COVID-19 Update

07-30-2020

About Thiessen Team COVID-19 Safety Guidelines

This information reflects our best knowledge at the time of posting. This is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and is not meant to replace any official guidance provided by any public health authorities, or any other official regulatory body. For any questions and for the latest updates on the status of the COVID-19 outbreak, please seek the advice of your official and local health authority.

Your well-being and safety are our top priority at Thiessen Team. Due to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation, we are taking proactive and precautionary steps to protect our team and, by extension, their families, our customers and wider communities. The purpose of this information is to keep you updated on our steps as an organization. It reflects our best knowledge at the time of writing and will be updated as required.

There are two essential steps that every employee is expected to take and that health authorities have consistently confirmed are essential to reducing the spread of COVID-19 and all viruses:

1. Please wash your hands frequently throughout the day with warm water and soap. Soap is the most effective way to make viruses like COVID-19 inactive. Wearing gloves is not a substitute for hand-washing.

2. Stay home if you are not feeling well. Even if your symptoms are mild, during a pandemic of this nature, you MUST stay home. Consult with local health authorities about next steps.

(Note that our facilities in the USA follow a temperature screening and questionnaire protocol for all employees. We are not permitting any outside visitors to enter our facilities. If management grants an exception to a critical contractor then they are subject to this protocol).

Safety Guidelines for COVID-19

  • Vigilant monitoring of any risk to the safety of our team.
  • Consistent use of healthy hygiene habits and practices to prevent the spread of flu and other respiratory illnesses:
  • Avoid close contact. Keep your distance from people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your mouth and nose. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, or cough into your arm/elbow instead of your hand.
  • Clean your hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or cloth.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
  • Practice other good health and wellness habits.

Facilities

  • Office cleaning and sanitary practices have been enhanced, including providing staff with access to disinfectants and tissues to maintain personal and workplace hygiene.
  • Clean the following high-touch surfaces frequently with regular household cleaners or diluted bleach (1-part bleach to 9-parts water):
  • Tools
  • Keyboards
  • Controls panels, toggle switches, valve handles
  • Door handles
  • Steering wheels and vehicle controls

General recommendations

  • Stay home if you are not feeling well. Even if your symptoms are mild, during a pandemic of this nature, you must stay home. Consult with local health authorities about next steps.
  • Please do not take public transport to travel to and from work.

Travel

  • All non-essential travel is currently suspended.
  • Anyone returning from international travel must self-isolate for 14 days.
  • Anyone who has been in contact or lives with someone who recently returned from international travel needs to self-isolate.

Work-from-home guidelines

  • Office staff who can effectively and efficiently work from home are encouraged to do so.
  • Anyone who is at ‘higher risk’ as defined by the CDC will need to take extra precautionary measures or work from home when they can do so effectively and efficiently. If you think this might be you, please reach out to your leader to discuss.

Meetings and on-site visit

  • If necessary, small groups of people may meet, provided meetings are kept brief and social distancing can be maintained. Where possible hold meetings outside.
  • Contracted field work: field crews will access the office for equipment as needed. Staff with active field work should minimize their time at the office to reduce possible exposures.

Illness Related Self-Quarantine

If you or a member of your household is ill (coughing, sneezing, difficulty breathing, fever) please stay home. Please contact your health care provider or local health authority (online or over the phone) for guidance including whether self-quarantine is required and medical assistance. Return to work based on the advice of your health care provider / authority.

You should self-isolate if you:

  • have no symptoms; and,
  • may have been exposed to COVID-19 as a result of:
  • travelling outside of your home country within the last 14 days; or,
  • coming in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19.

Self-Isolate

Self-isolation means to:

  • stay at home,
  • monitor yourself for symptoms for 14 days,
  • avoid contact with others.
  • follow your local health authorities directions for self-isolation

Isolate

You need to isolate yourself if you:

  • have been diagnosed with COVID-19; or,
  • are waiting for laboratory test results; or,
  • have been advised to do so by the local public health authority.

Isolating yourself means to:

  • stay home until the local public health authority says you are no longer at risk of spreading the virus,
  • avoid contact with others,
  • follow your local health authorities directions for self-isolation

If you develop symptoms:

  • isolate yourself,
  • stay home,
  • avoid other people,
  • contact your local public health authority.