COVID 19 Policy

COVID-19 POLICY January 2021 v1.1

JANUARY 11th 2021

Progressive Broadcast Hire Ltd Authored by: Brian McCormick, MD.

This guide has been produced for 3 key stakeholders in mind; namely, staff, clients and external bodies who may require notification of an official covid-19 policy, such as insurance companies, funders and local Government. The policy is based on Scottish Government guidance and should be read in conjunction with the UK Broadcasters guidelines, both of which can be found in the links below.

This guide is produced with current policy by Public Health and industry best working practice and will be updated as and when policy changes occur.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 
  1. Introduction 
  • Staff working practices: 
    1. COVID-19 Specific Health and Safety (H&S) Training and Awareness 
    2. Our commitments in the workplace 
    3. Employee working patterns and use of space 
    4. Staff responsibilities and reporting 
  • Client interactions 
    1. Collection 
    2. Delivery 
    3. Return 
    4. Kit preparation:  small and large kit requirements 
    5. Technical support on location 
  • PPE and sanitizing details 
    1. Standards 
    2. COSHH/manufacturer documentation 
  • Appendix: Risk Assessment template (pending approval)
  • Resources

 

1. Introduction 

Covid-19 has produced an unprecedented challenge to most industry sectors. What is particular to our sector is the multi layered interaction of people and equipment in numerous locations.  This guide is aimed at laying out Progressive Broadcasts approach to handing over the equipment to production crew, either at our base, or delivered to location or clients office.  We cannot plan how equipment is handled thereafter, however; we will always work in conjunction with clients own specific guidelines. 

It is hoped by careful and consistent implementation of these procedures, that we can minimize risk to all. V1.1 has been updated to reflect the January 2021 restrictions and  to include new links to updated advice form Scottish Government and the British Film Institute. 

2. Staff working practices: 

i. COVID-19 Specific Health and Safety (H&S) Training and Awareness 

COVID-19 Safer Working induction training must be undertaken by all staff and employed freelancers and visiting crew prior to their work commencing at our premises.  This should cover best practice in general principles, including: – Social distancing, and hand and respiratory hygiene requirements, awareness of mental health and wellbeing at work during the pandemic, accessibility and inclusivity in COVID-19 safer working practices.

COVID-19 Supervision & Enforcement training must be given to designated supervision and enforcement staff.  In our case, this will be the Directors.

This includes COVID-19 specific guidance on:

  • Mandatory and recommended workplace requirements, as set out by Scottish Government, including hand and respiratory hygiene. 
  • Assessing and applying social distancing requirements to the working environment 
  • COVID-19 symptom checks and symptom response planning 
  • Supporting and safeguarding those defined by Scottish Government as most at risk of contracting COVID-19
ii. Our commitments in the workplace.
  • To provide guidance and training where needed in line with above H&S procedures
  • Premises reconfigured with social distancing and infection control in mind
  • PPE equipment and cleaning materials tailored to the level of risk
  • A robust and up to date equipment handling procedures in line with latest infection control advice
iii. Employee working patterns and use of space
  • Where it’s possible, allow working from home.
  • Where it’s essential (shielding) allow working from home
  • Organize staff numbers to minimize numbers in premises at same time.  Either by split shifts, ½ day working, or 3- or 4-day weeks.  Volume of work will dictate.
  • Use of shared facilities, WC, kitchen, seating areas, lunch breaks; all to be on a Rota basis.  Sanitizing to take place after every use.
  • Employees will have a “safe area” that is only accessed by them.  This will include a work desk, PC and keyboard, telephone, as well as kit preparation area with tools, monitoring, test pattern generation, power and lighting. 
  • All areas will be well ventilated.
iv. Staff responsibilities and reporting
  • Any member of staff who feels they have symptoms (continuous cough, loss of taste, smell, fever) must not come in to work.
  • If a staff member gets a test, they must not come in to work until a negative test result is confirmed.
  • If a staff member tests positive then they must not come in to work until they are confirmed clear of any infectiousness. 
  • If any staff have either of the following, then please report details to MD: shielding or someone who shares your household and/or bubble and is in a high risk profession, (e.g. healthcare, social care) This will help determine shift patterns and minimize risk.
  • Follow the guidance contained in this document as well as the wider guidance published by the Scottish Government.

3. Client Interactions: 

Collection:

Clients will be permitted to enter the premises, but only to a maximum of 2 at any one time.  Where there are 2 clients on site at same time, they will be kept at opposite ends of the kit room, well over the 2metre social distancing requirement.

Staff will prep and hand over equipment whilst wearing PPE and after sanitizing of all kit. Where this is not possible, for example, scripted Drama crew that have more than 2 crew, they will have the kit room solely for their own use.

Entry and exit of building will be through garage space, not through office.

After client leaves premises, staff will clean door handles at point of entry/exit.

Delivery:

Progressive will continue to offer a delivery service to clients.  There may be some variation dependent on the location(e.g. we would need guarantees that location has its own infection control policies in place) but we will work with clients to find a way to do this safely and within Government guidelines.

