Home Service Professionals and Safety During Current Viruses

Current viruses are all over the news. With more and more people becoming infected each day, the severity of illness or how many people will fall ill is still unknown at this time. For the general American public, such as workers in non-healthcare settings and where it is unlikely that work tasks create an increased risk of exposures to current viruses, the immediate health risk from any current virus is considered low. But at the same time, protecting our customers while still being able to provide home services is our goal.

Our Crystal Blue Plumbing, Heating & Air team, takes our employees and our customers safety seriously. Don’t just use any home service company, choose one that is professional and educated in truly protecting you and your home.

At Crystal Blue, we need to consider how best to decrease the spread of acute respiratory illness and lower the impact of any contagious sickness in their workplace and with our customers home in the event of an outbreak in the US.

Preventive Measures our Crystal Blue Team has Implemented to Protect our Employees and our Customers:

• Educate employees about virus
• Actively encourage sick employees to stay home when sick, respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene by all employees
• Separate sick employees
• We use a program called Service Titan, which allows us to have our non tech positions work from home and provides us the ability 
    to dispatch our technicians from their homes as well. Limiting group encounters.
• Stagger work schedules to limit big size groups
• Cancel non-essential travel
• Perform routine environmental cleaning & disinfecting at office and in all vehicles
• Washing hands often with sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
• Try to avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze
• Do not reuse tissue after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose
• Keeping a safe distance from each other our 6 ft safe zone
• Avoid shaking hands, bump fists, wave or hand a business card instead
• Cleaning our work areas with detergent or soap
• Educate our team with keeping your immune system built up, taking vitamin C, fruit and veggies, exercise regularly,
   lower consumption of alcohol, don’t smoke and keep up your water intake.
• Crystal Blue has cancelled all group meetings and training until further notice. 

Necessary Knowledge

Q: Does the CDC recommend the use of face masks to prevent exposure to current viruses?

A: No, the CDC does not recommend those who aren’t sick to wear a mask. Only those who are healthcare professionals or are actively showing symptoms need to wear masks. This is to protect others who are at risk of becoming infected.

Q: Should I be concerned about pets or other animals?

A: While it’s possible that the virus emerged from an animal source, it’s spreading from person to person. At this time, there is no evidence that companion animals including pets can spread or contract current viruses. However, since animals can spread other diseases to people, it’s always a good idea to wash your hands after being around animals.

Q: Can the current virus spread through drinking water?

A: The virus has not been detected in any drinking water. Conventional water treatment methods that use filtration and disinfection, such as those in most municipal drinking water systems, should remove or inactivate the virus.

Q: Can the virus be spread through pools and hot tubs?

A: There is no evidence that pools or hot tubs can spread any current virus.  Proper use, maintenance and cleanliness (disinfection with chlorine and bromine) should eliminate the virus.

Q: How can I prepare? 

A: The best way to prepare is to store the things you need in the event of a quarantine. People should think about having daily necessities and medications to last about two weeks, in case they need to isolate. Massive stock piling of supplies is not necessary.

Accurate Information is Key

Make sure that you are getting reliable information! False information not only leads to hysteria, it can cause you or a loved one to risk exposure. Reference the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and NCDHHS. In addition, our employees are also being instructed with information from the Nevada County Health Department.

The Nevada County Department of Health has crafted an extensive list of information and resources and how to take precautions for minimizing risk of exposure. Please be on guard with any information you are getting via social media or other unconfirmed internet sources. Most importantly, stay safe and wash your hands!

REFERENCE: 

CDC.gov

MyNevadaCounty.com