Overview
The health and safety of our employees and that of our fellow workers on the jobsite is our priority for this reason Ferris Street is intent on supporting New York State’s efforts to control and eliminate COVID-19. Ferris Street will only work on projects deemed essential by New York State and approved by the New York City Department of Buildings. Federal, state and city websites are monitored to ensure we are following the latest direction.
Efforts are being made before scheduling technicians to ensure contractors have made necessary arrangements to observe industry best practices for working in infectious environments.
Each of our technicians has been educated regarding the dangers of contracting the virus and industry best practices to prevent contracting the virus.
Protocols have been put in place to monitor the health of each technician and those they have been exposed to in an effort to prevent unknowingly transmitting the virus to others.
Equipment and materials have been provided to each technician enabling them to protect themselves and others through the use of masks and sanitizing agents.
Physical distancing is most likely the single best measure in preventing transmission of the virus. This presents a particular challenge to balancers due to the nature of the work. Balancing technicians move frequently from room to room and often retrace those steps multiple times. For this reason it is critical that balancing be included in the construction schedule so that our technicians can work safely at a time when the site population is at a minimum.
Protocols
1. Contractor to provide documentation that work on the site is approved by the AHJ
2. Contractor to provide assurance that the current site population allows for social distancing.
3. Contractor to provide contact information for the individual onsite responsible for maintaining site safety protocols. Contact information to be provided to the technician.
4. Contractor to communicate any site specific protocols.
5. Ferris Street management to communicate site specific protocols to technicians.
6. Technician should not come to work if he has tested positive for COVID-19.
a. They should follow CDC guidelines for returning to work. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/disposition-in-home-patients.html
7. Technician should not come to work if he has had a temperature exceeding 99.9F in the previous 72 hours or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
a. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html
8. Technician to confirm daily they do not have a temperature exceeding 99.9F and are not experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19.
a. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html
9. Ferris Street management to provide necessary equipment/materials to follow COVID-19 protocols.
10. Technician to wear a face mask at all times.
a. It should be noted that the wearing of masks is primarily for the safety of others. It is expected that all personnel on site will wear masks.
b. If the technician observes others not wearing masks this should be reported immediately to the responsible individual.
11. Technician is to practice social distancing (maintaining at least 6′ from other personnel on the job).
a. Social distancing should be practiced by all personnel on site.
b. If others are not practicing social distancing it should be reported immediately to the responsible individual.
c. If the site population is greater than allows for social distancing the technician should inform the responsible individual and leave the site.
12. Technician is to sanitize his equipment daily or as needed.
a. Each technician is equipped with the required tools for his job. Sharing of tools should not be necessary. If tools are shared the tool should be sanitized at the time of exchange.
b. Special attention should be paid to ladders as these may be ‘borrowed’ at times possibly without permission.
13. Technician should sanitize his vehicle immediately upon entering it after it has been driven by another individual, i,e, garage personnel.
14. Technician to follow any contractor site safety protocols.
15. Ferris Street management to notify contractors of any technician that becomes sick.
16. Ferris Street management to update these protocols based on the current direction from federal state and city agencies.
Related links
CDC https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
New York State https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home
New York City https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-main.page
NYC DOB https://www1.nyc.gov/site/buildings/about/covid-19-response.page