Pilates Can COVID Safe Plan - As Updated

4th March 2021

Safe Work Australia has developed an online hub with information on how to minimise the risk of COVID-19 exposure in your workplace. This hub is updated regularly. Included in the Appendix of this COVID Safe Plan are the checklists provided by Safe Work Australia.

For further updates relating to the Australian Capital Territory go to: www.covid19.act.gov.au

The Safe Work Australia checklists included in the Appendix:

KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE (you, staff, clients and the public)

  • Refer to the existing Workplace Health & Safety (WHS) procedures in the studios:
    • Manuka – in the drawer in the office
    • Woden – in the folder box under the reception desk
  • Risk assessment is an ongoing process for all of us that involves:
    • Identifying hazards
    • Assessing risks
    • Controlling risks
    • Reviewing control measures
    Notify administration and the Directors of any hazards that need action. If safe, remove the hazard immediately.  Further information about risk assessment is available in our WHS procedures.
  • Most importantly, if any members of staff or clients are unwell with symptoms of fever or a respiratory tract infection (such as sore throat, cold, cough, aches, or shortness of breath) then they need to stay at home and be encouraged to get tested for COVID-19.
  • Sustainability is important – cleaning has always been part of the procedures in our Studios. However, during these unprecedented times, there will be an increase in cleaning that is both the responsibility of clients and staff.  Further details are provided on our link: www.pilatescan.com.au/pilates-can-health-maximisation-update. This information has been sent to all clients.
  • Please note, if clients do not adhere to their safety responsibilities (as detailed in the link), then they will be asked to leave and they will not be able to participate in their booked session. It will be marked as a late cancel; however, they will have the option of a make-up session. More details are provided later in this document under the heading: Re-opening rules of engagement
  • All staff need to complete the Australian Government’s ‘Infection Control Training’ before returning to the studio.

    • MAINTAIN GOOD HEALTH, HYGIENE AND CLEANING

  • Routine cleaning
    • Detergent solution with disinfectant (2-in-1 clean and disinfection by using a combined detergent and disinfectant) – to be used regularly on all frequently touched surfaces. These cleaning bottles include detergent, Viraclean and water in the solution. To refill the 2-in-1 cleaning solution add one capful of Viraclean, two squirts of detergent and water to fill the bottle.
    • Clinell wipes (disinfectant with alcohol) – to be used sparingly but as needed. Otherwise the ‘2 in 1 clean and disinfect’ will be used regularly both during and at the end of shifts.
    • Disposable gloves are available if needed. Cloths available for cleaning include: Norwex and paper towels
  • Personal hand hygiene, cleaning and disinfecting is a requirement in the studios to minimise the transmission of the virus. Therefore, hand sanitiser dispensers will be available in all areas of the studios once staff and clients enter the studios. It is important to remember to avoid touching your mouth, nose, and eyes.
  • Studios will require regular cleaning as per Safe Work Australia recommendations and include:
    • Cleaning at least daily and recorded at the end of the shift by each staff member. ‘Cleaning Register Log’ to be completed at the end of each shift.
    • Cleaning with detergent and water is sufficient; however, spray bottles of 2-in-1 clean and disinfectant will be provided for both clients and staff to use. Clients will be provided with a piece of paper towel to use during their session. All paper towels must be placed in the bin at the end of each session.
    • Extra bins have been supplied in both Studios to dispose of the paper towels.  These bins must be lined with the plastic bags supplied. The extra bins have no lids thus minimising contact with surfaces. The bins should be emptied regularly (as needed) to avoid overflow.  Disposable gloves are available to empty the bins.

    • Safe Work Australia – Cleaning and Disinfecting

    Below are some extracts from the Safe Work Australia site regarding cleaning and disinfecting:

    “COVID-19 spreads through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. A person can acquire the virus by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or eyes.”

    To protect our staff and clients from the risk of exposure to COVID-19 it is important to implement the appropriate cleaning and disinfecting measures for our Studios.

    A combination of cleaning and disinfection will be most effective in removing the COVID-19 virus.

    covid-safe-plan-cleaning

    “Workplaces must be cleaned at least daily. Cleaning with detergent and water is usually sufficient. Once clean, surfaces can be disinfected. When and how often your workplace should be disinfected will depend on the likelihood of contaminated material being present. You should prioritise cleaning and disinfecting surfaces that many people touch.”

