Guide to reducing the risk of COVID-19

Risk at your workplace

The virus that causes COVID-19 spreads in several ways, including through droplets

when a person coughs or sneezes, or from touching a contaminated surface before

touching the face. To understand the risk at your workplace, consider the following

questions:

• Where do people congregate, such as break rooms, production lines, or meeting

rooms?

▪ By the bar in the banquet rooms and pre-function space. There

should be no more than one person behind the bar at a time

▪ Public washrooms – No more than 2 people at a time are

permitted

▪ Buffet Lines

▪ Lobby reception

▪ Pre-function spaces – floor markings will be present to encourage

flow of guests

▪ Entrances

▪ Staff room

▪ Servery

• What job tasks or processes require workers to come into close proximity with one

another or members of the public?

▪ Chefs and Cooks – Individual work spaces, double sided buffet

line to distance from guests, masks and gloves.

▪ Dishwashers – One will be working in the dish area at a time.

▪ Service staff – Will be wearing masks and gloves. We will have

designated clearing areas to avoid close proximity to guests.

▪ Bartenders – Will be housed with plexiglass barrier on the bar

tops to maintain physical distancing with guests. Only one

bartender at a time behind the bar. No more than three staff

members behind the Gallery bar at a one time.

▪ Wedding Coordinators - Will be wearing masks and gloves when

serving bride and groom.

• What tools, machinery, and equipment do people come into contact with in the

course of their work?

• Front of house staff will be in contact with:

• Bar tap handles

• Liquor gun handles and buttons

• Handheld payment terminal

• Touch screens/POS terminals

• Serving Trays

1. Dinnerware and Cutlery

• Napkins

1. Serving Utensils

2. Sanitization Bottles

▪ Back of house staff will be in contact with:

1. Flat top

2. Deep fryer

3. Oven

4. Fridges

5. Food Schafers

6. Knives (no shared knives only personal sets)

7. Various other kitchen utensils (e.g. spatulas, tongs, etc.)

• What surfaces are touched often, such as doorknobs, elevator buttons, light

switches, equipment, and shared tools?

▪ Bar tops

▪ Sink taps

▪ Service Doors

▪ Light Switches

▪ Stair Handrails

▪ Door handles

▪ Fridge handles

▪ The above listed equipment

▪ Elevator buttons

2

Maintaining physical distance

• Reducing the overall number of workers at the workplace at one time. All shift

changes need to be approved by your department manager. You can do this by

offering your shift up on 7Shifts. All workers must stay within their department. For

example, someone working at the Country Club cannot take a shift at the Executive

Course.

• Ensuring the appropriate number of people are in each area of a workplace to

prevent workers from coming too close to one another or members of the public.

This will be done by posting occupancy limits (e.g., on elevators, washrooms, and

other small spaces), and limiting the number of workers at one time in break

locations.

• Maintain a distance of 2 metres (6 feet) between workers and between guests.

• Implement measures to ensure workers can maintain a distance of two metres when

serving or working with or near members of the public.

Enhanced Front of House Safety Protocols are:

• Servers will:

▪ Have a dedicated place at every table from which to serve.

▪ Will stand back at least 3 feet from the table when speaking to

guests and approach the table only for service while wearing a

mask.

▪ Leave Food at the front of the table on a side tray and let the

guests take food after the server has stood back.

▪ Hold plates underneath with the thumb on the rim.

▪ Use the cup handle to place cups on tables.

▪ Use the stem to carry wine glasses.

▪ Grip utensils by the handle and don’t let handles touch the food.

▪ Keep hands off the bowl of a spoon or prongs of a fork.

• We will create signage to clearly separate entering and exiting banquet

rooms and buffet lines.

• We will place 2 m markers for physically distanced line for counter

service.

• We will place 2 m markers on the floor outside washrooms in the event

of lineups.

• Whenever possible, we will open windows and guest doors or roll-up to

allow fresh air into our space

• For water service, staff will provide water in a jug at the table and allow

guests to pour their own water. For coffee service, it will be set up as a

station for guests or available at the bar.

• Servers are to only eat from the buffet food after it is brought in at their

own discretion. They are asked to bring Tupperware from home to place

food in and keep it out of the servery.

• There should be no eating in the servery

Enhanced Back of House Protocols are:

• Employees should wear their kitchen uniforms and/or work clothes. No

street clothing to be worn in the kitchen.

• We will limit the number of people who aren’t cooks and chefs entering

the kitchen area. This includes deliveries, service technicians and sales

people. For any deliveries that would normally enter the kitchen, we will

create a staging area for deliveries outside of the kitchen. Where

possible, we will unbox items before bringing them into the kitchen.

• Food handlers are to wash their hands every 30 minutes for best

practices.

• Chefs are to wear masks and gloves when serving food off the buffet.

• Use of Gloves:

▪ Gloves recommended for cold food preparation and cold plating.

