While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold, there is an increasing need to ensure that proper policies, procedures and protocols are in place at your workplace. In furtherance of current established COVID-19 processes within your organization, it is important to consider the additional development of your workplace COVID-19 safety plan. This ensures both legislative compliance and the upholding of employee safety through Safety Plan development and communication.
As per the Government of Ontario’s new zone framework, safety plans are required in higher risk settings in green, yellow, orange and red zones. When businesses are in a lockdown zone, all that are permitted to be open must have a COVID-19 workplace safety plan in place.
Your Safety Plan is to include how your organization is protecting employees and the public from COVID-19 exposure, this can include training workers and having proper policies in place. The plan will also cover the screening measures taking place to ensure workers and others interacting with your business are symptom free. The Safety Plan will include cleaning measures that take place within the workplace that reduce COVID-19 transmission risks.
Your workplace Safety Plan will also include the following elements:
- How potential COVID-19 cases are handled
- What isolation procedures will be followed
- How your organization actively manages new risks and legislative changes in regard to the pandemic
- Creating a schedule to review the Safety Plan on a consistent basis and making changes where needed
It is important to note that Safety Plans are to be communicated to the public, a copy of your plan or a summarized version of your plan should be accessible to the public for them to be aware of your organization’s COVID-19 safety protocols.
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