Essential Workers – Wellness Safety and Well Being
April 1, 2020
Businesses that have been deemed essential are still required to operate. Individuals coming to work are concerned about their health, safety, and wellbeing. Employers may consider enhanced screening options to ensure employees feel valued and that management is taking the steps required to protect their health. This provides a level of confidence so that employees can focus on their work assignments.
You may wish to consider the following options:
- Enhanced screening
- Wellness questionnaires
- Thermal temperature scans
- Digital wellness checks (completed from a mobile device)
These measures will not eliminate every risk associated with COVID-19, but it will allow you to identify those individuals who present a hazard.
How Can You Make This Work?
- Place screeners at access points.
- Questionnaires and temperature scans can be conducted from an individual’s vehicle.
- Those that pass, proceed to work.
- Individuals who fail can be sent for secondary screening.
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- Some sites have set up secondary triage areas
- Nursing, health and safety teams or HR staff are completing enhanced secondary screening
- A follow up is conducted to ensure employees seek medical attention if required
Wellness Questionnaires (these questions should be reviewed and approved by your legal team)
- Have you been diagnosed with COVID-19?
- Have you been in contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19?
- Have you travelled outside of Canada?
- Do you have a sore throat, shortness of breath, or headaches?
- Do you currently have a fever?
You want to keep the questions limited so that the screening can be completed efficiently.
The temperature threshold set by many companies is 38C or 100.4F. Please consult with health care professionals or government websites to determine what your temperature threshold might be.
Required Supplies:
- N95 or approved masks
- Due to the limited supply of N95 masks, various government agencies have approved other masks
- Rubber gloves
- Thermal temperature scanners
- Depending on location – you may need the following
- Protective weather canopies
- Temporary triage centre – drive-through or tents
- You can also transition building/facilities not in use if needed
Ensure the following is communicated before rolling out any screening program:
- Message employees, contractors, and delivery drivers in advance of screening
- Include details of where screening will take place
- You may need to increase entrance signage to ensure individuals know where to report
- Ask individuals to be patient
- Explain the process
- Define what is considered a pass or fail
- Provide additional information for those that have failed – with instructions and next steps
- Ensure information is available in different languages to include all staff (if required)
- You may need translation support
- Set up regular communication points and update processes throughout the day
AFIMAC can provide screeners, logistics supplies, and equipment, as well as guidance as you prepare to roll out your plan. Feel free to contact jrovers@afimaccan.com with any additional questions you might have.