▪ Gloves mandatory when handling deliveries and receiving raw

food product and must be changed frequently or after each task.

• Kitchen and prep areas are to be wiped down in 30-minute intervals with

approved sanitizer. This will include all fridge and door handles and

faucet handles in the kitchen.

• Our chefs and cooks will not regularly share knives, utensils or service

tools. If shared, they will be cleaned/sanitized between users.

• Our cook and chef teams will observe social distancing whenever

possible, i.e. when in the walk-in fridges/freezers, dry storage area,

during staff meetings, staff meals, receiving orders, large prep jobs, etc.

When this is not possible masks will be worn.

Cleaning and hygiene

• Hand-washing facilities on site for all workers and ensure the location is visible and

easily accessed. Workers must wash their hands, including upon arriving for work,

before and after breaks, using the washroom, handling high touch areas, after

handling credit/debit machines or other materials and before and after handling

common tools and equipment.

• All kitchen sinks will have hand-washing instructions.

• Implement a cleaning protocol for all common areas and surfaces, including

washrooms, equipment, tools, common tables, desks, light switches, and door

handles. Ensure those engaged in cleaning have adequate training and materials.

• Remove any unnecessary tools or equipment that may elevate the risk of

transmission.

• We are supplementing with limited use of non-medical masks in the following core

positions and for the following core tasks:

- Doing dishes

- Clearing or serving tables

- Assisting banquet guests

- Attending chefs at Stations and Buffets

Our Enhanced Cleaning schedule is:

• Service counters and front door handles are wiped down in 30-minute intervals with

approved sanitizers by front of house Banquet Staff

• For counter service, POS machines will be sanitized in 30-minute intervals

• When staff switch positions, any shared equipment will be sanitized. This will include

all repeated contact surfaces such as computer terminals, keyboards, POS machines.

• Staff should perform regular hand washing with soap and water for at least 20

seconds following the official hand-washing guidelines.

• Hand-washing will be done:

o Before and after breaks

o After touching or cleaning tables any surfaces that may be contaminated

o After sneezing, coughing or nose blowing

o After touching your face or hair

o After using the restroom

o After touching personal phones

o After using shared equipment such as computers, POS systems and debit

terminals between different users

• All kitchen surfaces, equipment used and handles of all types will be sanitized at the

end of shift following the product cleaning specs.

3

Sickness

• Anyone who has had symptoms of COVID-19 in the last 14 days must self-isolate at

home; symptoms include fever, chills, new or worsening cough, shortness of breath,

sore throat and new muscle aches or headache.

• Anyone under the direction of the provincial health officer to self-isolate must follow

those instructions

• Each staff member is required to answer 3 Health and Safety questions upon

punching in to their scheduled shift.

• Anyone who has arrived from outside of Canada, or who is a contact of a confirmed

COVID-19 case, to self-isolate for 14 days and monitor for symptoms

• Prohibit or limit visitors.

• If you start to feel sick at work, immediately notify your manager and go home.

• Our designated isolation spot at the Country Club is the Bridal Suite. Should this

room be occupied the staff member in question can use one of the other bridal

rooms to isolate.

4

Develop communication plans and training

You must ensure that everyone entering the workplace, including workers from other

employers, knows how to keep themselves safe while at your workplace.

• Be sure everyone is trained on the measures you have put in place and the policies

around staying home when sick.

• Post signage, including occupancy limits and effective handwashing practices.

Signage will be posted at the main entrance indicating who is restricted from

entering the premises (including visitors and workers with symptoms).

• Ensure supervisors have been trained on monitoring workers and workplace to

ensure policies and procedures are being followed.

Monitor your workplace and update your plans as needed

• Things may change as your business operates. If you identify a new area of concern,

or if it seems like something isn’t working, please advise your manager.

• Ensure that workers can raise safety concerns. Should any staff have concerns they

may bring them to our health and safety committee led by Danielle Guy.

Assess and address risks from resuming operations

• Have you had any staff turnover, or are workers being required to change or adapt

job roles, or to use new equipment? Consider training or new employee orientation.

• Employees will be trained on Health and Safety as they are on-boarded.

• Will workers need time or training to refresh their skills after having been out of the

workplace?

• Workers returning to the workplace will get a short run down on new protocols but

should not need any refresher training days unless they request them.

• Have you changed anything about the way you operate, such as the equipment you

use or the products you create?

• The menu options have been lessened and adapted to our new allotment of guests

permitted.

• Service for Plated Dinners and Buffet Style have changed slightly.

• Entering and Exiting rooms has been adjusted.

• Pricing for events has changed drastically in consideration to what we are permitted

to accommodate compared to our regular occupancy limit.

• Lineups for the bar will be limited.

• Number of guests through the buffet at one time will be limited.

• All equipment used is the same with the addition of plexiglass barriers on the bar

tops.

