Hahn’s Operational Policy: COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose:  This policy is intended to be used as guidance for procedures to be followed by employees to actively mitigate the spread of COVID-19 while keeping employees and customers safe.  This COVID-19 company policy is susceptible to changes with the introduction of additional governmental guidelines.

Scope: This COVID-19 policy applies to all personnel who physically work at Hahn’s of Westminster in both the manufacturing plant, Pork and Beans store and business offices.  This policy is in addition to the standard Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) currently in use.

  1. Work Environment:
    1. All offices, bathrooms, locker rooms and plant areas will be routinely sanitized to include all door handles, light switches, door surfaces and other high touch areas.
    2. Equipment and utensils are maintained in sanitary condition.
    3. All food-contact surfaces, including food-contact surfaces of utensils and equipment, and non-food-contact surfaces of facilities, equipment, and utensils must be cleaned and sanitized as frequently as necessary.
    4. Cleaning compounds, sanitizing agents, processing aids, and other chemicals used by the company will be safe and effective under the conditions of use.
  2. Employee Hygiene:
    1. All employees working in contact with product, food contact surfaces, and product-packaging materials must adhere to GMP standards.
    2. Handwashing signs are located at all sinks, locker rooms and plant entrance.
    3. Supervisors are responsible for ensuring all employees wash hands upon entrance to the room prior to beginning work and throughout the day.
    4. Facemasks are to be worn at all times while in the workplace. Employees may supply their own facemask, or one will be offered by the company for their use.  Facemasks must be worn in accordance with CDC guidelines to include:
      • Must fit snugly but comfortable against the side of the face
      • Be secured with ties or ear loops
      • Include multiple layers of fabric
      • Allow for breathing without restriction
      • Be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape
    5. Social distancing is practiced at all times while employees are outside of the plant.  Inside the plant, employees will adhere to strict handwashing and hygiene standards as well as use of personal protective equipment.
      • Lunch and break times are divided into shifts to limit the number of employees in dressing rooms, bathrooms, break rooms and other designated employee areas.
  3. Education:
    1. Plant meetings will occur weekly to provide ongoing procedure reminders and updates regarding COVID-19.
    2. Latest CDC and local government updates are posted in employee breakrooms and plant entrance.
  4. Exposure Screening Questions:
    1. Daily screening questions will be asked prior to employee shifts and prior to any vendor seeking permission to enter the plant.  See COVID-19 Temperature Screening Policy (Below)
  5. Daily Temperature Screening:
    1. See COVID-19 Temperature Screening Policy (Below)
  6. Record Keeping:
    1. All daily records are stored in a locked file cabinet located in the Operations/ Human Resources office, in accordance with HIPPA standards and guidelines.

 


COVID-19 Temperature Screening Policy

Out of an abundance of caution, on April 6, 2020, the decision to check temperatures prior to the work shift and at lunch, beginning has been made.  According to the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA), if a pandemic has reached a community, as assessed by state or local health authorities or the Center for Disease Control (CDC), employers may measure employees’ temperatures without violating the ADA.

On April 6, 2020, Hahn’s of Westminster will begin temperature checks prior to the work shift.  Employees will arrive 15 minutes prior to their start time and create a line outside the breakroom, maintaining appropriate social distancing 6 feet away from the next person.  2 employees will enter the breakroom and go to opposite sides of the room where the temperature takers will be waiting.  The temperature taker will wave a temporal thermometer over the forehead of the employee and then record the result.  At the conclusion of the temperature taking session, the temperature records will be provided to Human Resources. The results will be stored in a locked, confidential location, in accordance with HIPPA regulations.  Thermometers will be sanitized by the record taker prior to and after use.

If an employee has a temperature of 100.4 F, the employee will be sent home and asked to call their doctor for further instructions, per CDC recommendations.  The employee will call in to relay the doctor’s instructions to HR once they have received them from their doctor.  Depending on the instructions from the doctor, a leave of absence may begin for the employee.

Temperature takers are designated room leads.  Prior to taking employee temperatures, proper handwashing and sanitizing will occur.  During the time temperatures are taken, face masks and gloves will be worn.  At the conclusion, proper handwashing and sanitizing will occur.

Screening questions will be asked by Plant Management and signed off on daily.

Daily Screening Questions

To be completed by Management:

 

  1. Are you experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, including shortness of breath, body aches, coughing, and fever of over 100.4?
  2. Is someone living in your household or someone you are caring for has been diagnosed with COVID-19, or had any recent contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19?
  3. In the last 14 days, is someone living in your household, or someone with whom you have been in close (within 6 feet) or frequent contact with (more then 2-3 minutes), or someone you are caring for, returned from, or made a travel connection through a CDC Level 3 or Level 2 country or State Department Level 3 or Level 4 country, for example, China, Korea, Japan, the European Union, Iran.

If the answer is “Yes” to any of these questions or the employee has a temperature of 100.4 F or if the employee refuses to participate, the employee will be denied access to the plant for their shift.