COVID-19 Safety Plan 2022 - Vancouver Public Library - Updated: February 17, 2022
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Vancouver Public Library
COVID-19 Safety Plan 2022
Updated: February 17, 2022
Page 2
Contents
Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Purpose ....................................................................................................................................... 4
Scope .......................................................................................................................................... 5
Right to refuse unsafe work ........................................................................................................ 5
Seeking advice ............................................................................................................................ 5
Hazard analysis and understanding risk ..................................................................................... 5
Risk matrix .............................................................................................................................................. 5
Stress, anxiety and mental health awareness ............................................................................ 6
Hierarchy of controls for COVID - 19 .......................................................................................... 6
Current safety measures ............................................................................................................. 7
Staying home when sick with symptoms of COVID-19 ........................................................................... 7
Facility cleaning....................................................................................................................................... 7
Building ventilation maintenance ........................................................................................................... 8
General hygiene ...................................................................................................................................... 8
Vaccinations ............................................................................................................................................ 8
Barriers for droplet control..................................................................................................................... 8
Requiring masks in indoor spaces........................................................................................................... 8
First Aid Attendants ................................................................................................................................ 8
Historical measures .................................................................................................................... 9
Appendix A: Cleaning Responsibility Matrix ............................................................................. 10
Page 3
Overview
This COVID-19 Safety Plan 2022 is the overarching safety plan for the Vancouver Public
Library (VPL) during the COVID-19 pandemic. This plan contains the information necessary
for staff to work safely and minimize the risk of exposure to COVID-19. It is a living
document and represents the standards the Library must meet based on the information
from the Provincial Health Officer (PHO), the Ministry of Health, the Province of BC, and
WorkSafeBC.
Employers and employees have a collective duty to maintain a safe workplace. Employers
have a statutory duty to protect employees from work-related hazards, including any
infectious disease that may pose a risk to employees. Employees in turn have a statutory
duty to protect their own health and safety and the health and safety of others in the
workplace. This duty includes complying with the guidelines and directions provided by the
various government authorities.
Our collective obligation is to first keep the workplace and our communities safe.
As an organization, we are committed to the health and safety of our employees and the
public we serve. This plan represents a range of controls to respond to the COVID-19
pandemic. The Provincial Health Officer (PHO), the Ministry of Health, Vancouver Coastal
Health (VCH), the Province of B.C. and WorkSafeBC generally set out the guidance and
controls to reduce the risks for COVID-19 in society.
As leaders and supervisors, we are accountable for addressing and responding to the
COVID-19 pandemic, including the psychological safety concerns raised by our employees.
This plan will remain in effect until no longer required by the PHO.
Purpose
The purpose of this plan is to:
• Ensure work units are provided with the resources and information to
eliminate or reduce exposure to COVID-19
• Maintain an organizational history of pandemic controls;
• Provide guidance for operations and for employees to protect themselves; and
• Maintain compliance with WSBC and public health expectations of employers.
All work units are required to know and adhere to this plan. In addition, there may be
situations that require control methods not described in this document to address unit-
specific operations. In these situations, unit-specific plans need to be documented for staff to
understand and implement.
This document will be updated as needed during times of elevated risk.
Page 4Scope
This COVID-19 Safety Plan 2022 applies to all Vancouver Public Library employees,
contractors, volunteers and members of the public. COVID-19 outbreaks at specific sites
may require implementation of additional controls.
Right to refuse unsafe work
Employees have the right to refuse work if they believe to complete the work would present
an undue hazard. For communicable disease, an undue hazard is an “unwarranted,
inappropriate, excessive, or disproportionate” risk, above and beyond the potential exposure
a general member of the public would face during their day to day activity. An employee
must report such an undue hazard to their supervisor for investigation. Each refusal of
unsafe work is addressed following established protocol, as per WSBC regulation.
Seeking advice
Implementing COVID-19 controls may not always be clear. The Safety Coordinator and the
Joint Occupational Health and Safety committee are available to answer questions raised by
managers and supervisors.
Hazard analysis and understanding risk
WSBC guidance requires that employers remain informed of developing COVID-19 issues.
VPL will rely on VCH to assess and inform the library of disease hazards and risks to our
patrons and staff alike. In the case of a public health challenge, VPL will follow public health
guidance and direction to implement controls to prevent the spread of COVID- 19, and will
collaborate with and maintain frequent communications with the City of Vancouver.
Risk matrix
The risk of transmission of COVID-19
in Vancouver Public Library facilities is
subject to two primary variables that
may be modified to reduce
transmission risk: contact intensity
(how close you are to someone and
for how long) and the number of
contacts (how many people are in the
same setting at the same time).
The risk matrix above provides a way
to assess and understand risk factors that impact disease transmission, and can help guide
decisions on where and when to implement certain controls during a public health challenge.
Page 5Stress, anxiety and mental health awareness
The risk of COVID-19 transmission can create heightened anxiety levels. Emotional stress,
anxiety, or concern is natural. VPL will educate or remind employees and patrons to be kind
to each other and to respect people’s individual circumstances. VPL will also guide
employees to resources to support their mental health. Anyone who feels they are
experiencing negative mental health implications should prioritize self-care and seek out
support if needed.
Employee resources are available:
• Homewood Health, our employee and family assistance provider (EFAP) is available 24
hours, 7 days a week.