Westwood Plateau Banquet Health and Safety Protocols

General

• There will be signs upon entry to the facility stating safely protocols and

encouraging social distancing.

• Guests are required to use sanitizer upon entry of the facility. An attended will be

at the door to direct guests to use the sanitizer mounted on the front doors.

• Tables are set 6ft apart to maintain social distancing

• No more than 6 people will be allowed at one table. These guests are required to

be within the same social circle. This is to be organized by the Host.

• We will be requiring a sweetheart table (only the couple – maximum 2 people) for

a head table for wedding events to allow for social distancing.

• A maximum of thirty-six guests will be allowed for ceremonies. These are the

guests that are to be seated. Vendors and wedding party who are standing can allot

for up to forty-five people.

• Cocktail Hours for wedding events will be permitted in the reception room only

following the ceremony. Guests will be asked to find their seats to avoid mingling.

They are not permitted gather in the common areas or pre-function spaces.

Gathering groups must maintain physical distancing with others at all times and

obtain no more than 6 guests per group.

• Guests can not be replaced with other guests to meet the maximum number of

guests permitted. Events must obtain the same guests in their allotment from the

beginning of the event to the end of the event. New guests will be refused entry.

• Coat check and coat racks will not be available to minimize touch zones. Guests

will be asked to keep their coats on the backs of their chairs.

• All tables and metal portion of chairs are sanitized before and after each use

• Events will be limited to no more than 45 guests.

• All washrooms and room doors will be propped open. Washroom checks will be

increased to every half an hour to ensure distancing is being followed within them

and to discourage loitering in these areas. During washroom checks staff will

sanitize these spaces. There is an occupancy limit of 2 people at a time allowed in

the washrooms.

• Markings will be placed on the floor outside the washroom for line up placement

and spacing.

• The bridal suite and rooms will be limited to 2 guests allowed inside at a time to

make sure to maintain social distancing.

• Group dancing will not be allowed. There will be a maximum of three dances for

wedding events, the first dance and the parent dances. Guests will not be allowed

to dance.

• Photobooths are required to not have props.

• Events will end by 11:00 pm. Last call for the bar will be at 10:45 pm.

• House rules are to be read out by the MC, these have been extended to include

new protocols.

• Desserts will no longer be served buffet style, rather platters will be placed on

guest tables to minimize gathering and touch points.

• Organizers are to provide Westwood plateau with a list of contact information

(name and phone number) for one member of each table as per Fraser Health

tracing protocols.

Gallery Level

• One Bar will be available in the pre-function area. Plexiglass is installed on the

counter to create a barrier between staff and guests.

• All traffic flow is one way. To enter the room, guests will enter via the guest

entrance. To exit the room to leave, to visit the bar or to use the house facilities

guests will use the elevator hallway exit.

• Buffet line – Guests will walk in one direction through the buffet line. They will

start from one direction and end at the other. Chefs will be situated on one side of

the buffet line facing guests. They will dish food to guests as they pass through the

buffet line.

Panorama Level

• One Bar will be available in the Panorama Room. Plexiglass is installed at counter

to create a barrier between staff and guests.

• All traffic flow is one way. Guests will enter the room by the Panorama A doors,

and exit the room by the Panorama B doors, and down one side of the buffet line

hallway closest to the windows.

• Buffet line – Guests will walk down one designated side of the buffet line.

Directional signage will be provided.

Service

• All serving staff will wear gloves and masks. Bartenders will be housed behind

plexiglass.

• Shots will not be permitted.

• There will be one bar per event. Guests are encouraged to use tap when paying by

card. There will be markers on the ground to show where guests must stand apart

from one another in the line up. Guests are asked not to come up in groups to the

bar and to respect the guideline markings on the floor.

• Line ups at the bar to order will be limited.

• Dinner wine will be available at the bar or can be plunked on guest tables. Staff

will fill water glasses at the beginning of the event and place a water jug onto the

tables. They will then only be refilling water jugs and not the glasses on the tables

to minimize touching.

• There will be no touch menus for bar items, rather one Bar Menu sign on the bar

top in a plexiglass holder for guests to review.

• All buffets, food and beverage stations will have a sanitization station, with

signage. Guests must sanitize their hands before going through the buffet line as

per BC Health Officials.

• For Plated Meal services, dishes will be set up on a small side table by each 6ft

round. The meals will be placed onto it and the guests can individually retrieve

meals from side table.

Staff Protocols

• Washrooms, bar surfaces, plexi glass, and food pick up trays will all be

cleaned and sanitized regularly.

• Staff will wear a new set of gloves each time they do a sanitation round and

when they clear tables.

• Guests will be asked to place dirty dishes to the side of their tables that are

left open. Staff will then collect and clear dirty glassware, plates, etc. from

the open areas at guest tables.

• All staff must wash hands at least every half an hour and after each

sanitation round.

• Staff will sanitize their work space after shift to ensure it is safe for the next

members.