sATTACHMENT C NEA COVID 19 Procedures 6-25-2021.pdf

Northeast Area COVID 19 Procedures

Pre-Bid Site Visit and Visitor Guidance

June 25, 2021

All prospective offerors and visitors to a USDA, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Location/facility in the Northeast Area (NEA) shall comply with the more stringent standards whether enacted by the Department, Agency, CDC Guidelines or a local government. Access is only granted for “Mission Critical” purposes or in connection with an open solicitation site visit.

Offerors who fail to pre-register or answer positive to one of the “Wellness” question requirements may be denied or provided delayed access pending an interview of the circumstances. will be interviewed prior to admittance to determine the reason for the failure to pre-register or response to a “Wellness” question.

Terms:

• Fully Vaccinated Person – An individual who is at least 2 weeks (14 days) past their 2nd dose in a 2-dose series such as Moderna or Pfizer, 2 weeks past a single dose vaccine such as the Johnson & Johnson Jansen vaccine.

• Visitor – Any non-ARS employee seeking access to an ARS, NEA facility.

Criteria for participating in a Pre-Bid or Site Visit

All Pre-Bid or General Visitors:

☐ Must pre-register or have approval in advance of the Visit. Substitutions of any prospective offerors for the Pre-Bid Site Visit must be made in advance.

☐ All individuals will follow the enhanced hygiene practices while on site.

☐ Numbers or groups of Pre-Bid Offerors or Visitors will be limited to 2 individuals per company. Exceptions to the number per company or visit may be requested if the bid process or Visit warrants the necessity of extra support or input.

☐ Wellness Questions - All prospective offerors or Visitors must complete the supplied “Wellness” questions and submit upon arrival and prior to accessing the facility. Additionally, any individual who responds “Yes” to any of the questions, will require a more in-depth interview. Any individual who access an ARS, NEA facility will agree to notifying the ARS POC for the visit if any of their representatives become COVID19+ within 72 hours after departing the facility.

Vaccinated Individuals (Fully)

☐ Any individual seeking access to a ARS, NEA facility who meets the CDC criteria for fully vaccinated is not required to wear a face cover, or socially distance while on ARS property or in an ARS Building. However, they are expected to comply with all other Federal, State or Local guidelines and requirements in place for activities such as travel or Close contact exposure.

Un-Vaccinated Individuals (Anyone who does not meet the Fully Vaccinated Criteria)

☐ Any individual seeking access to an ARS, NEA facility who does not meet the CDC criteria for “Fully Vaccinated”, must continue to wear a face cover properly

– minimum 2 layers, be snug fitting and cover the mouth and nose at all times.

☐ Will maintain and follow the “Social Distancing” requirements 96’ of separation)

☐ Offerors coming from out of state will follow all CDC Guidelines and may be required to provide additional information such as a negative COVID19 test results from a sample collected no more than 72 hours prior to the departure.

Post Bid Expectations for Successful Bidders

Currently any successful Bidder will be expected to submit a Full COVID19/Pandemic Plan that covers all contractors and sub-contractors who will be involved with the project as part of their Site Safety Plan submittal. No work will begin until the plan is approved.

*** All persons should be aware that COVID19 operational status changes are subject to change with potentially minimum notice.

Contractor____________________________ COVID-19 Health and Safety Plan

Company Information:

Home Office: __________ Branch Office: ___________ President: ____________

Phone: _____________ Email: ____________________

Health and Safety Manager, _________________ Phone: _____________________ Email: _______________________

Basic Infection Control

• If you are sick, stay home – notify your supervisor per standard policy

• Hand washing requirements

When arriving at and before leaving work.

Before, during, and after preparing food.

Before eating.

Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick.

Before and after treating a laceration or other wound.

After using the toilet.

After changing diapers or cleaning up after a child who has used the toilet.

After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste.

After handling pet food or pet treats.

After touching household trash or other types of garbage.

After removing protective gloves, face covering, or other PPE If soap and water are not available use an adequate hand sanitizer.

• Cover coughs and sneezes using the cough into your elbow technique.

• Dispose of used personal protective equipment in the trash. Maintain trash receptacles to ensure a safe and sanitary condition when the container is utilized in a centralized location by groups of people.

• Comply with flexible worksite and work hours to increase physical distance between employees (i.e. social distancing).

• Do not share phones, desks, tools, and equipment without completing a proper disinfecting protocol.

• Employees are responsible for cleaning their own work areas and “touch” surfaces using an adequate disinfectant as necessitates to maintain sanitary surface.

Social Distancing Requirements

• To engage in activity while remaining at least six feet apart from people who are outside the individual’s household (For example, non-family members).

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

While engineering and administrative controls are considered more effective in minimizing exposure to COVID-19, PPE may also be needed to reduce the risk of certain exposures. While correctly using PPE can help mitigate some exposures, it should not take the place of other prevention strategies.

All types of PPE must be:

• Selected based upon the known or suspected hazard to the worker.

• Properly fitted and periodically refitted, as applicable (e.g., face coverings, respirators)

• Consistently and properly worn when required

• Regularly inspected, maintained, and replaced, as necessary

• Properly removed, cleaned, and stored or disposed of, as applicable, to avoid contamination of self, others, or the environment.

Face Coverings

Employees are required to wear a face covering when they are in any enclosed public space when there is the potential that they can’t maintain the required six feet apart for social distancing.

• Handmade face coverings are permitted, but they should be laundered prior to wearing and on a regular basis.

