PANDEMIC MEASURES IN SEWAGE PLANTS - CORONAVIRUS SARS-COV-2/COVID-19 - EN.DWA.DE
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en.dwa.de
Pandemic measures in
sewage plants
Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19
Version: 16 March 2020
Foto: © Gerd Altmann, PixabayPandemic measures in sewage plants Table of Content Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 ............................................................................................ 3 Objective of the measures ............................................................................................................ 3 Responsibilities of the management ........................................................................................... 3 Formation of a pandemic staff ..................................................................................................... 3 Personnel and organisation ......................................................................................................... 4 Internal communication / office communication / IT administration .......................................... 4 Office Communication / IT Administration ................................................................................... 5 Formation of a pandemic team .................................................................................................... 5 Fields of work of the pandemic team ........................................................................................... 6 Definition of individual measures to prevent the transmission of the disease ........................... 6 Measures to reduce personal contacts........................................................................................ 6 Material Procurement/Purchasing/Logistics .............................................................................. 7 Building management/cleaning ................................................................................................... 7 Staff requirements in the event of a pandemic............................................................................ 7 Private sewerage drainage system .............................................................................................. 7 Sewer operation ........................................................................................................................... 7 Sewage treatment plant ............................................................................................................... 8 Chemical-biological laboratories................................................................................................. 8 Flood protection – only in case of flooding .................................................................................. 8 Organisational measures to ensure the operation ...................................................................... 8 Working quarantine ...................................................................................................................... 8 Protection of the functionality of the sewage systems ................................................................ 8 Centralised/decentralised structure of the wastewater facility .................................................. 9 Example of a sewer operation: Securing operation by additional branch offices ....................... 9 Operation from home ................................................................................................................... 10 Example for a sewage plant: Securing operation by shift operation ........................................... 10 2 DWA Version: 16 March 2020
Pandemic measures in sewage plants
The DWA Working Group BIZ-4 called „Safety and Health Protection” has written recom-
mendations for pandemic measures in water management companies in view of possible
hazard with regard to the Corona virus SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19. The main aspect is to inform
the staff about the pandemic, on how to be accessible at all time, which decision processes
to follow and which relevant measures to coordinate.
Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19
Objective of the measures
\ Health protection: The risk of infection for employees is reduced
\ Operational safety: The core functions of the wastewater facilities are ensured
\ Resource planning: The organisational units have sufficient resources to fulfil their role in combating
the pandemic and its effects
\ Competence: Employees are prepared for their tasks during the pandemic
Responsibilities of the management
\ Decisions on the basic approach.
\ Decisions on the extent to which operations are to be maintained and what special measures are re-
quired to achieve this.
\ Determination from which point in time or under which conditions which measure should be used.
\ Cooperation in inter-facility crisis teams.
\ External communication and coordination of measures
Formation of a pandemic staff
The pandemic staff supports the management by:
\ Development of decision bases
\ Permanent availability (by telephone, e-mail, ...)
\ Coordination of relevant measures to overcome the crisis
The Pandemic Staff will perform the tasks listed below. It is helpful to have a redundant personnel to com-
pensate for personnel shortages in the pandemic staff (e.g. due to quarantine measures or diseases)
3 DWA Version: 16 March 2020Pandemic measures in sewage plants
Personnel and organisation
\ Analysis of the internal functions. Within the framework of the catalogue of measures, the most im-
portant processes that maintain operations are ensured (prioritisation), potentially exposed personnel
are identified and the functions that are indispensable for operations (key functions) are defined.
\ Organisation of measures during the pandemic.
\ Coordination of personnel requirements in the event of a pandemic
\ Organisation of the involvement of the necessary stakeholders or operational areas
\ Securing substitutions (especially for key functions and employees with an increased risk of absence,
e.g. due to illness or care for relatives)
\ Compensation for loss of working hours: Increase in workloads, vacation bans
\ Securing personnel reserves
\ Transfer of staff, recruitment of additional staff, e.g. retired staff, part-time staff
\ Coordination of all personnel messages
\ Recording of pandemic-related personnel notifications
\ Support of health authorities in contact tracing
\ https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Kontaktperson/Management.html
\ Creation of rules of conduct
\ Measures to reduce personal contacts
\ Individual measures to prevent the transmission of the disease
\ Initiation of information and instruction
\ Specialist research
\ Communication with other wastewater facilities and professional associations
\ Adaptation of pandemic measures to the current situation
Internal communication / office communication / IT administration
\ Definition of the rules of information and communication, e.g. for the information of employees
\ Publication of information channels and information points for all employees
\ Availability in the event of a crisis is guaranteed (lists of names and telephone numbers of authorities,
partners, service providers, employees, media, etc.)
