Driving and COVID-19 concerns for employees working together in vehicles? What can companies do? Do you have a sample SOP for this task?

[vickyp]

#102746

Forum: Community

Driving and COVID-19 concerns for employees working together in vehicles’ What can companies do’ Do you have a sample SOP for this task?

[vickyp]

#103179

Great Q.
First choice: Practice social distancing, i.e., maintaining separation of at least 6 feet apart, preferably by not allowing employees to be in the same vehicle at the same time.
If sharing a vehicle can’t be avoided, workers should stay as far apart as possible. These measures should be implemented regardless of number of workers inside the vehicle:
i. The vehicle should be disinfected before and after
ii. The vehicle should have maximum ventilation
iii. Occupant(s) should wear gloves and, if sharing a vehicle, mask or fitting respirator
iv. Workers should wash hands with soap and water before and after trip
The closest thing I could find to an SOP is the following for health care workers transporting a COVID-19-infected worker. Note that the precautions are extreme because you know at least one occupant, i.e., the patient is infected. Still, seeing how the operation is carried out in these circumstances is pretty instructive even though in your situation the approach would be more precautionary. Anyhow, hope this helps. If not, circle back at glennd@bongarde.com and I’ll follow up.
****
https://www.bop.gov/resources/pdfs/pan_flu_module_1.pdf  scroll down to page 27
If a patient with an exposure history and signs and symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 requires
transport to a healthcare facility for further evaluation and management (subject to EMS
medical direction), the following actions should occur during transport:
 EMS clinicians should notify the receiving healthcare facility that the patient has an
exposure history and signs and symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 so that appropriate
infection control precautions may be taken prior to patient arrival.
 Keep the patient separated from other people as much as possible.
 Family members and other contacts of patients with possible COVID-19 should not ride
in the transport vehicle, if possible. If riding in the transport vehicle, they should wear a
facemask.
 Isolate the ambulance driver from the patient compartment and keep pass-through
doors and windows tightly shut.
 When possible, use vehicles that have isolated driver and patient compartments that
can provide separate ventilation to each area.
26
o Close the door/window between these compartments before bringing the
patient on board.
o During transport, vehicle ventilation in both compartments should be on nonrecirculated mode to maximize air changes that reduce potentially infectious
particles in the vehicle.
o If the vehicle has a rear exhaust fan, use it to draw air away from the cab, toward
the patient-care area, and out the back end of the vehicle.
o Some vehicles are equipped with a supplemental recirculating ventilation unit
that passes air through HEPA filters before returning it to the vehicle. Such a unit
can be used to increase the number of air changes per hour (ACH)
(https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/1995-0031-2601.pdfpdf icon).
 If a vehicle without an isolated driver compartment and ventilation must be used, open
the outside air vents in the driver area and turn on the rear exhaust ventilation fans to
the highest setting. This will create a negative pressure gradient in the patient area.
 Follow routine procedures for a transfer of the patient to the receiving healthcare
facility (e.g., wheel the patient directly into an Airborne Infection Isolation Room).
Cleaning EMS Transport Vehicles after Transporting a PUI or Patient with Confirmed COVID-19
The following are general guidelines for cleaning or maintaining EMS transport vehicles and
equipment after transporting a PUI:
 After transporting the patient, leave the rear doors of the transport vehicle open to
allow for sufficient air changes to remove potentially infectious particles.
o The time to complete transfer of the patient to the receiving facility and
complete all documentation should provide sufficient air changes.
 When cleaning the vehicle, EMS clinicians should wear a disposable gown and gloves. A
face shield or facemask and goggles should also be worn if splashes or sprays during
cleaning are anticipated.
 Ensure that environmental cleaning and disinfection procedures are followed
consistently and correctly, to include the provision of adequate ventilation when
chemicals are in use. Doors should remain open when cleaning the vehicle.
 Routine cleaning and disinfection procedures (e.g., using cleaners and water to preclean surfaces prior to applying an EPA-registered, hospital-grade disinfectant to
frequently touched surfaces or objects for appropriate contact times as indicated on the
product’s label) are appropriate for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) in
healthcare settings, including those patient-care areas in which aerosol-generating
procedures are performed.

[Author]

Posts