    “Alternatively, you may be able to do a 2-in-1 clean and disinfection by using a combined detergent and disinfectant.”  As noted above, these spray bottles will be labelled as 2-in-1 clean and disinfection and will include detergent, water and viraclean. These 2-in1 sprays bottles should be used by clients with a paper towel to clean the piece of equipment they have used including cleaning the vinyl straps/handles they have used. These 2-in-1 spray bottles should also be used by staff as needed. This spray bottle combination is to be used frequently and daily (as needed).

    “It’s important to clean before disinfecting because dirt and grime can reduce the ability of disinfectants to kill germs. Disinfectants require time to be effective at killing viruses. If no time is specified, the disinfectant should be left for ten minutes before removing.” Therefore, it is essential that clients, at all times, place their own large towel on the surface that they are using.

    Please note, do not saturate any surface when cleaning. All cleaned surfaces should be left as dry as possible to reduce the risk of slips and falls, as well as spreading of viruses and bacteria through droplets.

  • Areas to clean include (ie other than Pilates equipment):
    • Benches
    • Door and cupboard handles
    • Light switches and air conditioner switches
    • Reception and office desk
    • Keyboards
    • Eftpos machine
    • Office Laptop and Tablet
    • Surfaces that are visibly soiled
    • Personal property if handled at work
    NB:  Make sure the product used for cleaning is suitable for use on the surface being cleaned
  • Door Handles
    To minimise cleaning of door handles, the following can be done in the Studios:
    • Woden – studio door can be left open (door wedge is in the basket under the bench)
    • Manuka – door to equipment room and sliding doors to mat room can be left open
    The front door to the Manuka studio cannot be left open during extreme weather temperatures (ie low or high temperatures) as it is impossible to maintain a comfortable level in the studios if the door is open.

    Please note: hand sanitisers will only be placed inside the studios where instructors/staff can see that clients have used the sanitiser. Clients can use the front door handle in Manuka, then sanitise their hands once inside the Studio.
  • Health
    If unwell stay at home (as listed earlier). This applies to both clients and staff. Seek advice from a health care professional if symptoms of fever or a respiratory tract infection (such as sore throat, cold, cough, aches, or shortness of breath).

    For your information, the following article from the Australian Psychological Society, Coronavirus (Covid-19) anxiety and staying mentally healthy has been added to the Appendix.
  • Hygiene
    Practice good hand hygiene.Practices to adhere to include (but are not limited to):
    • Hand washing (as per the diagram in the appendix)
    • Sanitisers – use when entering the Studios, after coughing/sneezing, going to the bathroom, before/after eating, before/after touching frequently used surfaces
    • Do not shake hands
    • Avoid close physical contact (ie 1.5 metres physical distancing whenever possible)
    • Cashless transactions
    • Each person is responsible to clean up after themselves
    • Keep personal items away as much as possible (except eye glasses and water as needed)
    It is important that all staff regularly check that there are adequate supplies of hand sanitiser and cleaning products. If more stock is needed, advise admin and/or Directors. If needed urgently, purchase the required products and provide the receipt for reimbursement.

    • PHYSICAL DISTANCING

  • Current regulations
    Current ACT Government regulations: 100 clients per enclosed space (including staff), or one person per 4 square metres, whichever is lesser. Maintaining 1.5 metres of social distance as much as practical.
    Based on the space dimensions of our Studios and dividing each area by 4, the Studios can fit the following number:
    • Woden – 17 people in the whole area
    • Manuka – 17 people in the equipment room and 12 people in the mat room
    However, we are restricting the numbers significantly more than the above calculations as follows:
    • Woden – 6 in semis (excluding the instructors) and 6 in mat sessions (excluding the instructor).  The Woden studio does not hold semi-private and mat sessions at the same time.
    • Manuka – 7 in semis (excluding the instructors) and 8 in mat sessions (excluding the instructor).
  • If touch is necessary, staff also need to consider the ‘moist zone’. This means that staff and clients need to turn their face away from each other if less than 1.5 metres apart.
  • Equipment
    At this stage, the following changes will be made to the equipment at both studios to assist with physical distancing:
    • Woden – one reformer will be moved closer to the west facing windows to increase the distance between the two reformers. This will also require moving the reformer box/s to another area. Also, the Combo Chair will be used in the mat area of the studio.
    • Manuka – the equipment has been rearranged to allow more space and the second ladder barrel is currently located in the mat room.

    • RESPONDING TO A COVID-19 INFECTION

    COVID-19 at the workplace
    swa.gov.au/coronavirus

    You are not expected, and should not try, to diagnose people. However, you have a work health and safety duty to minimise the risk of workers and others in the workplace being exposed to COVID-19, so far as reasonably practicable.

