COVID-19 SAFETY RESPONSE PLAN

The health and well-being of our team members, trade partners/subcontractors and community is our top priority. This guidance has been prepared to support the safety of all essential individuals accessing our sites while allowing us to continue the vital work of building and maintaining housing for our customers.  This guidance is in addition to any federal and/or provincial OH&S requirements and is subject to change.  We will update our plan here as more information and procedures become available.

Essential individuals (“Individuals”): Essential individuals have been identified as Blackrock team members, trade partners, and subcontractors. Access to sites will be limited to these Individuals that play a key role in ensuring the continuation of this essential operation. As such, during these times, it is recommended that visitation by non-essential individuals on site, including customers, be deferred to another time. Exceptions will be evaluated on a case by case basis. 

SITE ACCESS:

Trade partners and subcontractors are expected to comply with Blackrock’s COVID-19 Safety Response Plan. Blackrock’s Site Superintendent will coordinate and manage the Safety Response Plan procedures on each job site. Failure to follow these procedures will result in disciplinary action, up to and including removal from site. Any concerns or issues related to safety must be raised to the Site Superintendent, without fear of reprisal or retaliation. 

  • All Individuals that are required to access the site, both team members of Blackrock and trade partners/subcontractors, must perform a self-assessment of their personal health using the Alberta Health Services self Assessment tool https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Journey/COVID-19/Pages/Assessment.aspx before leaving for work in the morning. If any symptoms are noted, the Individual must stay at home and notify their manager/employer and follow CDC or Health Canada guidelines.

  • Reports of illness should be reported to the Site Superintendent by emailing jeff@blackrockhomes.ca or texting 587-803-1412

  • To minimize the shared use of paper, Blackrock will be using QR codes as much as possible.

  • All individuals shall complete the covid-19 questionnaire and PJHA by scanning the QR code attached to the entrance of the home.

  • Once entry to site has been granted, all Individuals must sanitize their hands thoroughly with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer. You will be logged as signed in to the site once you submit the QR based Covid questionnaire and PJHA form. If you are unable to access the form you must sign in by texting the Site Superintendent at 587-803-1412.

  • While on site, if an Individual is not feeling well or begins exhibiting flu like symptoms, they will notify the site supervisor and immediately make arrangements to travel home.

 

SITE TASKS: 

  • Alter/Modify site deliveries and corresponding schedules to limit the overall headcount at the jobsite.

  • When arranging essential inspections from inspectors, consultants, and/or authorities having jurisdiction at our site, indicate to them they will be subject to the same Health Check Questionnaire as others accessing our site and must be cleared before entering.

SOCIAL/PHYSICAL DISTANCING:

  • If possible, clear of all Individuals during an building inspection to support social distancing protocols.

  • Individuals working on site must maintain a minimum 6-feet (2-meter) distance from others, whenever possible while ensure a task is being performed safely. 

  • Construction schedules for trade partners and/or subcontractors must be staggered/altered to support social distancing protocols, including maintaining a minimum of 6-feet distance during work being performed.

  • It is recommended that only one trade partner/subcontractor work on the interior of a home, while another trade partner/subcontractor works on the exterior of the home. As such, no more than two trade partners/subcontractors are allowed to work on a home at the same time

  • Site teams should stagger break and lunch schedules to minimize the number of people near one another (no more than 10 Individuals at one time). During this time, Individuals must keep approx. 6- feet/2-meter away from others. Establish multiple break areas or encourage Individuals to take their breaks (alone) in their personal vehicles.

  • When greeting others, politely decline handshaking and use alternative non-physical communication methods.

  • Only one driver per vehicle and sanitize between drivers. If practicable, try to use the same vehicle every shift.

  • Minimize ride-sharing where possible. While in vehicles, workers must ensure adequate ventilation.

SITE AWARNESS/MATERIALS:

  • Post signage at the front door with QR codes directing to:

    • Sign in information containing the health questionnaire

    • This safety response plan

  • Where possible, post proper hand washing technique materials near/next to each hand washing station.

SITE MEETINGS:

  • In general, Individuals should utilize technologies available to them such as email, text and teleconferencing to minimize direct contact with others.

  • Where possible, site meetings (ex: site orientations, toolbox meetings, etc.) should be done verbally outside, while maintaining social distancing requirements, or through the use of technology (phone, videoconferencing, etc.) to minimize the number of physical attendees. No signatures or transfer of documents. Site Superintendent signs on their behalf.

  • For situations where in-person meetings are absolutely required, these meetings must be held outside and have no more than 10 people in attendance. Social distancing protocols must be followed.

  • All non-essential events must be canceled or postponed

  • In order to minimize physical documents associated with site meetings, Site Superintendent will take responsibility to take notes and when possible, use technology, such as email, to share documents and transfer information.

SITE WORK ENVIRONMENT:

  • Hazard assessments must be conducted to identify safety risks, including exposure points of transmission such as shared tools, high touch locations and social distancing limitations.

  • Shipments and deliveries should be dropped off and personal contact should be minimized. Where signatures are required, each signer should use their own pen. If not feasible, pens should be disinfected after each use.

  • Site Superintendent will conduct regular site inspections on a daily schedule to ensure the COVID-19 Safety response plan is adhered to, including monitoring social distancing requirements and identifying opportunities for improvement.

SITE SANITATION AND PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE):

  • Frequent reminders to all Individuals on site to regularly and thoroughly wash hands with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizers (must contain a minimum of 60% alcohol content). Additional reminders include: avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

  • Install hand sanitizer stations throughout the site and where possible, construct temporary sinks / hand wash areas with soap, paper towels and if possible, no-touch waste receptacles. Locations should be in easily accessible, high-traffic locations (consider using garages as a convenient location).

  • In addition to the hand sanitizer stations located on site, each trade partner and/or subcontractor is responsible for providing hand sanitizer for their respective Individuals.

  • Each trade partner and/or subcontractor remains responsible to provide PPE for their respective Individuals, noting that glove use and eye protection is mandatory and must be worn at all times. Types of gloves should vary based on tasks performed and must adhere to PPE safety requirements.

  • When gloves are not a required PPE component to the task, alternative gloves must be worn. Alternative glove options include latex, vinyl, or nitrile. 

 

RESPIRATORS, TOOLS AND FIRST AID:

  • Under the guidance of the CDC, cloth coverings are recommended when in public and should be used at our job sites when the use of respirators in general are not required as part of work to be performed.

  • Use only your own tools. Limit the sharing of tools and equipment where possible. If sharing of tools and equipment is unavoidable, each trade and subcontractor is responsible for sanitizing tools and equipment between each use.

  • Each trade partner and/or subcontractor should have their own First Aid kits. 

  • All Individuals are to bring their own water jugs or bottled water. Halt use of communal drinking water coolers for the time being. The sharing of food or personal items should be avoided.

  • Disinfect and sanitize common areas/shared spaces, such as washrooms doorknobs/handles, tablets/iPads, phones, etc. often.

  • Where possible, no-touch waste receptacles will be used and ensure that waste receptacles are emptied frequently using appropriate PPE when conducting disposal activities.

 

CUSTOMER CARE AND WARRANTY SERVICES:

  • Arrangements should be made to complete warranty and service work while either the homeowner is away or limits themselves to a different area of the home.  Masks must be worn as well as hand sanitizer used frequently