COVID-19 Management Plan

Toronto District

Toronto District Date: April 1, 2020

Rev. 00
COVID-19 Management Plan

Revision Log
Date Revised By Section Description

April 1, 2020 All Initial Development

Toronto District Page 1 of 11 Date: April 1, 2020

Rev. 00
Table of Contents

1 Introduction...................................................................................................................................4
2 COVID-19............................................................................................................................................4
3 Government Information...............................................................................................................4
3.1 How to Protect Yourself..................................................................................................................4
3.2 Symptoms........................................................................................................................................4
3.3 Travellers Returning from Affected Areas.......................................................................................5
4 Communication..................................................................................................................................5
4.1 COVID-19 Response Group (CRG)....................................................................................................5
4.2 Reporting and Monitoring...............................................................................................................5
4.3 Signage.............................................................................................................................................5
4.4 Resources.........................................................................................................................................6
4.5 Awareness.......................................................................................................................................6
4.6 COVID-19 Update Meetings.............................................................................................................6
4.7 Media and Social Media Policies ....................................................................................................6
5 Site Access Protocols......................................................................................................................6
5.1 Orientations.....................................................................................................................................7
5.2 Thermal Screening...........................................................................................................................7
5.3 Visitors.............................................................................................................................................7
5.4 Face Coverings.................................................................................................................................7
6 Cleaning Protocols..........................................................................................................................8
6.1 Enhanced Cleaning – All Locations.................................................................................................8
6.2 Personal Hygiene Practices..............................................................................................................8
6.3 Additional Jobsite Sanitation Measures..........................................................................................9
7 Work Protocols...............................................................................................................................9
7.1 Segregation/Compartmentalization of Site Operations..................................................................9
7.2 In-Office Meetings and Events.......................................................................................................10
7.3 Jobsite Meetings............................................................................................................................10
7.4 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)............................................................................................10

Toronto District Page 2 of 11 Date: April 1, 2020

Rev. 00
7.5 Hand Tools, Powered Mobile Equipment and Other Equipment on Jobsites......................................10
7.6 Work Instructions................................................................................................................................11
7.7 Workforce Tracking and Monitoring....................................................................................................11

Toronto District Page 3 of 11 Date: April 1, 2020

Rev. 00
 1 Introduction
This plan has been developed to provide essential guidelines and expectations for personnel
associated with the project to maintain a safe and healthy work environment as a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic.

It is the responsibility of PCL project management, PCL supervision and subcontractor

supervision to ensure that all workers in their respected areas have been oriented to this plan.

2 COVID-19
COVID-19 is a virus caused by a coronavirus. Human coronaviruses are typically associated as
respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. Coronaviruses are
most commonly spread from an infected person through:
· Respiratory droplets when you cough or sneeze;
· Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands; and
· Touching something with the virus on it, then touching your eyes, nose or mouth before
washing your hands.

3 Government Information
The following information is provided by the Ontario Government: The 2019 Novel Coronavirus
(COVID-19) https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus.

3.1 How to Protect Yourself

Coronaviruses are spread mainly from person-to-person through close contact, for example, in a
household, workplace or health care centre.
There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory
illnesses. Take these everyday steps to reduce exposure to the virus and protect your health:
· Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds, or utilize alcohol-based
hand sanitizer
· Sneeze and cough into your sleeve
· Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth
· Avoid contact with people who are sick
· Stay home in self-isolation for 14 days if you are sick

3.2 Symptoms
Symptoms range from mild – like the flu and other common respiratory infections – to severe,
and can include:
· Fever;
· Cough;
· Sore throat; and
· Difficulty breathing.

Toronto District Page 4 of 11 Date: April 1, 2020

Rev. 00
3.3 Travellers Returning from Affected Areas
Travellers who have returned from areas under a travel health advisory for COVID-19 should:
· Monitor themselves for symptoms of the 2019 novel coronavirus for 14 days after
leaving the affected area; and
· Contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 or their local public health unit if they
experience symptoms of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus.

4 Communication
4.1 COVID-19 Response Group (CRG)
PCL’s corporate Pandemic Response Group (PRG) meets daily to assess the current situation and
adjust our response as necessary to protect the health and safety of our staff, partners and our
community. In addition to PCL’s corporate PRG, the Toronto District has formed a COVID-19
Response Group (CRG) which is composed of the district managers, operations managers,
Human Resources, Health, Safety and Environment, Legal and Labour Relations, with support
from Communications as needed. The CRG is structured to be available around the clock, and all
COVID-19 related inquiries and reporting must be communicated to this group through PCL
project management.

