CORONA VIRUS UPDATE
Subitted by: Lorelei S. Upshaw - IRCC Training Coordinator
It becomes clearer each day that coronavirus is impacting our lives and work as we all attempt to balance care for ourselves and our communities with common sense. As your UAC, we wanted to share our thoughts about health and safety as it relates to our apprenticeship classes.
Since some of the IRCC classes are taught onsite at IRCC facilities, we will be making decisions about holding classes based on the severity of the threat in the area. As an educational institution, we want to make sure to share information only from reputable public health sources and warn you against the inflation of threats found on social media.
Please take care of yourselves, your staff, apprentices and family members. We believe with good communication and great attention to health recommendations*, we will successfully return to our normal business schedules.
*Per the recommendations of OSHA, the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO), we are taking preventative measures with our employees, including but not limited to having them stay home and seek medical advice from their health professional if they exhibit any flu-like symptoms, fever or have difficulty breathing. Furthermore, if an employee has traveled to a CDC defined, “Level-3” region, they will not be working at our sites or office for 14-days and we encourage them to self-quarantine, per the CDC’s guidelines.
*OSHA Guidelines:
Prepare to Implement Basic Infection Prevention Measures
For most employers, protecting workers will depend on emphasizing basic infection prevention measures. As appropriate, all employers should implement good hygiene and infection control practices, including:
■ Promote frequent and thorough hand washing, including by providing workers, customers, and worksite visitors with a place to wash their hands. If soap and running water are not immediately available, provide alcohol-based hand rubs containing at least 60% alcohol.
Encourage workers to stay home if they are sick.
■ Encourage respiratory etiquette, including covering coughs and sneezes.
GUIDANCE ON PREPARING WORKPLACES FOR COVID-19 9
■ Provide customers and the public with tissues and trash receptacles.
■ Discourage workers from using other workers’ phones, desks, offices, or other work tools and equipment, when possible.
■ Maintain regular housekeeping practices, including routine cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces, equipment, and other elements of the work environment.
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