The West Egg Group Corp. has instituted this policy to create guidelines for infection and disease control. This policy must be used in conjunction with all other applicable health and safety regulations and governmental legislation.
Employees Who May be Contagious
Employees who may have contracted a cough/cold, flu, etc. and are in the early stages of infection should not report to work as they may infect the others in The West Egg Group Corp. workplace. Employees are required to exercise their judgement and call-in if they are contagious, using The West Egg Group Corp. Absence Procedure. Where a replacement employee could not attend in the ill employee’s place, the employee may be requested to come for part of the shift but will be required to wear protective equipment to minimize the possible spread of infection as much as possible (e.g., gloves, face mask, etc.).
Management at The West Egg Group Corp. will keep records of absences due to illness and is responsible for noting any alarming trends or repeated outbreaks of infections. In many cases where a pattern is noted, senior management will be notified so that additional infection control procedures can be put into place where necessary.
Employees should only return to The West Egg Group Corp. workplace when they are no longer symptomatic or when a medical professional has certified that they are no longer contagious.
Employees of The West Egg Group Corp. may be exposed to pathogenic microorganisms, bacteria, and other microbes that can cause infection and disease.
Transmission of microorganisms can be caused by contact transmission from hands (direct) or objects (indirect), droplet transmission from coughing or sneezing, or airborne transmission from the inhalation of organisms surviving in air for long periods of time.
Other routes of entry for infection include:
While it may not be possible for The West Egg Group Corp. to completely eliminate all routes of entry for infections, employees share a responsibility to follow safe work procedures and practices to mitigate the risk of infection.
Following routine practices helps to protect both the employees and customers of The West Egg Group Corp. from pathogens. Consistent practices must be used at all times with all persons as someone could be infected but be asymptomatic.
Hand hygiene is the most important measure in preventing the transmission of microorganisms. Hand hygiene includes both washing the hands with plain or antimicrobial soap with water as well as non-rinse alcohol-based hand rubs.
The West Egg Group Corp. will implement a hand hygiene program that incorporates the following elements:
Employees of The West Egg Group Corp. should wash their hands with soap and running water:
When using soap and water, a minimum of 15 seconds of lathering is required before rinsing.
When hands are not visibly soiled, the use of 70-90% alcohol-based hand rub is the preferred method of hand hygiene. This would include:
Apply sufficient hand rub so that a minimum of 15 seconds will pass before the product becomes dry on the hands.
Employees should exercise good judgment when determining if hands should be washed. If it is possible that hands may have become contaminated with bodily fluids, they should be washed with soap and water or sanitized.
Impediments to Effective Hand Hygiene
Additional Hand Hygiene Guidelines
PPE creates a physical barrier that protects an employee’s own tissue from exposure to infectious materials and from transmission resulting from contact with others. The type of PPE is dependent on the nature of the interaction with the public. Employees of The West Egg Group Corp. are to wear appropriate PPE when interacting with others who pose the risk of transmitting microorganisms. Common PPE includes gloves and facial protection.
Gloves
Facial Protection
Administrative and environmental controls include respiratory etiquette, encouragement of employee immunizations, and environmental cleaning and sanitizing.
Respiratory Etiquette
The West Egg Group Corp. expects that all employees practice respiratory etiquette and personal practices that help prevent the spread of microorganisms and encourage others to do the same. These personal practices include:
If tissues are not available, other avoidance measures (e.g. coughing or sneezing into the sleeve) may be used.
Environmental Cleaning and Sanitizing
Cleaning is the removal of foreign material (e.g. dust, soil, blood secretions, microorganisms, etc.). Cleaning physically removes rather than kills the microorganism and thorough cleaning is required for any equipment/surface to be disinfected, as the organic matter may inactivate a disinfectant.
Disinfection is the process used on inanimate objects and surfaces to kill microorganisms. Cleaning and disinfecting agents may be combined into a single product to save a step in the cleaning and disinfecting process.
Maintaining a clean and healthy environment is integral to the safety of employees and is a top priority at The West Egg Group Corp.. Environmental cleaning and disinfection is performed on a routine and consistent basis to provide a safe and sanitary environment.
To protect both employees and customers, The West Egg Group Corp. encourages employees to have (some/all) of the following immunizations: