Operating Plant COVID-19 Protocols

Announcements
Written By Dan Gizzi

To: Whom it may concern

From: Jay Sikora

Subject: Operating plant COVID 19 recommendations

Date: 3/25/20

This list has been developed by us over the last two weeks of preparing for COVID 19 operations.

We currently run several plants in NYC that are islanded (not connected to the grid) and provide power for 14,000 residences as well as heat and hot water for 28,000 residences.

Each plant needs a Licensed NYC stationary engineer and as such this becomes the most critical role in maintaining operations. If you lose too many licensed engineers, you're in trouble.

This list is not perfect, and it is intended as a communication to help you form your procedures and protocols that are right for your plant.

Basic Logic (each plant is different but in general these rules apply)

  • Critical Personnel in order of priority
    1. Licensed Watch Engineers
    2. Operators
    3. I, C & E (Instruments, Controls & Electricians)
  • Maintenance Mechanics can be trained to "Back up" operators
  • Prepare for a lock in (see separate list below)
  • Any personnel who presents with a fever or "feels sick"must stay home and call in
  • All mutuals should be suspended
  • Immediately shift to paper times sheets if your plant utilized hand scanner
  • If the plant uses a hand scanner ceases us and shift to paper times sheets
  • Disinfect control room 3x per shift
  • Wash hands in lukewarm water for 30 seconds 15x daily

Personnel Protocols

  • Separate all of the crew into pods
    • 2 to 4-man teams depending on the watch requirements. DO NOTintermingle pods (ex: "Joe, Frank, Chen and Mary" nly work together)
  • Anyone with a temperature should be pulled from the plant as well as their pod
    • The person with the temperature should get tested as soon as possible
      • If the test comes back negative, then the other members of the pod can be put back in the rotation
  • Watches should go to 12 hours (if not already) and should be "4 on/ 3 off" at a minimum.
    • Where possible, go "7 days on/ 7 days off"
  • Suspend all maintenance activities except for normal PM's and emergent work
  • Where possible, train Maintenance Personnel to back-up operations personnel
  • Stand watch as far away from each other as the plant will allow
  • Any maintenance staff not involved with training to back-up operationsshould not be permitted in the area that plant ops must take place. Re-locate maintenance staff away and outside of critical ops.
  • All personnel ideally need to have temperature checks as they come and go.
  • All meetings should be done by conference call only

Plant protocol

  • Effective Immediately no one is permitted in the plant but the Watch
  • Deliveries are to behandled by an employee from Outside the Plant at a Designated Location.
  • Create a "safe-space" staging area in order to bringitems from the outside into the plant. Develop a habit of: drop/receive/disinfect/transport to inside plant
  • Rules to follow If you need to bring in Contractors
    1. Prep the work area for them with permit
    2. Plan route to and from the area. ONLYallow those spaces designated for entry/exist use
    3. Absolutely ZERO interaction of Plant Personnel with any contractor/non-plant/non-pod personnel
    4. Should Contractor have need of plant personnel, a maintenance mechanic who is NOT on watch and who is isolated from the control room will assist. Using the same entry/exist protocol.

Control room protocol

  • Disinfect and Wipe down the control room 3x per shift with approved anti-bacterial/anti-germ able chemical compound
    1. Start of Shift
    2. Mid-way thru shift
    3. 15 minutes prior to shift turn over
  • Lock down the control room
    1. Permits are transacted through the door
      • Do not take returning permits back into the control room
    2. NO ONE! but the Watch can enter the control room

Accounting Protocols

  • Set up account codes for the following
    1. Payroll
      • COVID 19 sick (tested or showing symptoms)
      • COVID 19 quarantine
      • COVID 19 derivative payroll extra cost
        • Training derivative of COVID 19 response
        • 12-hour shifts derivative of COVID 19 response
        • Extra personnel derivative of COVID 19 response
    2. Cost's
      • Lockdown items ex: PPE/Chemicals/First aid/Food/Provisions
      • Contractors

Preparing for Lock in

  • Develop a "Volunteer list" of plant personnel who are willing and able to lock-in (each volunteer should have their own thermometer and test twice a day in lock down)
  • Using the Volunteer list, determine the amount and types of personnel that can be removed from plant operations before you have to lock in
  • Get the pay worked out with the union (If applicable), the volunteers and management now if you have to lock in in the future
  • Sleep Arrangements
    • Beds ex: blow up or cots
    • Arrange sleep space. Different Spaces/Different Rooms
    • Bedding ex: ALL new, Nothing from outside/home. As it may contaminate
      • Pillows
      • Sheets
      • Blankets
    • Phone chargers/outlets/extension cords in sleep area. Easy access to "bed side"
  • Kitchen (see separate checklist)
    • bags for utensils (knife, fork and spoon etc. etc. in one bag) keeping all the disposable items in on place becomes its own source of cross contamination
    • Provide each potential lock-in employee their own set of salt and pepper
    • Provide food for 14 days (for a more complete list see the attached word document)
    • Pots, pans, tongs etc.
  • Laundry Facilities
    • Provide washer and dryer for the plant
    • Provide heavy duty industrial strength anti-bacteria/ anti-germ laundry detergent and bleach
  • Off Shift Activities
    • Provide a computer and internet, lower firewalls for skype or something similar
    • Provide TV for the plant connected to internet
    • Provide books and magazines
    • Provide Paper/pens/pencils/markers /sketch pads/journals
  • Personal Hygiene
    • Towels/Washcloth/Hand towel
    • Soap or body wash (a more sanitary option)
    • Shampoo/Conditioner
    • Toothbrushes/toothpaste/dental floss
    • Toilet paper
    • Lock-in crew pack a bag
      • 5 to 7 sets of underwear and socks
      • Flip flops or something similar
      • 14 days of whatever medicine/Rx they may need
      • Shaving gear
Dan Gizzi
Previous

When You See a Snake, Kill It