    If you reasonably suspect someone could have the virus, or has been exposed, this creates a health risk at your workplace, and you will need to follow the steps below.

    • The person you are concerned about is at the workplace
      • ISOLATE
        • Prevent the spread. Isolate the person from others and provide a disposable surgical mask, if available, for the person to wear.
      • SEEK ADVICE
        • Call your state or territory helpline. Follow advice of public health officials.
      • TRANSPORT
        • Ensure the person has transport to their home or to a medical facility.
      • CLEAN
        • Clean and disinfect the areas where the person and close contacts have been. Do not use those areas until this process is complete. Use PPE when cleaning.
      • IDENTIFY & INFORM
        • Consider who the person has had close contact with. If instructed by public health officials, tell close contacts they may have been exposed and follow advice on quarantine requirements.
      • REVIEW
        • Review risk management controls relating to COVID-19 and review whether work may need to change. Consult workers on WHS issues.
    • The person you are concerned about was recently at the workplace
      • SEEK ADVICE
        • Call your state or territory helpline. Follow advice of public health officials.
      • IDENTIFY & INFORM
        • Identify who at the workplace had close contact with the affected person. If instructed by public health officials, tell close contacts they may have been exposed and follow advice on quarantine requirements.
      • CLEAN
        • Clean and disinfect the areas where the person and their close contacts have been. Do not use those areas until this process is complete. Use PPE when cleaning.
      • REVIEW
        • Review risk management controls relating to COVID-19 and review whether work may need to change. Consult workers on WHS issues.

    If anything is unclear, see detailed guidance on the Safe Work Australia Website

    Remember:

    • There is not an automatic WHS requirement to close down an entire workplace, particularly if the person infected, or suspected to be infected, has only visited parts of the workplace.
    • Workers assisting a potentially infectious person should have appropriate PPE and follow hand hygiene procedures.
    • Consult with workers and allow them to raise concerns.
    • Do you need to notify your WHS regulator? See our Incident Notification fact sheet.
    • Comply with privacy obligations. See guidance from the OAIC.
    • Follow the advice of health officials at all times.

    State and territory health department helplines:

    • Australian Capital Territory (02) 5124 9213
    • New South Wales 1300 066 055

    Contact Tracing
    Contact tracing is undertaken by public health authorities. From Saturday, 6 March 2021, it is mandatory for clients to use the Check In CBR app before commencing their session in the studio.  There will be a unique CBR code for each studio.

    • It is mandatory for clients to check in if they are aged 16 years or older.
    • There is no option to keep paper records.
    • If a patron refuses to check in, our business should highlight the importance of the check in requirements to assist the contact tracing efforts, and to keep the community safe and businesses open.
    • The QR code will be displayed on an A4 poster at the studios: at the entrance to each studio (either side of the door) and at reception.
    • If a client does not have a smart phone, then staff/instructors must use the business profile function in their ‘Check In CBR app’ to check them in.  Devices should not be handed to patrons to enter their personal details as this creates a hygiene risk.

    Re-Opening Rules of Engagement

  • For everybody’s health and safety, it is every client’s responsibility to remember to do the following.
    • Bring a large towel – each client must put their own large towel on the surface they are using
    • Wear clean socks at all times. These do not have to be toe socks. However, we do have a good supply
    • Socks and Towels left in the studio will be kept in a plastic garbage bag, initially for collection
      However, if items are not collected by the end of each week, the garbage bag will be thrown out.
    • Bring a fresh plastic bag, or other personal bag, to put your shoes and any loose items in
      i.e. No shoes or other loose items are allowed in the pigeon holes, other than in your own plastic bags
    • Loose shoes and any other large items will go out in the corridor
    • Stay away if sick – you can easily arrange and do a make-up session.
    • Use the hand sanitiser in the studio before starting sessions
    • Clients are responsible for cleaning the surface that they have been using
      You will be supplied with spray to clean & paper towels to dry the same surface
    • If desired, clients can bring their own gloves and/or face masks.
      These items are not compulsory, but are encouraged if it helps you.
    • DO NOT arrive earlier than 2 minutes before your session is due to commence.
      You may find yourself waiting in the corridor.
    • If purchasing items pay via credit card rather than cash
  • There will be no exceptions to the conditions of entry described above.
  • Non-compliance will mean that you will be unable to participate in the session.
  • If you cannot participate, due to non-compliance, then your attendance will be marked as a late cancel.
  • If you are denied entry, because you have forgotten your safety responsibilities, you can arrange to do a make-up session.

    • Safe Work Australia COVID-19 Workplace Checklist:

    Appendices