The Great Canadian Landscaping is open for business during the COVID crisis.
On March 26, BC’s Public Health Official (PHO) issued the following: “The PHO has ordered some types businesses to close. Any business or service that has not been ordered to close and is also not identified on the essential service list may stay open if they can adapt their services and workplace to the orders and recommendations of the PHO.”
Why is our landscape company working?
It is our job to ensure your plants are healthy and continue to thrive.
A well-maintained landscape contributes to peoples’ happiness and well-being, particularly important when people are isolated.
Public safety is another aspect of our work; overgrown lawns and gardens provide cover for pests or vermin, as well as increase the crime rate.
While the COVID-19 crisis continues, we need to continue to support actions to combat climate change by caring for trees and plants.
We are following the best practices laid out by the BC Landscape & Nursery Association.
The following Best Management Practices are recommendations to assist BC landscapers with keeping their staff, clients and the public safe while continuing operations. These practices are a compilation of resources of Canadian and British Columbian government websites.
General Health
-Emphasize the importance of increased personal hygiene, such as handwashing
-If staff are feeling unwell or displaying even mild symptoms of COVID-19, they must stay home and separate from others
-Post notes and posters in trucks, shops and offices to remind staff of current practices
-Employers should encourage staff to be honest and maintain a clear line of communication about health and safety in the workplace – this includes mental health
-Increase communication to staff and clients about the measures you are taking for increased safety
-Communicate and follow all government issued updates, information and orders
On the Job
-Maintain a 2-meter (6foot) distance from all coworkers/staff, public and clients
-Only one crew member in a work truck–encourage employees to drive to sites in their
own vehicles. Limit staff that can’t drive to one jobsite/day
-Stagger staff arrival times to worksites to decrease the number of people in one area
-Implement handwashing stations on all sites and/or on trucks
-Handwashing before reporting to work, before and after breaks, and any other time handwashing is appropriate
-No sharing of PPE–everyone must be issued their own set of PPE and clean daily
-All trucks to be equipped with handsanitizer and disinfectant wipes
-Disinfect all equipment at the start and end of each shift, as well as between operators
-Disinfect truck and common areas daily (including door handles & all surfaces touched)
-Disinfect all surfaces crews interact with at client properties on arrival and departure (gate handles, faucets, handrails, etc.)
-Avoid entering client’s houses, no client washroom use
-Adjust all meetings to be either virtual or held outdoors
-Clean all office areas and frequently touched surfaces regularly
-Encourage showering as soon as possible after work and washing work clothes
For more information, please refer to the document pdfs below