Staff will be provided with PPE for delivery, that must be disposed of after delivery takes place.

Return: 

Kit that is returned will be placed in trollies and, where possible, left for 72hrs, in line with current guidelines of virus viability on hard surfaces.  Where this isn’t possible, e.g where another job is happening within the 72 hrs, kit will be deep cleaned with a combination of isopropyl alcohol spray and anti-bac wipes(see COSHH documents).

Kit Preparation:  small and large kit requirements 

Larger, complex jobs require crew to be on site for a week approximately.  As well as protocols outlined above, we will have the following in place:

  • Designated areas (eventually sealed kit test rooms, away from main office and kit prep areas)
  • WC and kitchen facilities provided that are separate from staff and solely for the use of the crew.
  • Kit being handed over as additional to initial kit list, will be placed on trollies and left for crew to collect at door of the prep room.
Technical Support on Location

We will continue to offer technical support on location.  The quickest method, like before, is to simply replace an item and fault find later.  Where this isn’t possible, our employee will attend, with appropriate PPE and sanitize before and after, on all contact points of the kit being examined. We would ask the crew to do the same before and after we attend.  We also require that a 2 metre minimum distance is always kept.

________________________________________________________________
*1 Kit rooms are being built throughout 2020, hopefully we will have 3 by the end of the year.

4. PPE and Sanitizing Details: 

PPE:

Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) will be provided to every staff member and the infection control protocols on its best use.

  • Masks are 3 ply surgical grade(see COSHH docs)).  In line WHO and HSE  guidelines(see Resources), and after carrying out a Risk assessment based on our Citation plc template(see Resources) it is not felt that N95 masks are appropriate, or indeed needed, as we are not in a clinical or care environment, or in a situation where social distancing cannot be practiced. 
  • We have the benefit of a large work space and low staff numbers; social distancing can be maintained very easily. 
  • Gloves are provided to all employees.  These are medical grade, non sterile, powder free latex gloves. They conform to EN455 and are compliant with MDD 93/42/EEC CLASS I. (see COSHH docs)  
Sanitizing:

Kit contact points is wiped with antic-bac soap-based wipes made by various manufacturers.

Exteriors of cases are sprayed with isopropyl alcohol solvent.

Camera viewfinder eyepiece will be supplied with a chamois cover (aka TBA).

These are to be kept by the camera crew using our cameras and reused by them alone.

5. COSHH / Manufacturer Documentation:

Hand Sanitiser.
Description

Ocean Free 70% Alcohol Hand Sanitiser Gel is an advanced surgical grade alcohol based sanitising gel with proven wide spectrum biocidal properties designed for use in any hygiene sensitive environment where high levels off hand hygiene are required. Rigorously tested to all current applicable BS EN standards


Certifications: 

Antibacterial – kills 99.999% of bacteria according to EN 1276, EN 1500 and EN 13727 Virucidal – effective against enveloped viruses according to EN 14476.
Yeasticidal according to EN 1650 and EN 13624.
Suitable for Surgical / Medical use according to EN 1500, EN 13624 and EN 13727.
Suitable for Veterinary use according to EN 1500 and EN 13727.
Suitable for Domestic, Food, Industrial and Institutional use according to EN 1276, EN 1500 and EN 1650.
Manufactured at a UK based ISO 9001 and GMP 22716 accredited facility.


Features & details

Complete broad spectrum activity – Highly effective surgical grade proven formula is fully tested to EN 1276, EN 1500, EN 1650, EN 13624, EN 13727 and EN 14476 and proven to be antibacterial, virucidal and yeasticidal. Kills 99.999% of many common germs.

Easy to use gel formula – Provides the user with complete control of the product, removing the issue of dropping and splashing associated with liquid alcohol sanitisers.

High alcohol content – 70% ethanol v/v ensures quick effective hand sanitisation.

Moisturising to skin – high emollient content reducing the drying effect on the skin commonly associated with regular use of hand sanitisers.

Made in the UK in-house at an ISO 9001 and GMP UN 22716 accredited facility.

Product information

Manufacturer Ocean Free

Manufacturer reference H03390

Package Dimensions 31.6 x 20 x 13.2 cm; 4.56 kg

ASIN B087388TCV

Important information
Ingredients: :

Ingredients: Alcohol Denat / Ethanol (70% v/v), Aqua (Water), Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Carbomer, Hydrogen Peroxide (0.125% w/w).

Directions: :

No water required. Apply to hands, rub in, ensuring contact with fingernails and in-between fingers. Can also be applied to the body. Do not use on damaged, sensitive or irritated skin. Warning: Avoid eye contact. Adult supervision required for child use. Highly flammable liquid and vapour. Keep away from heat/sparks/open flames/hot surfaces. No smoking.

COSHH/manufacturer documentation
Isopropyl Solvent:

Covid 19 policy
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5. Appendix

General Risk Assessment(please see website for specific RA’s for equipment handling etc)

Covid 19 policy

Covid 19 policy
Covid 19 policy

This Document is available to download here.

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