As the provincial government continues to allow businesses to open up in the wake of decreasing cases of COVID-19, our company remains steadfast in our approach to protecting the health and well-being of our clients, staff, and the public at large.
COVID-19 has proven to be a highly contagious infection that primarily spreads through the air via coughing, sneezing, or talking. It can also be transmitted through touching doorknobs, computer screens, or other surfaces on which respiratory droplets have fallen. In light of these findings, public health officials have recommended physical distancing and mask wearing as two ways to help combat the spread of the infection.
At Springbank Mechanical Systems, we’ve gone even further by enhancing our health & safety and sanitization protocols in our offices and in the field to protect our team and our clients.
Fighting The Spread In Our Office
Now that we’re back in the office, it’s crucial that we implement additional measures to preserve the health and well-being of our office staff, field technicians, and site visitors:
- Physical distancing: Our entire team practices safe physical distancing to help minimize the spreading of germs
- Wearing masks: While within our office and work areas, staff are required to wear face masks that cover the nose and mouth
- Disinfection of HVAC system: We’ve carried out a thorough disinfection of our HVAC system, and will repeat the process on a regular basis
- Upgraded air filters: We have upgraded to high-quality air filters rated for commercial HVAC units to add to our system’s efficiency and keep the inside air as clean as possible
- Hand sanitizers: All of our staff and office visitors are encouraged to use hand sanitizer from the receptacles in our office and work areas
- Enhanced PPE management: We have a specially designated area in our office and within our shop to store all of our PPE and disinfecting solutions used to protect against COVID-19 away from other equipment
- Regular in-office disinfection: We keep our office staff safe with a disinfection checklist that includes a thorough cleaning of our desks, work surfaces, keyboards, and other items that can withstand the use of liquids
- Using alcohol wipes on electronics: Frequently touched electronics such as phones, computers, door handles, and copiers are frequently disinfected with disposable alcohol wipes
Keeping Our Clients Safe In The Field
To help stop the spread at our job sites, we’ve introduced a Safe Work Procedure (SWP) that defines how our technicians are to protect themselves and our customers, as well as keep their trucks virus-free. This includes ensuring they have a full stock of the below PPE in their truck before leaving for the job site, and using where appropriate:
- Breathing apparatus and respirators complete with replaceable HEPA filters
- Hand sanitizer
- Disinfecting wipes and sprays
- Face shields
- Nitrile/latex gloves of different sizes and types depending on the requirement
- Tyvek full-body covers complete with boot covers
Our technicians are required to report any defective equipment to their supervisor as soon as possible.
Once arriving at the job site and interacting with customers, our service team is required to:
- Put on all wearable PPE, including masks, gloves, and body covers with head coverings and boots before entering the job site and for the duration of the service call
- Physically distance themselves from others at all times
- Use geo-tagging technology on all mobile devices to obtain sign-off verification from the client
- Remove wearable PPE once back at their truck after the service call is complete
- Dispose of soiled PPE in a proper garbage receptacle, either remotely or back at the Springbank office
Each team member is required to sign the SWP to confirm their understanding and adherence to its procedures.
Read More: Why HVAC Inspections Should Be Part Of Your Return To Work Policy
What Happens If A Job Site Gets Shut Down Due To COVID-19?
We have a strict protocol in place that is implemented if a job site is shut down as the result of a COVID-19 infection.
First, the Springbank technicians who were at the job site must get tested for COVID-19 immediately, and stay home (self-isolated if possible) until the results come back. Depending on the results of the test, they must then follow the appropriate public health guidelines before being authorized to return to work.
Springbank Mechanical Systems is committed to doing our part in stopping the spread of COVID-19 for the foreseeable future. If you have any questions at all about our health & safety protocols, or would like more information on how our HVAC services can help reduce your energy bills, call us anytime.
Gregg Little, Paul De Thomasis, and Hugo Lopes are co-owners of Springbank Mechanical Systems. They can be reached at 905-569-8990, or via email at gregg@springbank.com or paul@springbank.com or hugo@springbank.com.