Together, with the corporate PRG, the CRG is collaborating with our clients, industry partners and
associations to navigate the direction announced by the provincial government that classifies
construction as an essential workplace. PCL is following the guidelines set by government
authorities and will continue to act responsibly to help contain the spread of this virus.

PCL has also set up a general email to answer our employees’ questions. Members of the CRG
are constantly monitoring the inbox in rotation and are committed to responding to each inquiry
as soon as possible.

4.2 Reporting and Monitoring

The Public Health Agency of Canada encourages any person who has even mild symptoms to stay
home and call the public health authority. Workers displaying flu-like symptoms/COVID-19
symptoms must leave the site and seek medical advice. If you, or anyone working in a PCL office
or on a PCL jobsite, have been exposed to someone with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis or with
COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough and difficulty breathing), advise the CRG. The CRG will assess
your particular circumstance to address your work arrangements and those of your co-workers.

4.3 Signage
Site signage related to COVID-19 is available through the resource portals noted in section 4.4.
Available signage includes social / physical distancing, as well as hygiene and COVID awareness,
amongst others. Signage must be clearly posted at all entry points of the construction site,
washroom locations, orientation rooms, site offices, lunch rooms, elevator lobbies, etc.

Toronto District Page 5 of 11 Date: April 1, 2020

Rev. 00
4.4 Resources
To effectively enable our projects to coordinate and communicate on-site, corporate Jobsite
Resources and district ‘Pandemic Response Resources’ portals have been created to provide
access to FAQs, best practices, signage and materials, corporate and district memos, information
on how to work safely, resources and external informational links. These resources will be
updated regularly for PCL project management to reference the most current information.

4.5 Awareness
Several measures are in place to emphasize general awareness regarding COVID-19, including but
not limited to:
· Posters and notices placed throughout the workplace that encourage staying home
when sick, cough and sneeze etiquette, and hand hygiene;
· Issuance of Safety Advisory Bulletins (SAB’s) for review with workers to educate them on
coronavirus information and steps to take to prevent the spread;
· Practicing physical distancing, maintaining physical distance of two metres from one
another; and
· Ongoing SAB’s and government communications issued through the CRG.

4.6 COVID-19 Update Meetings

Meetings have been established with representation from project superintendents and
Construction Managers with the CRG and senior management as a venue for providing updates
and vital information to maintain

4.7 Media and Social Media Policies

There is heightened interest in how the construction industry is managing coronavirus (COVID-
19) in the media. Given this heightened situation, we reminded our employees, hourly workers
and trades about our media and social media policy on a few separate occasions, including the
issuance of a Safety Advisory Bulletin on March 25, 2020.

5 Site Access Protocols

The safety and well-being of our employees, their families, our partners and all workers remains
our highest priority. In a situation that is changing daily, we are continually monitoring new
developments and adjusting our response to help flatten the curve and mitigate the impact of
COVID-19. We continue to follow guidelines and recommendations from government and the
World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Health
Canada and local health authorities. Physical distancing of at least two metres between all
individuals is enforced on all projects; all persons entering our sites are reminded of this
through prominent signage at site access points.

Considering recent COVID-19 developments, access to the worksite is limited. Workers must
complete and pass screening requirements prior to entering a project.

Toronto District Page 6 of 11 Date: April 1, 2020

Rev. 00
 ONLY workers who answer ‘NO’ to the following 3 questions are permitted access on-site:
· Are you experiencing any of the following COVID-19 symptoms?
o Fever
o Cough
o Shortness of breath
o Sore throat

· In the past 14 days, have you come in contact with anyone who has tested positive for
COVID-19?
· In the past 14 days, have you returned from travel to any other locations outside of the
country?

Workers who answer ‘YES’ to any of the above questions will be denied access and instructed to
contact their supervisor, proceed home and complete the online self-assessment tool provided by
the Ontario Government at https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus. If a worker’s
condition changes throughout the day while at a project, they will follow the same steps.

Ample signage is posted at all project entrances advising of these protocols.

