 positive starting 48 hours before the day of the COVID-19 test.

M. Return-to-Work (RTW) Plan

Before employees return to work, preventative measures will be assessed to determine if additional controls are required. Controls consist of a combination of engineering, administrative and personal protective equipment. These could include cleaning/disinfecting the facility, health screening, procedures to maintain a low risk of viral exposure, personal protective equipment, communication to employees about new procedures, policies, hazard assessment and updated COVID-19 protocols. Defining responsibilities to designated employees will help manage the implementation effectively.

Creation Date: 06-Nov-2020; Revision Date: 18-Nov-2020

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