WSN and COVID-19: Every Worker Home Safe and Healthy
Message from President and CEO Paul Andre and Board Chair Sandra Haddad
Our vision of every worker home safe and healthy has taken on an even deeper meaning during the COVID-19 pandemic. WSN is helping to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 infection by keeping our offices closed and our employees home safe and healthy until further notice.
We are fortunate to be able to work remotely, leveraging technology so we can continue to support your occupational health and safety efforts through virtual training and consulting.
Northern Ontario is our home, where we have connections, neighbours, family and friends. While northern Ontario has very few confirmed COVID-19 cases we are at a critical point in instituting responsible physical distancing to help ensure it remains that way.
If you’re wondering what steps to take, please consider:
- If your workplace is not deemed an essential service by the province and have been asked to close, please follow that direction.
- If you have questions about the provincial emergency order, a new toll-free line 1-888-444-3659 is available for businesses.
- Physical distancing – have employees work from home if possible, stagger work schedules, hold virtual meetings, and maintain 2-metre distance if you must work in close proximity.
- Eliminate work travel and encourage workers to reconsider personal travel – instruct workers who have travelled to self-monitor for symptoms and self-isolate.
- Educate workers on the signs and symptoms of COVID-19, and the precautions that can be taken to prevent the spread. Provide information for them to share with their families. Regular communication is key.
- If a worker shows respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath, or breathing difficulties, encourage that worker to seek medical attention.
- Increase hygiene in the workplace, including hand washing stations, provision of PPE, facial tissues and hand sanitizer, maintain cleanliness of equipment, lunchrooms and restrooms, and sanitize common touchpoints like door handles, light switches, etc.
- Evaluate workplace emergency response protocols and consider what, if any modifications are necessary.
- Access WSN business resources for pandemic planning and response.
- Coordination with provincial and local health officials is strongly encouraged for all businesses so that timely and accurate information can guide appropriate responses in each location where operations reside. Since the intensity of an outbreak may differ according to geographic location, local health officials will be issuing guidance specific to communities.
To those working in essential services, we thank you wholeheartedly for your important work and we’re always here to help. If you have any questions about assessing risk in your workplace, WSN is available for consultation.
On behalf of the board of directors and staff of Workplace Safety North, we appreciate your dedication to helping make Ontario safe and we wish you well during these challenging times,
Paul Andre, President and CEO
Workplace Safety North
Sandra Haddad, Chair of the Board of Directors
Workplace Safety North