• Face coverings will be made available as needed to those who don’t have their own.

You can obtain a face covering from our J-Mc Health & Safety Manager.

• Face coverings are required to be worn in any enclosed public space when social distancing requirements can’t be achieved. If you have an allergy or other concern that may hamper your use of a face covering, please contact our J-Mc Health & Safety Manger.

• If you are working alone in your office with the door closed, you are not required to wear the face covering.

• All employees who work in open workstations must wear a face covering at all times as others can approach you at any time.

• We need to use our PPE judiciously so, please safeguard and maintain the cleanliness of your face covering to allow for repeat use.

• Face coverings should NOT be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.

• It is important to remember that the cloth face cover is meant to protect other people in case you are infected and that you can spread COVID-19 to others even if you do not feel sick yourself.

• The face covering is not a substitute for social distancing.

Identification of Potentially Infectious Individuals/Screening Protocol

• Complete the following self-check prior to showing up at office or work site and/or any interaction with employees– please notify your supervisor if you are not able to report to work or need assistance with the check.

1) Do I have a fever at or above 100.4 F degrees? If potential fever is in question contact your supervisor or Health & Safety Manager (HSM)

2) Do I have symptoms of respiratory infection (fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing)?

3) Do I have any sudden loss of taste or smell?

4) Have I been exposed to someone with confirmed COVID-19?

5) Have I been advised to quarantine either by a health care provider or public health recommendation (i.e. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Department) and still under that advice?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, notify your supervisor or HSM immediately.

Engineering Controls

• Daily disinfection of building surfaces that are frequently touched (door knobs, etc.).

• Building access control at public entrances. All visitors my wear face coverings.

• Install physical barriers such as sneeze guards, as practical.

• Frequent custodial cleaning and use of disinfectants.

Administrative Controls

• Assessment of jobs classified as having low, medium, high, and very high exposure risks and provide specific recommendations for employers and workers within specific risk categories based on the OSHA 3990-03 2020 guidance document.

• Encourage the use of remote work when possible.

• Encourage sick workers to stay home.

• Minimize face to face contact and use social distancing.

• Use teleconferencing in lieu of conference room meetings.

• Provide education and training to new employees and monthly refreshers for all employees.

Cleaning and Sanitation Protocol

• Custodial will increase cleaning of touchpoints throughout buildings- handrails, door knobs/handles/push-bars, light switches, etc.

• Custodial uses anti-viral / anti-bacterial general cleaning agent and microfiber cloth to wipe surfaces.

• If workplace has a confirmed case of COVID-19 (or other contagious disease/virus), the building will be temporarily closed and undergo sanitation procedures including electrostatic disinfection.

Use of Building Common Areas

• Use of building common areas (i.e. waiting areas, breakrooms and copier areas) shall be limited to numbers needed to maintain social distancing requirements.

• Employees should not congregate in large numbers in common areas. All touchpoints should be wiped after contact or as often as reasonably practical.

• Maximum capacity for common areas should be posted; however, if it is not posted, the maximum occupancy is based on the social distancing requirement of six feet of distance between individuals.

Travel and Project Work Site

• All non-essential work-related travel is restricted.

• For required travel, all sanitation, face coverings and PPE requirements for the office shall be implemented in the travel location.

• Maintain the use of face covers while traveling in cars with employees and other passengers.

• If possible, avoid high-occupancy areas and crowds, and maintain social distancing where possible.

• When arriving and working at a Project Work Site, follow these requirements:

1) Check temperature when you arrive at a site. If at or above 100.4 F degrees, do not proceed with work on site.

2) Sanitize hands upon arrival, periodically during the day and before leaving the site.

3) Cover face with PPE such as KN95 mask or other face covering upon arrival and during the site visit.

4) Maintain social distancing of six feet at all times.

5) Conduct business conversations via telephone or teleconference if possible.

6) Avoid crowds and high-occupancy areas if possible.

ARS, Northeast Area Mission Critical/Time Sensitive Activities During Pandemic

Visitor/Contractor Daily Wellness Check Questionnaire

P a g e 1 | 1

7/7/2021 10:57 AM

All Visitors and Contractors entering or performing work at a USDA/Agricultural Research Service facility must complete a “Wellness Survey” each day they are onsite (some locations may use the ARS Check Survey in addition to this form) and before entering a building or facility. Should the Visitor/contractor respond “Yes” to a question they will be interviewed by the “Location Pandemic Coordinator” or their alternate to seek clarification on the “Yes” response. Based on the clarification, the individual(s) may not be allowed access to the facility.

Visitors/Contractors please provide the following contact Information:

Name:

Business:

Contact Number:

E-Mail Address:

Location POC Purpose of Visit:

Wellness Check – Please answer the following questions to the best of your knowledge for the current day.

1. In the last 14 days, have you traveled to or from a region outside of your regular commuting area where local ordinances required quarantine or other COVID-19 related travel mandates (e.g., test results, travel form/registration)?

Yes / No

2. Have you been diagnosed with, or experienced any symptoms of COVID-19 in the past 14 days or since last check in, including the following: fever (100.4 degrees F or greater), or chills, cough, loss of taste or smell, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea?

Yes / No

3. Have you had close contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19 or showing symptoms of COVID-19 within the past 14-days? Close contact is defined as being within six feet of a person for more than 15 minutes.

Yes / No

Please return the completed questionnaire to your Point of Contact at the location on the day of arrival. If you have any questions, please contact them in advance of your arrival.