5.1 Orientations
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Hire Screening Questionnaire form will supplement all HSE
orientations (full orientation, short duration worker and visitor orientation). Refer to the
‘Pandemic Response Resources’ portal noted above for access to the form. Completed forms
must be maintained with the project orientation files.

5.2 Thermal Screening

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Active Screening Guidelines work instruction is implemented on
designated projects based on complexity, number of workers, etc. These projects will implement
the use of a questionnaire and taking the body temperature of all people entering the project
site. The logistics of these programs will be outlined on an individual project basis.

5.3 Visitors
Due to the Coronovirus (COVD-19), PCL offices and project sites are closed to all outside visitors.
Only visitors necessary to the project are to visit the project. Project Management will determine
what is considered ‘necessary’.

5.4 Face Coverings

Effective April 7, 2020, cloth face coverings must be worn by all persons on a PCL project. This
includes project staff, workers, consultants, visitors and vendors. The face covering must be a
sufficient size to cover the wearers mouth and nose. Face coverings do not supersede the
requirements for physical distancing, or the use of respiratory protection based on task specifics.

Toronto District Page 7 of 11 Date: April 1, 2020

Rev. 00
 6 Cleaning Protocols

6.1 Enhanced Cleaning – All Locations

All offices and jobsites must implement additional cleaning measures as outlined below:
· Daily Cleaning Regime:
o Before commencing work each day or shift, high traffic surfaces (in terms of
hand contact) within offices, meeting rooms, orientation rooms, coffee and
kitchen areas, work stations, portable and permanent washrooms, and common
work spaces should be cleaned; and
o Before commencing work, individuals working in an office setting are responsible
for cleaning their workstation area. The focus is on reducing the risk of
transmission through an individual touching an infected surface. Therefore,
priority should be given to the high traffic surfaces (in terms of hand contact).

· Cleaning Regime After Each Use:

o Hard surfaces and buttons your hands may meet on frequently touched items
such as refrigerators, microwaves, water cooler handles, taps and faucets, light
switches and other high traffic objects should be cleaned after each use; and
o First-aid treatment rooms, reusable treatment equipment and instruments will
be similarly cleaned.

· Cleaning Solutions and Supplies:

o If available, household or commercial disinfectant solutions and wipes containing
more than 70% alcohol should be used to clean surfaces. However, some of
these products are can be in short supply or are simply unavailable;
o If these household or commercial disinfectant cleaning products are not readily
available, hard surfaces can be disinfected using a mixture of one-part bleach
and nine parts water. The solution must contact the surface for one minute to
disinfect;
o Items that cannot withstand liquid disinfectants such as tablets, smartboards
and cellphones may be disinfected with 70% alcohol wipes ensuring the solution
contacts the surface for one minute to disinfect; and
o Use paper towels or single-use rags.

6.2 Personal Hygiene Practices

· Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
· Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
· Do not share personal items or supplies such as phones, pens, notebooks, PPE, etc.
· Refrain from shaking hands with others.
· Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after
going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or
sneezing. The following handwashing best practices should be used:
o Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold) turn off the tap and
apply soap;

Toronto District Page 8 of 11 Date: April 1, 2020

Rev. 00
 o Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the
backs of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails;
o Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the "Happy
Birthday" song from beginning to end twice;
o Rinse hands well under clean, running water;
o Dry hands using a clean towel or air drying them.

6.3 Additional Jobsite Sanitation Measures

· General site sanitation is maintained by PCL and includes an increased focus at all
washroom and main worker/travel areas – including elevators, lobbies and stairs:
· Hand sanitizer should be available at or near entry points to the project and at various
high-traffic locations throughout the project such as doorways, field plan tables, tool
cribs, hoists, water containers, etc.;
· Hot and cold running water, and hand soap should be available at bathroom facilities,
lunchrooms and kitchen areas (if hot and cold running water are not available, hand
sanitizer will be made available);
· Hand-washing stations must have instructions posted at each location;
· Paper towel dispensers and barrier-free garbage cans should be available at every
handwashing location;
· High touch surfaces (such as hand rails, door knobs, elevator call buttons, etc.) will be
wiped down and sanitized frequently and regularly throughout the day; and
· Cleaning schedules and logs will be posted at all washroom and lunch room locations.

