We can't wait to see you in the tasting room this summer!

COVID-19 WorkSafe Plan

OBJECTIVE – Adopt a plan to operate Tastings and Sales at Serendipity Winery that will ensure the safety of patrons and employees, effective May 19, 2020.

1:  RISK ASSESSMENT

• The virus spreads by droplets in the air (coughing, sneezing) and from surfaces that are touched, followed by touching the face. The risk of person to person transmission increases the closer you come to other people, the more time you spend near them, and the more people you come near. The risk of surface transmission increases when many people contact the same surface, and when those contacts happen over many periods of time.

• Staff will need to provide information on our products, pour samples in some proximity to visitors, prepare orders for wine and other items for sale, and take payment.

• Surfaces that are typically touched include bottles, wine glasses, tasting note/price sheets, tasting counter, spit cups, cash register, credit card terminals, bathroom facilities, entry door, patio tables and chairs, handrail on walkway to winery
  2. MEASURE TO REDUCE RISK

Cleaning & Hygiene

• Staff must wash their hands with soap and warm water for a minimum of 20 seconds at the start of each shift, after visiting the bathroom, and before and after each break. Staff are encouraged to wash their hands in between tasting customers. There are 5 sinks available for wine shop staff to clean their hands – 2 in the wine shop, 1 in the lab, and one in each of the two bathrooms.

• No staff members have shown any signs of illness for months, nor been in direct contact with any known carriers of the disease.

• Door handles, bathrooms, tables, chairs – cleaned with a cleaning solution (if dirty) and then wiped with sanitizer at the start of shift, and every 2 hours. Counters and charge terminals will be wiped between clients. Tap purchases will be encouraged.

• Glassware for patrons will be sanitized in our commercial high temperature dishwasher.

• No shared tastings will be permitted.

• Tasting notes/price sheets will be printed for single use, or laminated tasting notes will be provided that will be sanitized before and after each party has used them.

• Patrons will not handle any products unless purchased. Shirts, hats and other items for sale will be kept behind the counter aside from a few display only items.

• Hand sanitizer will be made available to patrons at the entry, and also for staff.

• Entry door will be kept open when possible.

• 50% of chairs and tables will be removed from the patio.

• Single use spit cups will be provided, and will be cleaned in our high temperature commercial dishwasher, or will be disposed of.

Physical Distancing

• One way foot traffic to and from all tasting areas on busy days. Arrows will be on the ground with tape to show customers where to walk.

• Appropriate reminders to visitors to remain 2 meters from other groups.

• New tasting room procedure: visitors step back behind a line, staff step forward & pour samples, then staff steps back so that visitors may retrieve samples. This line will ensure that staff and customers are 2 meters apart during tasting.

• For seated tastings: 6 feet away from each small tasting table will be a table for staff to pour wine in glasses. The staff will then step away, and guests can retrieve their tasting glasses. For large tables, a seat space will remain empty, giving staff room to approach the table safely to pour samples.

• Maximum of 6 visitors in any one group. Multiple tasting stations will be located well apart from each other (two inside, three on front patio, & vineyard if needed).

• Staff will guide groups so that they are kept separate from each other in the Tasting Room.

• Appointment process available to eliminate possible crowding.

• A concierge may be engaged for busy summer days.

• Events have been cancelled.

3. POLICIES

• Staff will follow all isolation guidelines if they feel ill (14 days as directed by the Province). Staff should report to First Aid even with mild symptoms if they begin to feel ill at work. Staff are encouraged to call 8-1-1, 9-1-1, or use the self assessment tool if they feel ill before a shift. Sick workers are asked to wash or sanitize their hands, given a mask, and are isolated. They will go straight home or call 8-1-1 for further guidance. If they are severely ill they will call 9-1-1. Any surface that the ill worker has come into contact with will be cleaned and disinfected.

• Visitors who appear ill (coughing, sneezing) will be asked to leave.

• Visitors that come in groups larger than 6 and do not want to be separated will be asked to leave.

• Visitors who do not want to comply with our guidelines will be asked to leave.

• Visitors are no longer encouraged to grab wine off the shelves. A staff member will retrieve bottles to fill orders.

• Taped off ‘waiting areas’ will be made on the crush pad for groups waiting for their turn to taste if the wine shop, patio and vineyard tasting areas are already at capacity. These waiting areas will be at least 2 meters apart. If all waiting areas are full, customers will be asked to make an appointment, return at a later time, or wait in their car.

• Staff are encouraged to bring up areas of concern to our owners Judy and Katie, who will review those concerns and make amendments to our safety plan as needed.

• We have assessed our winery at a first level of protection.

• Staff are not required to wear PPE, however we have some available for them to wear if they feel more comfortable with it on.

• If First Aid needs to be administered, the First Aid attendant will wear a mask and gloves and wash their hands before attending to the injured person(s), and will also wash their hands afterwards. Unless restricted, the injured person(s) will also wear a mask while receiving First Aid.

Working Alone

• If staff need to work alone due to a staff shortage, they will be trained on proper procedures for working alone.

• If there is a possibility for a violent customer or interaction, staff will be instructed to call Judy who lives on the premises. If Judy does not answer or is not available, staff will be instructed to either call Katie who is a 15 minute drive away, or 911 (as appropriate). Alternatives include speaking to the winery chef if he is working, locking all doors if the customer is outside, flashing tasting room lights on/off to signal Judy if a phone call is not appropriate in the given situation.

• Staff have been made aware that wildlife is in the area. Bears can be around the property when grapes are ripe. While unlikely, there is a possibility for bears to be near the wine shop. Proper bear aware training and discussions will take place.

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4. COMMUNICATION PLANS

• Signs will be posted to let patrons know that group size is limited to 6, and number of groups is limited to two inside the winery, three on the patio and extra in the vineyard as needed. Signs will remind them of physical distancing, to limit touch points, & sanitize hands.  A sign will advise that visitors who appear ill will not be served.  A handwashing instruction sign will be displayed in the bathrooms.

• Workers have been told about our sick policy and have been given a hard copy to take home with them.

5. MONITORING

• For the first two weeks, either Judy or Katie will talk with all staff members every two days to see if they have any concerns or suggested changes to the plans. After the first two weeks, Judy or Katie will talk to every staff member once a week to ensure that if they have any concerns or if they have any changes to the plans that are needed or if there have any new risks or if there are any areas they have risk to or any health and safety concerns that we will make changes to our policies and procedures as necessary.

• All amended copies to this plan will be saved.

6. ASSESS AND ADDRESS RISK FROM RESUMING OPERATIONS

• As we will be restarting our business, we will have a training plan for all staff, both returning and existing. All staff will be required to review this plan. Staff who refuse to adopt safety procedures will be asked to leave.

 

Amended May 27, 2020