COVID-19 POLICY

Introduction

Plumbers Express (And Slade Plumbing) Are Committed To Providing And Maintaining A Safe Place Of Work For All Employees, Contractors, Visitors And Members Of The Public. To Achieve This, Plumbers Express Have Developed And Implemented Safe Systems Of Work (In Consultation With Workers) That Include Directions And Advice Provided By Health Authorities.

You Can Rely On Us During COVID-19

With Your Family In Mind, We Practice Strict COVID-19 Preventative Measures To Minimise Risk. We Take Hygiene Very Seriously, Protecting You And Our Staff. We Ensure Surfaces Are Thoroughly Cleaned; We Disinfect Every Finished Job To Leave Your Property In Order.

Plumbers Express And Slade Plumbing Have Put In Place A COVID-19 Management Plan And Control Procedures To Protect Customer And Staff Alike And To Limit The Spread Of The Virus. For More Information Please Request A Copy Of The Pandemic Management Plan Or Infection Control Procedures By Emailing [email protected]

Precautions

Plumbers Express Staff Are Required To:

• Practice Frequent Hand Washing

• Maintain/Practice Good Social Distancing Of 2.0 Metres Apart

• Where Possible, Stay At Least Three Metres Or More Away From People Who Appear Ill Unless Wearing Appropriate PPE

• Maintain Good Respiratory (Cough) Etiquette, I.E. Cover Mouth With Elbow And Do Not Cough Onto People, Objects Or Into Open Air

• Avoid Touching, Kissing, And Hugging Others If At Risk

• Undertake Appropriate Cleaning And Disinfection Activities

• Promote The Use Of Appropriate PPE For Workers If Close. Contact With An Ill Person Is Likely.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Plumbers Express Staff Are To:

• Maintain Good Stock/Supply Of All Available PPE And Hygiene/Cleaning Products

• Ensure Stock Availability.

Cleaning Equipment And Other Items

All Potentially Infected Items Must Be Thoroughly Cleaned Before And After Use.

To Clean Items That Can Be Immersed In Water, Staff Must:

• Dismantle Items And Rinse In Warm Water

• Wear Heavy-Duty Gloves, Thoroughly Scrub With Hot Water And Soap Or Detergent

• Rinse In Hot Water (Not Less Than 70°C) And Allow To Dry

• Spray With Hospital Grade Disinfectant When Hot Water Is Not Available

• Bag And Safely Dispose Of All Contaminated Waste, Rags Etc.

To Clean Items That Cannot Be Immersed In Water: E.G. Electrical Equipment, Staff Must:

• Wear Heavy-Duty Gloves

• Clean With A Clean Cotton Pad Saturated With Hospital Grade Disinfectant

• Allow Airing To Dry

• Bag And Safely Dispose Of All Contaminated Waste, Rags Etc.

• Store Cleaned Equipment In A Clean Covered Container.

Worker Hygiene

•   Workers Must Maintain Good Personal Hygiene At All Times

•    All Disposable PPE Must Be Changed After Each Use

•    Disposable PPE Must Never Be Washed Or Re-Used

•    Workers Must Bag And Safely Dispose Of All Contaminated Waste, Paper Towels And Disposable PPE Associated Into A “Waste Bin” And Wash Hands Thoroughly After Every Procedure.

Hand Hygiene

Plumbers Express And Slade Plumbing Staff Must Ensure Their Hands Are Washed:

• Before Any Procedure Is Undertaken

• Before Putting On And After Removing Gloves

• After Skin Contact With Blood Or Other Body Substances

• After Any Activities, Which May Cause Contamination Of The Hands And Forearms, E.G. Using The Toilet

• After Leaving An Area And Then Returning To Resume A Procedure

• In Any Other Circumstances When Infection Risks Are Apparent.

Infection Control Procedures

Staff Procedures To Control The Spread Of Infection Include:

• Regularly Washing The Floors, Bathrooms And Surfaces (Such As Tables And Bench-Tops) With Hot Water And Detergent

• Periodically Washing The Walls And Ceilings

• Thoroughly Washing And Drying Mops, Brushes And Cloths After Every Use – Drying Mops And Cloths Is Particularly Important, Since Many Pathogens Rely On Moisture To Thrive

• Using Disinfectants To Clean Up Blood And Other Spills Of Bodily Fluids

• When Using Disinfectants – Always Wearing Gloves, Cleaning The Surfaces Before Using The Disinfectant, And Always Following The Manufacturer’s Instructions Exactly

• Conduct Spot Cleaning When Necessary.

If Staff Develop Mild Symptoms

Any Staff Member With Symptoms Must:

• Stay At Home And Away From The Workplace And Public Areas

• If Already At Work, Isolate In A Single Room Away From Others Before Going Home Or To A Medical Facility.

• Call Their Usual Doctor Or Local Hospital And Seek Medical Advice.

Stay Informed And Follow Advice Given By Your Healthcare Provider:

Stay Informed On The Latest Developments About COVID-19. Follow Advice Given By Your Healthcare Provider, Your National And Local Public Authority Or Your Employer On How To Protect Yourself And Others From COVID-19.

If You Suspect You Or A Family Member Has Coronavirus You Should Call (Not Visit) Your GP Or Ring The

National Coronavirus Health Information Hotline On 1800 020 080