Mask mandates, active screenings, and other things employers should remember
Ontario recently took a huge step towards normalcy after it implemented the first step of its three-phased reopening scheme, giving select businesses more room to operate amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
HRD spoke with Catherine Bergeron, Health and Safety Team Lead at HR consulting firm Peninsula Canada, on what employers should expect during this first step of the reopening plan, as well as the remaining two steps waiting to be enforced. Step two begins on Feb. 21, which will result in the province increasing indoor social gathering limits to 25 people indoors and 100 people outdoor.
"The updated Ontario public health measures that come into effect under step three of Ontario’s reopening plan will allow certain Ontario businesses such as restaurants, cinemas, gyms, and other indoor public settings, to operate at 50% capacity," Bergeron said.
"The provision in step two requires every business to work from home. However, in step three the work-from-home mandate will be lifted.”
What should employers do?
The first thing on employers' to-do list should be to come up with a COVID-19 risk assessment in office premises, according to Bergeron, which should be key to formulating a required workplace safety plan.
"Your safety plan should contain information about the safety controls and measures you've implemented to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in your workplace. It should be displayed in a place where it can be easily viewed and accessed by your staff," she said.
Some offices may be smaller in comparison to others, and to avoid congestion in the workplace, Bergeron advised employers to "stagger work shifts and lunch breaks" in order to implement physical distancing properly in common areas.
Read more: Ontario designing 'portable benefits' plan for workers who don't have coverage
Facemask requirement
The workplace safety plan should also outline a mask mandate, which Bergeron said is important to have. Facemasks are among the accessories still required under Ontario's reopening scheme, unless an individual is exempted due to medical reasons.
"Signage notifying all visitors of the mandatory masking requirement should be displayed in your workplace, especially at the entrance," advised the HR consultation.
She said that facemasks should only be removed in indoor venues where physical distancing of at least two metres between staff are maintained.
Face shields are also a no-no in place of masks, according to Bergeron.
"They only provide eye protection and can be used as a substitute for other kinds of eye protection, such as goggles or safety glasses," she explained.
Screening at work?
Active screening for customers and employees may also be required in some establishments, according to Bergeron, and this could be carried out in three different ways:
- Online screening assessment tool
- COVID-19 screening questionnaire
- An employee asking direct questions
"If your business is required to screen customers before they enter your premises, you could ask your customers to fill out the COVID-19 screening questionnaire while making the appointment or at the reception. The questionnaire should confirm whether they have any symptoms or risk factors," Bergeron explained.
In relation to screening individuals, the company must also have a procedure in place for those who fail it, such as barring them from the workplace, she added.
"You should also have a procedure in place for handling individuals who do not pass the screening. They should not be allowed to enter your worksite. Advise them to return home and contact their health care provider."
Ontario's current testing rules state that symptomatic testing is only for high-risk individuals and those working for high-risk settings, according to the HR consultant. Other symptomatic people are presumed positive and should follow self-monitoring guidelines.
Read more: Ontario invests $200K in workplace wellness
Dealing with non-compliance
Non-compliant guests or customers on screening tests or mask mandates can be tricky, as it risks the safety of confronted staff especially when the situation gets heated.
Bergeron advised employers to provide training on how to handle such situations without further escalating tensions or risking their safety.
"For situations where customers start getting upset, employees can be trained to remain calm, acknowledge their customers’ concerns and respectfully remind them that the business is only following the law. If the situation continues to escalate, employees should get their managers," she said.
However, staff should also keep in mind that some medical exemptions from the government are provided when it comes to mask mandates.
"The business is not allowed to ask for proof, unless it is business where Vaccination Certifications are required to enter, like a restaurant," she said.
The second step of Ontario's reopening scheme is scheduled on February 21, while the third step is set on March 14.