Do you have a COVID-19 operational plan already?

WorkSafeNB is reminding employers to develop their COVID-19 plans as they continue to operate during the health crisis.

“To ensure workplaces have documented their risk assessment and risk mitigation measures consistent with Public Health guidance and the Occupational Health and Safety Act and regulations, all employers must develop a written COVID-19 operational plan,” it said.

WorkSafeNB noted that employers must comply with the mandatory order, which states that every business proprietor and service provider, every employer and workplace manager “must tale all reasonable steps to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission among their employees.”

To help employers in this regard, WorkSafeNB released a template that may serve as a starting point for a COVID-19 operational plan.

The template – available here – includes things that employers should consider in the fight against COVID-19, including their actions, resources to support those actions, the details of their implementation of the plan and their plans of communicating the plan to employees.

Previously, the New Brunswick government also shared guiding questions to consider when building a COVID-19 operational plan, including:

• Who is going to put your operational plan on paper?
• Where are you going to keep copies of your Operational Plan to have it ready for individuals to refer to for guidance? This way it will also be readily available for potential spot checks when necessary.
• What revision date will you put in place to revisit the Operational Plan, consider how it is working and plan for any additions? Are you going to share your Operational Plan publicly so that other operations who may function in a similar field/area may benefit from learning from your good work? This may also promote confidence in your approach.

In February, WorkSafeBC said it is launching a province-wide, multi-language campaign focused on several specific actions workers and employers need to take to keep workplaces safe from COVID-19.

As of March, Ontario has hired more than 100 new occupational health and safety inspectors to support the province’s business inspection campaigns amid the COVID-19 pandemic.