\ Employees are informed about the pandemic and the measures in place during a pandemic
\ Employees are trained with regard to their tasks, responsibilities and competencies in the context of op-
erational crisis management
In the event of an incident, care must be taken to ensure that
\ Clarity about the situation is provided
\ rumours are prevented
\ confidence in the management, the pandemic staff and external bodies is promoted
\ solidarity is promoted
4 DWA Version: 16 March 2020Pandemic measures in sewage plants Employees should be informed about \ Current situation and the impact of the pandemic, changes and developments \ Organisational measures and measures according to personnel law \ Possibilities for mobile working or working from home \ Dealing with absence due to illness, childcare or care for relatives \ Measures that apply to personal conduct and operational procedures \ Responsibilities and contact persons inside and outside the company \ Distribution of protective material, e.g. protective masks, protective clothing, hygiene material Office Communication/ IT Administration \ Maintenance of the necessary IT communication tools and the IT infrastructure required for this purpose \ Examination or creation of the technical conditions for mobile work and telework Formation of a pandemic team The pandemic team is an extension of the pandemic staff. It comprises leading functions and processes of the company. This team not only deals with crisis management, but also with the planning, preparation and procurement of materials required in the event of a pandemic. Whenever possible, existing planning bases are to be used. Ideally, the pandemic team should be composed of the functions listed below. Depending on the size of the company, certain functions may be performed by the same person or may even be dispensed with. Smaller wastewater facilities may also be able to coordinate these functions in cooperation with other operators, for example within the framework of “Kanal- und Kläranlagennachbarschaften” (sewer and wastewater treat- ment plant neighbourhoods). \ Company medical service \ Occupational safety engineer \ Personnel and organisation \ Communication / Office Communication / IT Administration \ Material Procurement/Purchasing \ Facility management/logistics/cleaning \ Employee representation \ Private drainage system \ Sewer operation \ Sewage treatment plants \ Chemical-biological laboratories \ Flood protection - only in case of flooding 5 DWA Version: 16 March 2020
Pandemic measures in sewage plants
Fields of work of the pandemic team
Definition of individual measures to prevent the transmission of the disease
Personal behaviour:
\ Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly with soap, especially after sneezing, coughing or blowing
your nose.
\ Keep at least one meter distance from other people when coughing or sneezing.
\ Sneeze or cough preferably in a disposable handkerchief. Then dispose of in a bin with a lid.
\ If no handkerchief is handy, hold the crook of your arm in front of your mouth and nose when coughing
or sneezing and turn away from other people.
Workplace:
\ Rooms should be ventilated regularly by opening both windows and doors.
\ In the event of a pandemic, ventilation systems usually do not have to be shut down.
\ Objects and surfaces frequently touched by various people, such as keyboards, should be cleaned more
frequently.
\ Avoid the use of lifts whenever possible
Way to work:
\ Observe the recommendations of the authorities and transport companies
\ Transport problems on the way to and from work due to restrictions in the provision of public transport
services or an increase in private transport are to be expected
\ If possible, travel to work on foot or by bicycle
Measures to reduce personal contacts
\ Organisation of spatial adjustments to the pandemic situation
\ Organisation of mobile working or working from home (teleworking): Clarify working hours and availa-
bility of employees, coordination of work processes from home.
\ Reduce visits and social communication: prefer e-mail, telephone
\ Avoid all unnecessary travel and meetings. Cancellation of meetings, workshops, further education
events etc.
\ Regulation of guest visits
\ Avoid direct contact, no shaking hands
\ Keep the meeting time as short as possible, choose a large meeting room and maintain a distance (at
least 1 m) between the meeting participants
\ Hold a meeting outside if possible
\ Close canteens, avoid community events
6 DWA Version: 16 March 2020Pandemic measures in sewage plants
Material Procurement/Purchasing/Logistics
\ Determination of the need for relevant material
\ Ensuring an adequate level of supply
\ Contact with external suppliers to ensure readiness for delivery
\ In the event of insufficient stocks, support from the fire brigade, civil protection or THW, Bundeswehr
\ Supply of relevant material to the employees or operating sites
Building management/cleaning
\ Ensuring the cleaning of buildings according to the hygienic requirements
\ During the pandemic the rooms should be cleaned as usual. It is sufficient to clean the surfaces and
washable floors with standard cleaning agents. Disinfection is not necessary. Frequently touched ob-
jects and surfaces such as keyboards should be cleaned more often.
\ Disinfection of contaminated surfaces
\ Ensuring room ventilation
Staff requirements in the event of a pandemic
Definition of functional areas in which the presence of personnel is indispensable in the event
of a pandemic in order to maintain the functionality of the urban drainage system, in particu-
lar the sewerage network and the sewage treatment plants.
Private sewerage drainage system
\ Staff required for fault clearance of domestic connections in the sewer system
Sewer operation
\ Personnel for fault clearance in the sewer system and pumping stations and possibly in the areas of do-
mestic connections and cleaning of separator systems
\ In the event of floods, additional staff for flood protection
Example
1 sewer cleaning operation planner 1 emergency vehicle
4 employees sewer cleaning 2 HDS vehicles
2 employees fault clearance service 1 transporter
4 employees fat separator cleaning 2 fat separator vehicles
1 mechanical and electrical engineering operations planner 1 emergency vehicle
2 locksmith employees 1 transporter
2 employees electricians 1 transporter
7 DWA Version: 16 March 2020Pandemic measures in sewage plants
Sewage treatment plant
\ Personnel to maintain the operation of the sewage treatment plant
\ Minimum staffing per shift, purely to ensure operation
Example:
1 employee inflow
1 employee central control room
1 employee electrician
1 locksmith employee
2 employees sludge drying
Chemical-biological laboratories
\ Minimum staffing to ensure the chemical-biological analysis of the sewage plant monitoring.
