Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Surrey BC
Updated: January 15, 2022
Overview
The congregation of Mount Olive Lutheran Church (MOLC), recognized as the employer, has three employees - the Pastor, Administrator and Music Director. All employees occupy individual offices or work from home.
Currently the church building is open by appointment only and closed to the general public. A small group of volunteers have access to the building to carry out necessary tasks to keep the building in working order and carry out the business of the church (Treasurer, Council Chair, Offering Counter, Property Chair etc.).
Committee meetings are held virtually via Zoom. In person services are suspended and are livestreamed only.
MOLC has enrolled in the Red Cross Rapid Testing Program. Employees and Volunteers are able to administer a COVID test as needed and as part of our Vaccination Policy (attached).
MOLC council and COVID team monitor the PHO, Worksafe BC and BC Synod recommendations regularly and adjust as necessary. A separate plan (attached) is in place for in-person services.
Step 1: Assess the risks at your workplace.
We have accessed areas where there may be risks, either through close physical proximity or through contaminated surfaces. The closer together workers are and the longer they are close to each other, the greater the risk.
We have identified areas where there may be risks.
Narthex
Sanctuary & Balcony
Fellowship Hall
Offices
Reception Counter
Hallway to Offices & Washrooms
Kitchen
Storage Rooms
We have identified job tasks and processes where Employees and Volunteers are close to one another or members of the public.
Photocopying, printing.
Recording of Sunday Services
Front counter requests from staff, volunteers and the public (by appointment only)
Staff meetings
We have identified tools, machinery, equipment Employees and Volunteers share while working.
Printer / Copier
Office Computers
Adding machines
Telephones
Refrigerator, dishwasher, coffee maker
Keys – mailbox & office drawer
Pens & office supplies
Paper document hand offs – person to person
We have identified surfaces that people touch often.
Doorknobs and Light switches
Reception Counter in Narthex
Office desks internal to each office
Alarm pad
Dishwasher
Coffee maker
Refrigerator
Kitchen & bathroom faucets
Broom & dustpan, vacuum cleaner
Garbage bins in kitchen & janitor room
Dishes (coffee cups etc.)
Step 2: Implement protocols to reduce the risks
Industry specific protocols – We monitor and follow all Provincial Health Orders, Worksafe BC protocols (Faith Based, Events and Office), and BC Synod Guidance's on an ongoing basis.
A Worksafe BC Safety Plan specific to MOLC is in place.
Updates are shared with staff, supervisors, key volunteers and the COVID-19 team.
First Level Protection: Elimination
Limit number of people in workplace (the church building is currently closed to the public):
Work arrangements in are in place with a combination of work from home or church offices when required.
Working offsite or remotely via Email, Virtual meetings, Telephone calls.
Measures to keep Employees and Volunteers and others at least 2 meters apart are in place with signage.
MOLC has enrolled in the Red Cross Rapid Testing Program. Employees and Volunteers are encouraged to administer a COVID test as needed and as part of our Vaccination Policy (attached)
The church building is currently closed to the public and available by appointment only. All visitors must either call ahead or following the instructions posted on the door (put on a mask, ring the doorbell, stand back and wait for someone to greet them with further instructions) All staff and visitors must sign in and wear a mask, follow MOLC vaccination policy, conduct a health check and use hand sanitizer upon entering.
Church services are livestreamed in the sanctuary and are available through the website.
During the livestreaming of these services only those that are necessary to facilitate are present.
All committee meetings are held virtually via Zoom.
Second Level Protection: Engineering
Barriers and Partitions
A plexiglass shield is installed at the reception area of the administrator's office to separate the public from the administrator.
Admin office is closed to all guests. All requests for printing, copying, office supplies are done through the plexiglass partition.
Employees and Volunteers have separate offices at the workplace.
A spare office has been set-up for access by others for specific tasks (I.e. Offering counters). Therefore: The worker assigned to the office will perform a full surface & equipment clean before and following each shift.
We have established and posted occupancy limits for common areas such as kitchen, washrooms and Admin hallway.
Signs are posted limiting capacity.
The elevator is not currently in use.
We have implemented measures to keep Employees and Volunteers and others two meters apart, wherever possible.
Employees and Volunteers must wear a mask in the workplace in any location where they are in a shared space with other Employees and Volunteers or members of the public.
Third Level Protection: Administrative
Rules and guidelines.
We have identified rules and guidelines for how Employees and Volunteers should conduct themselves and has been shared with all employees.
Employees and Volunteers have been instructed to perform a COVID-19 self-assessment before entering the church.
A vaccination policy is in place and attached to this plan.
Signage is posted on the outside of the front door to the entrance, in the entrance to building and throughout the building where necessary:
Employees, Volunteers, Members and Guests must sign in when they enter the church for contact tracing purposes.
Employees, Volunteers, Members and Guests are asked to wash their hands often with soap and water or use hand sanitizer when they arrive at work, before and after going on break, after using the washroom, after handling cash, before and after handling shared tools and equipment and before and after using protective equipment. We have posted signs in all washrooms when to wash hands and how to wash them properly to prevent transmission.
Each washroom, kitchen and office has been equipped with a bottle of disinfectant, including instructions, to disinfect high contact areas after use, hand wipes, gloves, masks and employee handbook.
Employees and Volunteers will take responsibility to disinfect their own desk/workstation, including computer and telephone, at the end of their work shift.
We have clearly communicated these rules and guidelines to Employees and Volunteers through a combination of training and signage.
Fourth Level Protection: Using Masks
Mask Usage.
Effective November 19, 2020 masks are mandatory in the workplace in any location where they are sharing a space with other Employees and Volunteers or members of the public.
All participants (5 years+) attending worship services, including choirs, must wear a face covering during worship services, including as participants come into the place of worship and when they leave, until outside.
Masks are made available at the entrance and in every office. Signage is posted on the correct use of masks. Current mask recommendations include the use of N95 masks or 3 ply surgical masks.
Implement effective cleaning and hygiene practices
We have reviewed the information on cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.
Our workplace has enough handwashing facilities on site for all Employees, Volunteers, Members and Guests and are visible and easily accessed.
Employees and volunteers must sign in when they enter the church. They have been asked to wash their hands often with soap and water or use hand sanitizer when they arrive at work, before and after going on break, after using the washroom, after handling cash, before and after handling shared tools and equipment and before and after using protective equipment. Signs are posted in all washrooms with handwashing best practices to prevent transmission.
Employees and visitors are asked to use the Lysol disinfectant spray on all hard surfaces after use. Instructions on usage are posted with the spray.
Employees and Volunteers who are cleaning have adequate training and materials.
We have removed all reading materials, hymn books and promotional items to simplify the cleaning process and avoid transmission.
Our building is cleaned three times per week by a professional cleaning company.
When the building reopens new cleaning protocols will be in place.
Step 3: Develop Policies
Our workplace policies ensure that Employees and Volunteers and others showing symptoms of COVID-19 are prohibited from the workplace.
A work from home policy is in place.
Anyone who is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 must get tested and self-isolate at home until a negative test result is received.
Step 4: Develop communication plans and training
The safety plan is posted in the Narthex and on the website and updated with any changes necessary.
All changes are communicated with all Employees and Volunteers
An updated plan will be communicated upon opening to the public along with any training necessary.
Step 5: Monitor your workplace and update your plans as necessary.
MOLC Council and the COVID-19 team monitors regularly and adjusts the plan as required.
Step 6: Reopening Plan
A revised reopening plan is being drafted by MOLC Council and the Covid Team and will be become part of our Covid Safety plan upon completion.
The updated reopening plan will be communicated to all Employees, Members and volunteers.