FFCRA In Effect April 1; CDC Issues Manufacturing Facility Protocols The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) went into effect April 1 and companies with less than 500 employees are all subject to the provisions of this law un- less granted an exception, which is only available to com- panies with less than 50 employees. Vist the Department of Labor website at www.dol.gov to see a list of FAQs and additional resources to ensure compliance with the FF- CRA. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued protocols for manufacturing facilities, including cor- rugated and folding carton plants, in the form of a Q&A: 1. If an employee in the manufacturing environment has a confirmed case of COVID-19, what are the proper pro- tocols to prevent community spread? A: For confirmed OR suspected cases of COVID-19, sick employees should follow CDC-recommended steps, which include: • Stay home except to get medical care • Separate yourself from other people in your home – this is known as home isolation. Use a separate bed- room and bathroom, if possible. • Call ahead before visiting your doctor • Wear a facemask if you are sick and one is available • Cover your coughs and sneezes with your elbow or use a tissue • Clean your hands often by washing them with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol. • Avoid sharing personal household items • Clean and disinfect all high touch surfaces daily in your isolation area with an EPA-registered disinfectant. Let a caregiver take care of cleaning and disinfecting high touch surfaces in common areas. • Monitor your symptoms and consult your healthcare provider if symptoms worsen. Be sure to get care if you have trouble breathing, or have any other emergency warning signs, or if you think it is an emergency. Employees should not return to work until the criteria to end home isolation are met, in consultation with health- care providers and state and local health departments. Em- ployees who develop symptoms including fever, cough, or shortness of breath should notify their supervisor and stay home. Employees who appear to have symptoms upon arrival to work or become sick during the day should be immediately separated from other employees, customers, and visitors and sent home. If possible, provide sick em- ployees with a mask while they are waiting to leave and have them wear it in transit until they get home in order to limit spread of contamination. Follow the CDC cleaning and disinfection recommen- dations, including closing off the areas used by the em-
ployee (e.g. their office or work station) as long as prac- tical, and up to 24 hours if possible. Then focusing on cleaning and disinfecting the high-touch, hard/non-porous surfaces: • Dirty surfaces should be cleaned with soap and water prior to disinfection. • To disinfect, use products that meet EPA’s criteria for use against SARS-Cov-2, the cause of COVID-19, and are appropriate for the surface. If an employee is confirmed to have COVID-19 infec- tion, employers should inform fellow employees of their possible exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace but main- tain confidentiality as required by the Americans with Dis- abilities Act (ADA). Employees should then self-monitor for symptoms (i.e., fever, cough, or shortness of breath). If other employees develop symptoms they should follow the guidance above. 2. If a manufacturing employee in a non-production set- ting has a confirmed case of COVID-19, what are the proper protocols to prevent community spread? A: The steps are the same for employees in non-produc- tion settings as in the manufacturing environment. 3. Should a plant shut down as result of a COVID-19 case or outbreak? If a plant shutdown occurs, what is the rec- ommended time offline to disinfect, and what is the ap- propriate timeframe to resume operations? A: The areas used by the sick person should be closed off. It is not necessary to shut down the entire facility. • Wait as long as practical before cleaning and disinfect- ing the affected area to minimize potential for exposure to respiratory droplets. • Open outside doors and windows to increase air circu- lation in the area. If possible, wait up to 24 hours before beginning cleaning and disinfection. • Cleaning staff should clean and disinfect all areas (e.g., offices, bathrooms, and common areas) used by the ill persons, focusing on frequently touched surfaces. • Dirty surfaces should be cleaned with soap and water prior to disinfection. • To disinfect, use products that meet EPA’s criteria for use against SARS-Cov-2, (called the EPA List N) or di- luted bleach solutions or alcohol solutions with at least 70 percent alcohol. • Cleaning staff should wear disposable gloves and gowns, coveralls, or other personal protective equip- ment (PPE) suitable for the disinfectant being used. • Be sure to remove and dispose of/launder PPE, as ap- propriate, and clean hands after. There is no additional PPE required specific to COVID-19. • Operations can resume as soon as the cleaning and disinfection are completed. 4. If an infected employee physically contacted manu- facturing equipment, inputs and/or outputs, what steps CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
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www.boardconvertingnews.com
April 6 , 2020
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