Health and safety guidance during COVID-19

This guide includes important health and safety information for employees returning to campus. It will help the University of Waterloo community manage the risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic as we plan for a gradual and safe return to campus.

• Supervisors, managers, and directors: use this information to help minimize the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in your workspaces.
• Employees: find health and safety guidance to apply to your work environment

It is important that we all diligently follow these guidelines to minimize the risk of spreading of the virus.

This guide covers roles and responsibilities of supervisors and employees, instructions and tips for maintaining a healthy campus, and information about group protective equipment (GPE) or personal protective equipment (PPE) to be used on campus.

Table of Contents

Background

• Definitions
• Guiding principles
• Scope

Roles and responsibilities

• Department heads/directors/chairs
• Supervisors
  • Pre-return responsibilities
  • Ongoing and general responsibilities
• Employee responsibilities
  • Returning to Work on campus
  • Work from home
• Safety Office

Health protocols

• Employee self-assessment screening
  • Assessment and testing centres in Waterloo Region
• Illness and absence reporting
• Illness tracking
  • Protocol for individual disclosures of COVID-19
    • How to navigate student COVID-19 disclosure
    • How to navigate employee COVID-19 disclosure
• Confirmed case on campus
• Returning to campus post-illness

Risk assessment and control for COVID-19 prevention

• Workplace preventative measures for COVID-19: hierarchy of hazard control
• Risk assessment

Eliminating hazards

• Continuing to work remotely
• Adjusting the workplace
  • Physical distancing
    • Occupancy and Workflow
    • Scheduling controls
    • Workflow controls
    • Meetings
    • Communal and public areas
    • Access and egress
    • Elevators, corridors, lobbies and stairs
    • Kitchens and lounges
    • Washrooms
    • Signage
    • Cleaning protocols
    • Cleaning protocols in the event of a confirmed COVID case on campus
  • Physical barriers
    • Plexiglas barriers and workplace modifications
    • How do I request help?
    • Pricing and cost allocation
• Adjust work processes
  • Hand hygiene
    • Frequency of hand hygiene
  • Respiratory etiquette
  • Surface decontamination
    • Surface cleaning
    • Surface disinfection
    • Procedure for using disinfectants
• Protective equipment
  • When is personal protective equipment required? – healthcare
  • GPE safe use of facemask/face covering
  • PPE - gloves
  • PPE - lab and shop coats

Visitor policies

Travel guidance

Employee policies and guidelines

• Accommodations - general
• Accommodations due to illness, injury or disability
• Other accommodations
• School closures and child care
• Sick leave
• Extended health benefits
  • Out of country emergency medical coverage (including personal travel)
  • Employee and Family Assistance Program
  • Employment insurance
  • Leave of absence
  • New: COVID-19 infectious disease emergency leave
• Overtime
• Unsafe work refusal - Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA)
• Workplace Safety Insurance Act (WSIB) coverage
• Human rights (discrimination)

Re-entry training and verification

Resources