Keeping You Safe: PLA Reopening Playbook August 2020 | Page 25

Workplace Hygiene Policy
How COVID-19 spreads:
Let’s start with the Center for Disease Control and World Health Organization’s
information about the spread of CVID-19.
When someone who has COVID-19 coughs or exhales, they release droplets of infected
fluid. Most of these droplets fall on nearby surfaces and objects – such as desks, tables or
telephones. People could catch COVID-19 by touching contaminated surfaces or objects –
and then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. If they are standing within one meter of a
person with COVID-19, they can catch it by breathing in droplets coughed out or exhaled
by them.
In other words, COVID-19 spreads in a similar way to the flu. Most persons infected with
COVID-19 experience mild symptoms and recover. However, some go on to experience
more serious illness and may require hospital care. Risk of serious illness rises with age:
people over 40 seem to be more vulnerable than those under 40. People with weakened
immune systems and people with conditions such as diabetes, heart and lung disease are
also more vulnerable to serious illness.
Scope:
This policy applies to all employees always and without exception.
Guidelines:
All staff are expected to adhere to established hygiene requirements which mitigate the
spread of certain contagious and communicable diseases in our school buildings and
workspaces. Therefore, the following hygiene requirements are applicable to all
employees:
Key Times to Wash Hands
You can help yourself and your colleagues stay healthy by washing your hands often,
especially during these key times when you are likely to get and spread germs:
Before, during, and after preparing food
Before eating food
Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting
Before and after treating a cut or wound
After using the toilet
After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
After touching garbage
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