Pandemic & Epidemic Contingency Procedure

Health & Safety > Pandemic & Epidemic Contingency Procedure

Authorised by Chief Executive Officer

Revised Date: 5 April 2023

This procedure supports Kyeema to apply the National Disability Services Standards, in particular Standard 6: Service Management and NDIS Practice Standard: 2 Emergency and Disaster Management.

Scope

This policy applies to all workers, participants and contractors.

Related legislation and policy

Public health and Wellbeing Act 2008 (Vic)

Occupational Health & Safety Act 2004

NDIS Code of Conduct

NDIS Practice Standards

Definitions

Pandemic is defined as the spread of a significant infection disease across national boundaries and is defined by health authorities.

Epidemic is the localised spread of an infectious disease.

Pandemic Procedure

Risk controls

• adhere to guidelines created by Government health departments

Infection Control

• PPE equipment is in stock and available for workers and participants

• Mask and gloves to be worn when supporting participants with any contagious infection

Planning for Continuity of Care

Vulnerable persons high priority.

Certain participants are in greater need of our support than others. In the event of a reduced workforce or government guidelines saying only essential services to continue, our priority will be for those participants with basic needs such as:

• transitioning out of and into bed;

• personal care;

• meal preparation;

• health support needs including mental health;

• those with a lack of informal supports around them to keep an eye out as to whether they have caught the relevant virus. Check Vulnerable Persons list for the latter.

Altering or Ceasing Services

• If we are advised by government to alter or cease services, eg if a known case of the relevant virus is found amongst staff or participants, we will comply with this except for the essential support as mentioned above

Communications

• Management will communicate with staff via email and/or mobile phone.

• Communication to participants will be by the usual ways, mostly phone.

Working from Home Guide

• Maintain online safety – keep privacy settings on, keep antivirus programs up to date, use a secure VPN connection, password protect files and documents.

• Home work station set-up is to be safe for the worker. This must be determined by communication with the relevant staff and may include ergonomic assessments.

Supporting Everyone’s Mental Health

• Regularly ask your workers how they are going and if anything is stressing them.

• Where workers are distressed about the challenging conditions caused by the pandemic, acknowledge their feelings about the situation and reassure workers they are doing what they can in the circumstances.

• Stay informed with information from official sources and regularly communicate or share this information with workers.

• Consult your workers and representatives on any risks to their psychological health and physical health and safety.

• Support innovations to address the psychosocial risks where you reasonably can.

• Provide workers with a point of contact to discuss their concerns.

o Lifeline 13 11 14 and Beyond Blue 1300 224 636

• Encourage workers to adopt self-care strategies such as healthy eating, exercise and debriefing with family or supervisor regularly and getting enough rest.

• Make workplace information available in a central place.

• Inform workers about their entitlements if they become unfit for work or have caring responsibilities.

• Inform workers about their rights under OHS laws, including the right to stop work in certain circumstances and the right not to be discriminated against or disadvantaged for raising work health and safety concerns in the workplace.

• Proactively support workers who you identify to be more at risk of workplace psychological injury (e.g. frontline workers or those working from home), and

• Refer workers to appropriate work related mental health and wellbeing support services

Management Responsibility Plan for business continuity during an epidemic or a pandemic:

• In the event of epidemic or pandemic, each Kyeema Support Services program will maintain the usual methods of workers replacement and deployment for participant support. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) will have the larger coordination and communication role with regional emergency management and health services as necessary

• All workers including Managers, Coordinators and Team Leaders may be called upon to work shifts at any site if required, due to workers shortages

• All Kyeema workers and participants must exercise universal infection control procedures at all times (e.g. regular hand washing, quick and appropriate disposal of tissues, thorough cleaning of work areas, masks)

• If a workers member or participant presents symptoms as advised by the Health Act at any of Kyeema activities, they will be supported by the appropriate Manager or the CEO to seek medical advice immediately. Families, carers and accommodation providers will also be informed

• After seeing a Doctor the individual concerned will be allowed to return to work or programs when given the all clear by the doctor; this needs to be in writing

• Department of Families Fairness Housing, Portland District Health, Emergency Services and Glenelg Shire Council will be informed if any outbreak takes place

• Kyeema Day Activities and group activities will be closed to prevent community transition.

• Constant communication to all relevant stakeholders is essential in the event of any outbreak

Review and Evaluation

Changes will occur as the pandemic changes and regulations are updated

Review/update record keeping

Review working from home arrangements

Review remote worker arrangements

Review and develop cleaning practices and ensure training and SDS

Procedure for monitoring health and handling of outbreak in place

• Monitor mental health and support when needs arise

• Schedule regular review and updates of the above

Awareness and Training