Synergy Youth and Community Development Society

yoursynergy.ca | ph: 403.212.0242

Lifepath Centre for Community Leadership

#101, 340 Merganser Drive West | Chestermere, AB | T1X 0Z6

involved@yoursynergy.ca

Biosafety Protocol

Updated: August 1, 2021

 

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Overview

Under current Chief Medical Officer of Health Orders, businesses and entities are required to:

• implement practices to minimize the risk of transmission of infection among attendees;

• provide procedures for rapid response if an attendee develops symptoms of illness;

• ensure that attendees maintain high levels of sanitation and personal hygiene;

• comply, to the extent possible, with the COVID-19 General Guidance

 

This document has been developed to support Synergy in reducing the risk of transmission of COVID-19 among attendees (including staff, volunteers, attendees and the general public).

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This document and the guidance within it is subject to change and will be updated as needed.

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Protocol Guidelines

 

General Conditions

• Masks are mandatory in all indoor workplaces, except when working alone in an office or a safely distanced workspace or an appropriate barrier is in place

• This applies to all employees, visitors, delivery personnel and contractors

• This includes all locations where employees are present and masks won’t pose a safety risk

• Indoor and outdoor gathering group sizes may be restricted based on changing protocols.

• Continued high level of vigilance regarding individual and facility hygiene

• The most effective way for staff/volunteers to prevent spread of COVID-19 is through consistent hand hygiene practices, respiratory etiquette, continuous masking where possible, physical distancing and environmental cleaning/disinfection measures

• Staff/Volunteer Self Screening for symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion, headache, and a general feeling of being unwell

• Encouragement for staff and volunteers to undergo regular testing and to download the AHS Tracing App

• Staff/Volunteer travel outside the country must be followed by a 14-day quarantine

• Support for people who test positive to enable effective isolation and contain spread

• Staff/Volunteer expectation to follow strict adherence to AHS recommendations outside of work to prevent bringing illness into the workplace

• Rules and guidance for the use of non-medical masks always when more than one individual is in the same room, inside, at the same time or outside when participants cannot remain a minimum of 2 meters apart

• Staff feeling uncomfortable with returning to work may speak with the Team Leader to arrange a leave of absence if possible

• Rapid response, much like accomplished on March 16th, in the event of possible outbreaks of COVID-19

 

 

Prescreening

• All parents/guardians must check their youth for symptoms of COVID-19 (listed below) before coming to Synergy program/event.  Please call Synergy supervisors if you are unsure about symptoms (403-212-0242)

• Any individual with symptoms of COVID-19 should immediately self-isolate and please notify Synergy supervisors immediately if they have attended ANY of our programs within the previous two weeks

• Any individual that has symptoms of COVID-19 should be tested as soon as possible, in collaboration with AHS Public Health

• Symptomatic individuals should be isolated and may not attend Synergy programs or come to the Lifepath Centre for Community Leadership until their test results are back and they are advised about further requirements for isolation by public health

• Should a staff member, volunteer or program participant test positive for COVID – 19, programs will be suspended, and the Centre closed for a minimum of 72 hours or as long as directed by AHS

• Synergy will follow all instructions and guidelines given by Alberta Health Services

 

 

Site Arrival/Departure

• Masks must be worn BEFORE entering the Centre and/or workplace area

• Any individuals who are exempt from wearing a mask must provide written notification

• Parents/guardians are responsible for providing their youth with water bottles, food/snacks, and any other personal supplies they may need (i.e. medication, bug spray, sun block, etc.)

• Parents/guardians will be required to sign all youth, under 14 years of age, in and out of each program session and complete prescreening questions prior to taking part in activities

• All administrative work will be completed without contact and only one parent or guardian per youth will be permitted to sign them in or out

• A designated staff member will be responsible for this process and they will remind youth of the requirements for physical distancing and hygiene

• Staff/Volunteers who are required to be in close contact with youth or other adults (first aid, activity instruction, wellness care, etc.) MUST wear a mask, a face shield and when appropriate, gloves

• Face shields do NOT replace masks or face coverings

• ALL individuals coming into the Centre are required to physically sign in/out of the Centre logbook and must immediately wash their hands, following all instructions on posted signage 

• No shared food will be allowed, including condiments, etc. 

