COVID-19 is a global pandemic that is causing a huge amount of disruption to individuals, families and businesses worldwide. This Business Continuity Plan outlines ICG’s response to the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic.
The health of our team is our priority. This plan outlines measures we can put in place to protect our teams, families, clients and supply chains while also trying to avoid disruption to the business wherever possible.
New Zealand's 4-level alert system specifies measures to be taken against COVID-19 at each level.
ICG’s BCP reflects these levels.
Level 1 & 2 – Prepare and Reduce.
Work environment
Inform - General information on Covid-19 is posted in communal areas (OSH Boards, Kitchens, Toilets and OSH boards). Links to the government Covid-19 website and Flu Tracker have been added to all email signatures.
Increase hygiene - Staff are encouraged to Wash hands often using soap & water (or hand sanitizer where soap & water are not available), especially after using shared equipment or spaces.
Cover coughs and sneezes - Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or cough or sneeze into your elbow. Throw used tissues in a lined trash can and immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, making sure you dry them thoroughly. You can also use hand sanitiser.
Clean Workspaces - Staff are asked to keep personal workspaces clean and tidy. Coronavirus can survive some on surfaces for 5 - 48 hrs. We have distributed IPO and paper towels at all workstations in the warehouse and around the office and encourage daily workspace cleaning.
Social Distancing – Refrain from arranging personal meetings with clients and suppliers. Calls or use of video conferencing is encouraged. Refrain from shaking hands, hugging etc. Social club will continue to be held at level 1 but won’t be serving food for the near future. The Lolly Trolley will also be taking a hiatus. The WHO advise to ‘act if you’re already sick’ limit social interactions, widen physical spaces and don’t share items (including stationery on your desk). Continue to tidy up after yourselves so things are not sitting stagnant, we can get through this more effectively if we respect each other’s space and the shared spaces of the building.
Vaccinate – Image Centre is scheduled for our annual workplace Flu vaccinations in mid-April. The current national priority is for health workers and the vulnerable, workplace vaccinations will take place.
Contact Tracking - implemented for level 2 and higher, all staff and visitors onsite will be required to sign in and out when entering and exiting the building. Proxy Click iPad app and QR codes to online forms will be used at all entrances and exits.
Working offsite
ICG employees must understand & comply with any additional OSH protocols for the client's site.
Identify additional social distancing risks on Job Safety Analysis sheets.
Ensure that when working offsite our staff refine from using shared/public utilities (e.g. Vending machines at Airports)
Home and Family
Ensure you are aware of the symptoms of Covid-19 and the difference between those and flu and colds. All staff are encouraged to sign up your household to the flutracker site. https://info.flutracking.net/
If you have any of these symptoms:
- a fever
- cough
- shortness of breath
- sneezing or a runny nose
THEN call your GP, before you visit.
If you do not have a GP call Healthline (for free) on 0800 358 5453.
These symptoms do not necessarily mean you have COVID-19. The symptoms are similar to other illnesses that are much more common, such as colds and flu.
Look after yourself.
Look for consistent, reliable information from the Ministry of Health, rather than uninformed “reckons” from strangers on social media.
Setting rules about accessing information is also a good way to cope when it feels like everything is out of control.
Allowing yourself to check updates once or twice a day is a good idea. Don't binge on the news about Covid-19, don't binge on the social media about it. Give yourself breaks from worrying or thinking about this.
Look after others
Kindness is an incredibly powerful way to show you are united against COVID-19.
You can make an enormous difference by:
- Checking-in on any elderly or vulnerable people.
- Looking after anyone that needs help
- Dropping supplies to those at home sick
- Talking to friends, whānau and neighbours to see if they need support
These kinds of connections and offers of help will go a long way to getting others through COVID-19.
Level 3 – Restrict & Contain.
Working from home recommended for office staff.All non-essential staff will work from home as much as possible.
Collaboration spaces will be available to be booked for multiple days for publishing teams to work in collaboration, as long as all involved are asymptomatic.
Staff are trained in;
- Remote Desktop Connect (RDC) to allow you to connect to our network and use Primo.
- Virtual Private Network (VPN) to allow you to connect to our files server for file access.
- Microsoft Teams which includes services such as multi-channel video calling to allow us to emulate as closely as possible to working face to face.
- Use of OneDrive and Dropbox for file storage and collaboration.
Please stay connected with the people around you if you’re working from home, this can be a stressful time for all workers and making sure someone is okay can lessen the stresses and anxieties of possible self-isolation.
Increased Physical distancing and hygiene rules for production staff.
- Production staff are physically distanced from other department staff by the use of different toilets and kitchens.
- Increased cleaning of workstations
- Delivery protocols for inwards and outwards goods changed to maintain isolation.
Supply Chains.
- Production managers are requesting Covid-19 BCP’s from all suppliers as well as updates on shipping and possible production interruptions. Alternate suppliers for key inputs are maintained.
- 1-3 months of stocks level of standard raw materials are held or guaranteed from suppliers.
- Alternates for outsourcing production are available should they be required.
Level 4 – Eliminate (Lockdown).
Working from home enforced for office staff
All other non-essential staff will work from home.
All non-essential site visits are cancelled.
Only work for essential services allowed.
Any client requiring work will need to supply an essential services letter (ESL) stating that they can continue to operate and require ICG to operate as part of their supply chain.
Staff required to work in the warehouse will need to carry the ESL to and from work along with a payslip in case authorities stop them.
Social distancing of production staff will increase with individual breaks mandated.
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