7 Work Protocols
In order to ensure physical distancing on-site, employers should consider the following:
· Staggered start times, breaks, and lunch times;
· Total number of people on-site and where they are assigned to work; and
· Site movement (potential bottlenecks including hoists, elevators and site offices/trailers).

7.1 Segregation/Compartmentalization of Site Operations

· Trades are obligated and will be supported to adjust their schedules and work areas to
accommodate the required two metre physical distancing requirements. If the work
cannot be accommodated under normal conditions, then other alternatives can be
instituted including PPE and/ or shift work;
· Construction sites are to be segregated to the extent possible in zones or other methods
to keep different crews/trades physically separated at all times. This promotes physical
distancing and supports the containment of propagation should it arise;
· Avoid crowded places and non-essential gatherings;
· Site teams are encouraged to put forward split/alternating shifts to avoid extensive
intermingling. Voluntary shift offset and implementing time gaps between shifts are
highly encouraged;
· Project teams stagger break and lunch schedules to minimize the number of people in
close proximity to one another; and
· One-way staircases are established wherever practical to minimize worker’s contacts.

Toronto District Page 9 of 11 Date: April 1, 2020

Rev. 00
7.2 In-Office Meetings and Events
· E-mail, video or teleconference meetings are the preferred methods of communication;
· In-person meetings and events are to be avoided wherever possible;
· For all remaining in person gatherings, and in work environments in general, participants
should exercise recommended practices for reducing the risk of transmission as
identified by the CDC, Health Canada and the WHO;
· All previously scheduled PCL social and non-essential events are canceled or postponed;
· Meetings should be held in the area where an individual works, instead of in a large
gathering point such as a conference or break room; and
· All face to face training has been postponed indefinitely.

7.3 Jobsite Meetings

· In-person meetings, if unavoidable, must be held in a location that will accommodate
physical distancing of at least two metres;
· All previously scheduled PCL social and nonessential events are canceled or postponed
(i.e., site barbeques);
· Workers at sites should avoid working less than two metres from others for prolonged
periods unless their role requires prolonged closer proximity. Case specific risks and
solutions will be assessed for those individuals required by their roles to work within
these close proximities;
· Individuals should utilize technologies available to them such as email, text and
teleconferencing to minimize direct contact with others;
· Project teams should stagger break and lunch schedules to minimize the number of
people near one another;
· Meetings should be held in the area where an individual works, instead of a large
gathering point; and
· For all remaining in person gatherings, and in work environments in general, participants
should exercise recommended practices for reducing the risk of transmission as
identified by the CDC, Health Canada and the WHO.

7.4 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

In addition to current PPE requirements and similar protections:
· Glove use is mandatory on all jobsites;
· Storage of personal gear such as jackets, vests and rain gear are not permitted on-site
unless stored in a location where contact with individuals is not possible (an infected
individual may have left respiratory droplets on their clothing, which could expose others
if they touch the clothing); and
· Workers at sites avoid working less than two meters from others for prolonged periods
unless their role requires closer proximity. In such cases, appropriate face masks and
other PPE must be worn.

7.5 Hand Tools, Powered Mobile Equipment and Other Equipment on Jobsites
· Hand tools such as hammers, snips, pliers, etc. must not be shared person-to-person
without a thorough cleaning with a disinfectant containing more than 70% alcohol;

Toronto District Page 10 of 11 Date: April 1, 2020

Rev. 00
 · Mobile and desktop phones must not be shared with others;
· Two-way radios should be cleaned at the end of each shift, or between users;
· Door and ladder handles, hand holds and rails, steering wheels, switches, buttons, knobs
and fueling caps on powered mobile equipment should be cleaned at the end of each
shift, or between users/operators; and
· Freight elevators are operated/occupied by only a small enough number of individuals to
follow physical distancing guidelines.

7.6 Work Instructions

Specific work instructions have been developed to address risks associated with COVID-19 and
physical distancing. These work instructions are available in the ‘Pandemic Response Resources’
portal and are updated regularly.

7.7 Workforce Tracking and Monitoring

Detailed tracking of worker’s status on-site and off-site are kept at all times (e.g., fit for work, self
isolating, quarantined, etc.). This information is used to further manage and reduce the spread of
COVID-19 and coordinate reporting positive COVID-19 cases to the MOL. A list of all quarantined
workers is updated daily, and their privacy is maintained.

Toronto District Page 11 of 11 Date: April 1, 2020

Rev. 00