11 replies to this topic

[kzimmers]

Good morning, here I am working by myself in the office, Sunday morning when I should be at home in bed drinking coffee. 

 

Covid has been a very hard on all of us, there is not a week that passes by without having a case of a positive employee or an employee who was in near contact with someone who got diagnose with Covid. Some days the struggle of keeping everyone safe by following the protocols in our facility (some people of course will follow, some others still believe we should not worry about it).

 

I'm the QA Manager here and I had to read so much this past year about pandemics, I read blogs everyday, I watched the news in the morning. Everyday trying to be up to date on how to keep our facility safe.

 

My questions to all of you; in the past year - what was your biggest struggle while updating your protocols and dealing with Covid? What has been your biggest contribution to your company?

 

I may just be here not making much sense but I wanted to know if you all feel that we the Managers have had a major role keeping our companies working and keeping our employees safe but had the feeling that there may be something else we can do to make it better... Thank you, KZ

Edited by Charles.C, 25 January 2021 - 06:14 AM.
formatted

[zoelawton]

 

My questions to all of you; in the past year - what was your biggest struggle while updating your protocols and dealing with Covid? What has been your biggest contribution to your company?

 

 

My biggest struggle was that senior management (Director and a Technical Manager who is also accounts and HR) started working from home immediately and did absolutely sweet F all about anything. 

 

I am 'Quality Control' however do all the work of the Technical Manager and then some. I was stressed out my mind about these 2 people with all the power not caring and only protecting themselves. I took it upon myself to sort out everything I could and just like yourself, read, read and read. There is still only so much you can without the commitment from the upper hand. It's been completely embarrassing for them however due their absence and ignorance I have learnt SO much this past year purely just by research and learning to swim in deep poopoo. 

[Scampi]

I would agree with above post!  When senior management removes themselves (albeit for legitimate business reasons), it breaks the culture change and leaves a bad taste.  Our HR has stayed onsite at least

 

I think the other huge struggle is the anti masker types who are spreading mis information left and right, that's virtually impossible to fight against, particularly when governments  (in my case on the provincial level) are a sh** show.........

 

What I have learned is how important it is that crucial information is always clear, consistent and concise       and when the message needs updating--WHY you're changing course 

 

 

Stay safe everyone and wear your damn mask!!!!!

[sharoncross]

Hi all,

 

I have a question regarding how information from covid testing of factory personnel is being communicated .

If there are any suspected or confirmed cases of covid within your factory, Is anyone communicating to the factory staff and if so how are you communicating the results.

 

Thanks,

 

Sharon

[Scampi]

Sharon

 

You need to be very careful, privacy laws are difficult to navigate. 

 

Where I've been we just mention shift or department someone either tested positive or someone close to them has.  Our health units decide who's close contacts so we are able to say if you haven't been notified by the health unit, you are not considered a close contact

[kfromNE]

Hi all,

 

I have a question regarding how information from covid testing of factory personnel is being communicated .

If there are any suspected or confirmed cases of covid within your factory, Is anyone communicating to the factory staff and if so how are you communicating the results.

 

Thanks,

 

Sharon

 

We make sure we follow the HIPPA laws/privacy laws (USA). We have a COVID team consisting of HR, the two VPs, president and myself (COVID Coordinator).

When someone gets tested - they let HR know. If it's positive, the team is notified along with their director.

For positive results - we follow CDC guidelines. We go through the cameras to see who they had close contact with (15 minutes over 24 hours) and talk to the individual on the phone for a 2 day time span.

We then notify the individuals that they had been exposed. We do not say who the positive person was. Some employees figure it out on their own. Employees can ask, but most know, none of us on the team will say anything.

 

A electronic file is kept on those that have been tested. The only ones who have access are the COVID team. The folder name is disguised. (It doesn't say COVID results). It has a person's name on the folder. That way if people try to access it and realize they can't - there isn't hopefully any suspicion.

 

I am open and honest as much as I can to people if they ask questions on any of our policies and procedures. I reiterate we are following CDC recommendations, our local health department guidelines and corporate rules.

[sharoncross]

Hi Scampi / kfromNE,

 

Thank you for replying,

 

I am asking because at the moment we are not relaying any information to factory staff, only selected management have any information. If anyone reports symptoms, they are sent home and told to get a test. Everyone else only finds out anything from chatter and canteen talk. we are assuming our controls within the factory protect from exposure. At the moment I think we have had some cases, but don't know how many.

My opinion is that we should be letting factory staff know if there has been suspected covid or confirmed covid cases within the factory. I have found the below statement on an official government website and have forwarded to management.  

 

Employers are encouraged to keep staff informed about potential or confirmed COVID-19 cases amongst their colleagues. However, they should not name individuals, and should not unlawfully share anyone's personal data (including anyone's test results).

[Scampi]

WOW

 

that is not how you build a culture within a company

 

they could find themselves getting sued  (see link for Canada negligence lawsuit)

 

ALWAYS tell you're employees what you can, no more, no less

 

https://globalnews.c...nt-coronavirus/

[sharoncross]

Hi scampi,

 

i thought i was being unreasonable. Glad someone else agrees and ive been asked why i am not happy.

I'm not wanting names of anyone that has or think they may have covid, just the fact that there is someone and which department 

[Scampi]

Absolutely not unreasonable

 

Employers have a legal obligation to keep their employees safe---as safe at work as possible ---that includes notifying employees so they can make decisions for themselves NOT withholding information

 

Reach out to your health unit for advice, that's what  they are there for

[kfromNE]

Hi scampi,

 

i thought i was being unreasonable. Glad someone else agrees and ive been asked why i am not happy.

I'm not wanting names of anyone that has or think they may have covid, just the fact that there is someone and which department 

 

We won't tell everyone in the whole building if there was a positive result nor which department. Only if they were in close contact with the person. If the person is a production worker, we'll tell those individuals in the room they are working in. Also know - you may have individuals out for being in close contact with a positive case. So for example, if someone in a person's household gets COVID, that worker needs to be then in quarantine.

 

Note: I'm not defending your place of work. If you were in close contact with a person who was positive, management should inform you.
 

[sharoncross]

we are a small business and people regularly move from one department to another. A couple of weeks ago, someone reported that they were feeling unwell half way through the shift. As a precaution, they were sent home and told to get a test, they also sent home anyone that comes to work in the same vehicle. That department was then a few people short, so they moved people from other departments to cover. Nothing was said, it was all done on the QT. But talk happens and sometimes not knowing the facts can be scarier than the truth. 

Last we we all took lateral flow tests at home, there were some with positive results, again nothing was said (it was just assumed that those that didn't come to work the next day, had a positive result). But again factory talk, stories and scenarios went around the factory. Causing anxiety. 

 

Now, management have listened to me and have agreed in principle to put a noticed up explaining that although there were some positive results, once a more accurate PCR test was done, everyone is ok. Hopefully now management will be more open and as transparent as they can be.

 

Also a lot of the workforce live in an area where the south African variant has been detected. So anxiety and stress levels are high anyway.