Memo - Engineering COVID Infection Prevention - 2020.12.04.pdf

VA WESTERN NEW YORK HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

FACILITIES ENGINEERING

BUFFALO VA MEDICAL CENTER | 3495 BAILEY AVENUE, BUFFALO, NY 14215 | (716) 834-9200

MEMORANDUM

Date: 04 Dec 2020

From: Project Section Supervisor, VA Western New York Healthcare System (Bryan Silverblatt)

To: VA Western New York Healthcare System Engineering Department

Subj: Contractor Infection Prevention Requirements in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

Ref: (1) Executive Director, VA Western New York Healthcare System: Screening Policy dated 6 Mar 2020

(2) Executive Director, VA Western New York Healthcare System: Visitor Suspension dated 17 Mar 2020

(3) Executive Director, VA Western New York Healthcare System: Universal Masking Policy dated 14 Apr

(4) New York State Executive Order 202.6 dated 18 Mar 2020

(5) New York State Executive Order 202.16 dated 12 Apr 2020

(6) CDC Flyer for Proper Sequence for Putting On (Donning) and Taking Off (Doffing) PPE:

https://www.cdc.gov/hai/pdfs/ppe/ppe-sequence.pdf

(7) CDC Website for Hand Washing: https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html

(8) Executive Director, VA Western New York Healthcare System: Universal Masking Policy updated 15 Oct 2020

1. SCOPE

In accordance with the referenced policies, the following Infection Prevention rules are being implemented by VA

Western New York Healthcare System (VAWNYHS) Engineering Department with respect to contractor access and work while at VAWNYHS facilities, including but not limited to the Buffalo VA Medical Center and the Batavia VA

Medical Center.

2. APPLICABILITY

These rules apply to all contractors (Service, Construction, Abatement, Air Monitor, or A/E Consultant) that are conducting work for or on behalf of the VAWNYHS Engineering Department.

3. GENERAL RULE SET FOR ANY CONTRACTOR/CONSULTANT ACCESSING/WORKING AT VAWNYHS

WHILE WORKING ANYWHERE ON CAMPUS:

• Contractor/Consultant access to the facility shall be highly restricted and regulated. The VAWNYHS COR shall determine if requests for access within the facility are necessary.

• If access is deemed necessary by the COR, Contractors/Consultants shall go through screening to enter the facility (Ref(1)). The screening questions are as follows:

https://www.cdc.gov/hai/pdfs/ppe/ppe-sequence.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html

Memorandum Contractor Infection Prevention Requirements in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic 04 Dec 2020

• Do you have a fever?

• Do you have a new or worsening cough or shortness of breath?

• Do you have flu-like symptoms?

• Have you been in close contact with someone, including health care workers, confirmed to have the

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)?

• Individuals who do not pass the screening process will not be admitted to the facility, they will be sent home, and directed to contact their primary care provider. Contractors are expected to self-screen prior to traveling to the facility for any work. If a contractor can answer “Yes” to any of the above questions, they should NOT travel to any VAWNYHS campus. They should stay home and notify the COR.

• Contractors/Consultants shall wear a face covering any time they are on campus working (Ref(3), Ref(5)). In accordance with Ref (8):

• ALL cloth masks, gaiters, and any facemask with an exhaust valve are PROHIBITED.

• ASTM Level 3 medical grade procedure masks are REQUIRED in public/non-patient care areas.

• N95 masks are REQUIRED for access to patient care areas. See working in a patient care area below.

• Contractors must stay within their construction site (no wandering the building/campus). To support this, COR’s should identify which restroom the contractor is allowed to use. All other restrooms should be off limits.

• A/E Consultants should be allowed to access public and mechanical areas as needed to accomplish their contract. However, access to patient care spaces is not allowed without the COR’s permission. The COR should consider alternate methods of obtaining the required information before allowing access to the patient care space, e.g. are sufficient record drawings/information available, what stage of development is the design, what exactly needs investigation (is it something specific or general), can staff take pictures in place of the Consultant accessing the space, etc... See working in a patient care area below.

• If ALL of a Contractor’s work is outside, then they shall be restricted to outside access only. To support exterior access only requirement, Contractors should be using a porta potty (no interior restrooms). CORs shall ensure Section 01 00 00: General Specifications (Paragraph 1.21) of contract calls for use of a porta potty.

• Contractors/Consultants shall follow proper hand hygiene: Wash hands frequently, particularly before and after work shifts, before and after using the restroom, and before and after eating or drinking. Use hand sanitizer, if soap and water is not available (Ref(7)).

• Contractors shall bring their own food on site (no going to the canteen).

• Contractors should be calling COR’s on the phone (they should not be walking into the COR’s office).

However, COR’s should be escorting the A/E Consultants whenever they are on campus doing investigations, so in this case, face to face discussions are inevitable. Everyone must be masked, and social distancing maintained (Ref(3), Ref(5)).

• Contractors/Consultants must comply with NYS Executive Order 202.6 to maintain proper social distancing while working.

• Contractors/Consultants must comply with NYS Executive Order 202.16 to wear face coverings when in direct contact with customers or members of the public. The NYS Executive Order states that worker face coverings/PPE is the responsibility of the employer. While VAWNYHS may have requested the services of an outside contractor, VAWNYHS is NOT their employer (i.e. the VA is not responsible for providing them with W2s or benefits like healthcare, insurance, pensions, etc..). Additionally, all VAWNYHS contracts

Memorandum Contractor Infection Prevention Requirements in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic 04 Dec 2020 state that the contractor is responsible for providing their own PPE – VAWNYHS is NOT providing masks to contractors.

WHILE WORKING IN PATIENT CARE AREAS:

Applicable areas may be added or deleted as patient occupancy and facility needs change.

• Contractors/Consultants must be fit tested and wear an N95 mask (WITHOUT exhaust valves) any time they are in an active patient care area working. At the time of this writing, this requirement specifically applies to:

• Buffalo VAMC: 1D, 2A, 2D, 5C, 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D, and 10A.

• Batavia VAMC: B Ward, C Ward, D Ward, E Ward

• Contractors/Consultants must test negative for COVID before they enter an active long-term patient care area. At the time of this writing, this requirement specifically applies to:

• Buffalo VAMC: 9A.

• Batavia VAMC: B Ward, C Ward, D Ward, E Ward

If a Contractor feels they cannot meet these requirements, then they should not work at the facility until the facility’s status changes/improves.

If the Contractor violates these requirements, then the appropriate letter/warning (or cure notice) should be issued from Contracting and the effort will be shutdown for failure to comply with VA policies.

4. MODIFICATIONS AND RESCISSION

The guidance and policies surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic is fluid and ever evolving. These rules will be modified and updated as additional guidance and policy is published.

Specifically, these rules will be modified and updated as required to comply with future new or modified

VAWNYHS Executive Director policies.

Although VAWNYHS is not subject to rules established by state or local jurisdictions, VAWNYHS recognizes that state and local laws and ordinances are established for the well-being of the public as a whole. As such, VAWNYHS makes every attempt to comply with state and local laws and ordinances. Therefore, these rules will also be modified and updated as required to comply with future new or modified New York State Executive Orders as applicable.

These rules shall remain in effect until further notice.

Bryan Silverblatt Acting Assistant Chief of Engineering VAWNYHS Engineering