• Participants are welcome to bring their own lunch/snacks but must package them well and store them separate from others’

• Participant belongings (jackets, shoes etc.) must be stored separate from others

• Wherever possible, participants should not share supplies

• Whenever physical distancing is not absolutely guaranteed, everyone must wear masks

 

 

Site Maintenance

• Hand sanitizer is available in every common room within the Centre and antibacterial soap within all three washrooms

• Sanitation of all washrooms, with AHS approved products, will be completed regularly with a record kept of the time and area cleaned in a cleaning logbook, including when you leave.  Sanitation of all program areas will occur a minimum of twice per day.

• The Centre will also be cleaned and sanitized at the end of each day by staff and professionally cleaned once per week

• Physical distancing signage will be posted throughout the Centre and on the deck

• All items that cannot be easily cleaned between individual uses, will be stored away

• Signage is prominent throughout the Centre to remind youth and staff/volunteers to wash/sanitize their hands regularly

• Staff will also provide regular prompts for youth to wash their hands before and after they eat, after washroom breaks and between activities

• Signage to remind participants not to attend if they are unwell and physical distancing signs will also be prominent

• Visitors who are not required for the operation of the Centre or the programs within, will not be permitted to stay during program times

• Outside resources, staying more than 10 minutes, (maintenance people, cleaners, caterers, trainers, delivery drivers etc.) will also be required to log in and out

• This information will be kept on file for a minimum of four weeks for the purposes of providing tracing information to AHS should the need arise

 

 

Activities

• Whenever possible, a virtual option for program attendance may be offered as an alternative to in person attendance

• All activities will be carefully planned to maximize physical distancing and ensure they do not require sharing objects or frequently touching common surfaces.  Items will be sanitized between each individual use

• We allow youth programs to operate outdoors, as weather dictates.

• No more than two groups will be allowed on site at any one time (one inside and the other outside)

• Everyone will wear masks whenever separation of a minimum of 2 meters is not possible

• At least one outdoor break during each program session, whenever possible

• Any Synergy supplied snacks will be individually wrapped (i.e. granola bars)

• Washroom use will be monitored by a staff or volunteer to ensure physical distancing while waiting to enter and to provide reminders to wash hands

• Avoid close greetings like hugs or handshakes and encourage physically-distant greetings such as “air fives” and waves.

• Where a shared outdoor space is used (e.g. green space), cohorts must maintain a distance of 10 meters between groups

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• Masks must be worn at all times when in vehicles, unless alone.

• Weather permitting, windows will be opened to promote better ventilation.

• All Synergy vehicles will be sanitized regularly

 

 

Isolation Space

• The office closest to our accessible washroom has been assigned as a self-isolation space 

• Should a staff, volunteer or participant become ill, they will be asked to remain in isolation there until they are either able to drive themselves home or someone is able to pick them up which will be expected as soon as possible 

• The isolation room will be thoroughly sanitized after it has been used

 

 

Staff Responsibilities

• Being trained on physical distancing, hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, cleaning and disinfecting, and any updated policies or procedures related to preventing transmission of COVID-19

• Have access to hand sanitizer or hand washing stations, as required

• Posting, following and enforcing all instructions on signage

• Stagger staff arrival and departure times, lunch times, breaks and meetings to reduce the number of people in one place at a given time

• Designate storage spaces to individuals (i.e. staff, volunteers and participants)

• Continue to follow existing occupational health and safety (OHS) requirements

 

 

COVID-19 symptoms requiring immediate isolation

• fever (38°C or higher)

New onset of:

• cough

• shortness of breath/difficulty breathing

• runny nose

 

 

Additional symptoms that may indicate a need for testing

New onset of:

• chills

• painful swallowing

• stuffy nose and/or headache

• muscle/joint ache

• feeling unwell/fatigue/severe exhaustion

• nausea/vomiting/diarrhea

• loss of sense of smell or appetite

 

Thank you for helping keep Synergy and the Lifepath Centre for Community Leadership a safe place for youth, families, and the community!