Flood protection – only in case of flooding
\ Personnel to ensure the functionality of the flood protection facilities
Organisational measures to ensure the operation
Initially, the measures concentrate on the containment phase. In this phase, diseases on the one hand and the
ordering of quarantine measures by the responsible health authorities on the other hand are to be expected.
Working quarantine
One possibility to maintain the operation could also be - in consultation with the responsible health authority
- to admit persons who, as Category I contact persons, should actually be in domestic quarantine under strict
conditions for work activities ("work quarantine"). This would then mean the regular change between two
quarantine areas.
Protection of the functionality of the sewage systems
Increasingly, however, the question of appropriate measures for the pandemic phase protection may also
arise. Here, both the employees and the functioning of the sewerage network and sewage treatment plants
must be protected. In extreme cases, it might be conceivable and sensible to have a minimal emergency
staffing for the sewage treatment plants and the sewer operation preventively tested for corona infection and
then to "barrack" them on a voluntary basis as demonstrably healthy employees in order to maintain the
emergency sewage operation in the sense of public services.
8 DWA Version: 16 March 2020Pandemic measures in sewage plants
Centralised/decentralised structure of the wastewater facility
Wastewater facilities with a predominantly decentralised plant structure generally have better possibilities
to create isolated operating areas, as the personnel and logistical interfaces are less extensive and can there-
fore be more easily interrupted.
In addition, employees of comparable plants can, if necessary, take over the operation of another plant com-
pletely, if the personnel there is absent due to illness or quarantine.
Example of a sewer operation: Securing operation by additional branch offices
\ From the branch offices, all work is continued autonomously as in normal operation in the groups.
\ There is no contact with employees at the main depot, either during or outside working hours (personal
responsibility).
\ In the event of quarantine measures for employees at the main depot, the employees return from the
branch offices and continue operations at the main depot in standby mode.
This must be observed:
\ Concrete selection of employees (consideration of qualification, experience, health suitability, holiday
periods)
\ Instruction on the topic: Activities with biological agents in waste water technical plants
\ Prevention of risk contacts with employees at the depot (instruction)
\ Equipment of the field offices: Cupboards, tables, chairs.
\ Ensure communication possibilities: Telephone and data network, router, process control system com-
puter, notebook with VPN connection, printer, paper, ...
\ Black/white container with lockers, showers, skin protection products, towels, ...
\ Provide catering facilities (stove, refrigerator, drinks, coffee machine, etc.)
\ Ensure cleaning, waste disposal at the field sites
\ Adjust locking authorisations, issue keys
\ Check washing facilities on the vehicles
\ Keeping a spare vehicle key available
\ Ensure work preparation and order processing:
\ Creating a material transfer point between the individual operating points. This is where the delivery or
collection (of materials, machines and equipment, safety equipment, protective clothing, gloves, loading
equipment, etc.) is handled without personal contact between the branch offices and the main depot.
\ Ensure disposal of cleaning residues
\ Daily telephone briefing at fixed times
\ Vehicle repairs: Clarify the procedure
\ Prepare reserves for staff shortfalls at the field offices.
9 DWA Version: 16 March 2020Pandemic measures in sewage plants Operation from home Another example would be the use of maintenance staff from home. They take their workshop vehicles with them and receive their orders by phone or via the Internet on mobile devices. In the same way, the completion of the job can also be documented. Material can be received in the warehouse in such a way that no risk contact occurs. The handling of soiled protective clothing has to be regulated, e.g. changing at the site where the work is carried out or at home e.g. at the side entrance and storage / transport in lockable boxes. Example for a sewage plant: Securing operation by shift operation The minimum staffing of the sewage treatment plant in regular operation is 5 employees over 8 hours each in 3-shift operation. \ exclusive written handover in the daily protocol \ no personal delivery. \ physical contact is avoided. In case of sick leave > 50% of the shift staffing, the shift rhythm is changed by the emergency coordinator. Work is then carried out continuously in a 12-hour shift, the respective midday shift is omitted: \ Early shift: 06:00 - 18:00 \ Night shift: 18:00 - 06:00 If the sickness rate continues to increase and a change is no longer possible, the plant should not be left, i.e. \ ensuring the rest periods is done by perception on site. The social rooms are available for this purpose. \ Sufficient food must be provided, as well as sufficient couches, blankets etc. Sources Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief (BBK): Manual on operational pandemic planning Federal Office of Public Health CH (FOPH): Pandemic Plan - Manual for workplace 10 DWA Version: 16 March 2020
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