• CityLearn has resources on health, safety, and well-being
• VPL Occupational Health & Safety Committee
• VPL Wellness Committee
Hierarchy of controls for COVID - 19
Public health may direct the Vancouver Public Library to implement specific controls to
eliminate or limit the number of infections from communicable diseases. COVID-19 controls
are categorized into a hierarchy of effectiveness; Elimination, Engineering, Administrative,
Personal Protective Equipment. The list of control examples below is not exhaustive.
1. Elimination: Remove the hazard, the communicable disease, from the workplace.
a. Stay home when sick
b. Physical distancing
c. Cleaning and/or disinfecting high touch surfaces
d. Cleaning and/or disinfecting contaminated surfaces
2. Engineering controls: Contain the hazard or reduce the risk with an
engineered control.
a. Barriers
b. Well maintained ventilation systems
c. Placement or installation of hand sanitation stations
3. Administrative controls: Reduce the risk through organizational
processes or behaviour change of employees and/or patrons.
a. Work from home
b. Promote vaccinations for COVID-19
c. Promote safe cough and sneezing methods
d. Wash or sanitize hands frequently
e. Formal or informal daily health checks before entering the workplace
f. Occupancy limits for rooms or shared vehicles
g. Cleaning or sanitizing shared tools, equipment and workstations, after use
h. Communication and signage of expected actions of employees and patrons
i. Promote awareness and availability of mental health supports
Page 64. Personal protective equipment (PPE): Reduce risk by equipment worn
by an employee.
a. Three-ply reusable cloth mask
b. Disposable non-medical mask
c. Eye protection or face shields
d. Gloves
Current safety measures
Due to the anticipated short duration of this plan, the focus is on administrative controls
rather than engineering controls.
Where applicable, signage and internal communication campaigns will support the following
ongoing measures.
Staying home when sick with symptoms of COVID-19
Management will support employees staying home when sick with symptoms of COVID-19.
This includes ensuring staff are aware of appropriate procedures for calling in sick. Together
we build a culture of supporting each other by staying home if sick to keep each other and
our communities safe.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, additional measures relating to employees staying
home when sick are in place including but not limited to the Staff Response Guideline
to COVID-19 Cases and Interim Employment Policy.
General guidance for staff include:
• Stay home if you have symptoms of COVID-19, and avoid close contact with others.
• Leave work if you develop symptoms and stay home until you are symptom free.
Contact your health care provider or call 8-1-1, and follow the medical advice provided.
• Avoid close contact with persons who are sick with COVID-19.
If operationally feasible, remote work can be considered as an option if the employee is able to
work while experiencing mild symptoms. In most public service units this is not possible.
VPL has various benefits to allow employees to take sick time with some form of income
replacement. Full time employees have access to paid sick time and part time and auxiliary
employees receive a percentage in lieu of benefits that can be saved to use when sick.
Facility cleaning
VPL ensures facilities are cleaned on a regular schedule, as laid out in the Cleaning
Responsibility Matrix (see Appendix A). Cleaning requirements may be expanded when
directed by public health. Staff may wish to consider midday cleaning of shared workstations.
Staff are reminded to wash their hands after touching shared surfaces.
Page 7Building ventilation maintenance
VPL, working with Real Estate and Facilities Management and landlords, maintains a
preventative maintenance program for HVAC systems to ensure that the building ventilation
is appropriate and ventilation systems are properly maintained and functioning as designed.
General hygiene
To maintain good hand hygiene practices, hand washing facilities are provided for staff and
patrons. Hand sanitizer is also available as an alternative option at appropriate locations,
such as at entrances and by public computers. Other preventative hygiene practices such as
covering coughs and sneezes are also encouraged. During periods of elevated risk of
COVID-19, educational signage on hygiene practices will be posted.
Vaccinations
VPL supports public health’s promotion of vaccinations against COVID-19 and will
communicate this support to staff. VPL has a vaccine mandate, with appropriate human
rights based accommodations available, and requires all staff to be fully vaccinated.
Employees are encouraged to make appointments for vaccination outside of work time;
however, up to 3 hours may be allowed per vaccination appointment during working hours if
appointments cannot be made outside of work time.
Barriers for droplet control
Barriers for droplet control are in place in areas where employees provide service to the
public.
Requiring masks in indoor spaces
Following the mandatory mask mandate as outlined by public health direction, updated on
December 3, 2021, VPL requires wearing a mask in indoor spaces for people 5 and older,
with appropriate human rights based accommodations available. Masks will be provided for
those who require one. Exceptions for mask requirements can found in the Public Health
Order. If necessary to accommodate exceptions, staff may suggest alternative service
options such as returning at a quieter time or visiting a larger location.
Three-layer masks provide the best protection. For extra protection consider layering a
disposable mask under a cloth mask. Layers of masks and physical distancing increase
protection and staff are welcome and encouraged to use the VPL-provided disposable masks
under your cloth mask. Note that the VPL branded cloth masks are three layers.
Staff will wear masks indoors when moving through shared workspaces and public areas.
Signage will be posted to inform people that masks are mandatory in VPL indoor spaces.
First Aid Attendants
Any first aid attendants will be trained in the OFAA protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic. If
a first attendant must approach an injured person within two metres, they will need a face
shield/goggles, face mask, and gloves.
Page 8Historical measures
In the event of a communicable disease event where additional measures are required to
supplement the existing ongoing measures of reducing transmission risk, additional resources
may be consulted included materials from WorkSafe BC and previous versions of VPL’s
COVID-19 Safety Plan.
Page 9Appendix A: Cleaning Responsibility Matrix
For guidelines on staff cleaning responsibilities for various tasks and areas:
Page 10You can also read
