Health & Safety Guidelines

CURRENT STATUS

The majority of our employees are still currently working from home (WFH) and only essential personnel are reporting to the various offices.

Upon returning to work we will stagger work schedules to minimize the number of employees in a space at one time while keeping a percentage of staff working remotely and rotating staff bi-weekly. This plan will more than satisfy existing social distancing guidelines and occupancy will be well less than 50% of the legal occupancy limit at any given point in time.

 

 

AIR BROOK COMMITMENT TO CLEANLINESS

Air Brook has recently begun the process of the formation of the Air Brook Safety and Cleanliness Council. The council will consist of our executive team with decades of chauffeured ground transportation experience along with outside experts in hygiene and infection prevention. The goal is to continue to be leaders and develop new cleanliness standards for the chauffeured ground transportation industry. The new standards will be designed to minimize risk and enhance safety for all of our clients and employees.  

 

AFFILIATE NETWORK

Air Brook has one of the largest vetted affiliate networks in the industry providing,   Ground Transportation in over 770 Cities Worldwide. 

Air Brook has begun communicating these required levels of service to our partners when servicing our clients. We are rolling out a multi-pronged platform to elevate our cleanliness standards and transportation service norms and behaviors to meet the new health and safety challenges presented by the current pandemic environment. This platform will enhance the well-established cleaning processes and training that are already in place and expected of our affiliates. We will be implementing an amendment to our affiliate SLA to continue to ensure that the highest level of standards are met.  

 

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Provide all employees with acceptable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as required by law and at no cost to the employee and have an adequate supply of PPE in case of replacement.  Continue to increase our PPE supply weekly while making additional vendor contacts to ensure we have enough supplies to deal with an increase in exposure or demand. We currently have enough supplies to last two months.  Face coverings will be cleaned or replaced after use or when damaged or soiled, may not be shared, and should be properly stored or discarded.  Ensure all employees comply with protective equipment mandates.

 

MANDATORY TRAINING

• Video training on COVID-19 prevention and safety.
• Video training on proper application and disposal of all PPE.
• Training on proper cleaning techniques.

 

EMPLOYEE PROTOCOLS – PHYSICAL DISTANCING

• Ensure employees comply with physical distancing requirements.
• Ensure six feet of distance between personnel and clients, unless safety or core function of the work activity requires a shorter distance. Any time they are less than six feet apart from one another, personnel must wear acceptable face coverings along with the client.
• Tightly confined spaces will be occupied by only one individual at a time unless all occupants are wearing face coverings. If occupied by more than one person, we will keep occupancy well under 50% of maximum capacity.
• Limit in-person gatherings as much as possible & use telecommute or video conferencing whenever possible. Essential in-person gatherings (e.g. meetings) should be held in open, well-ventilated spaces with appropriate social distancing among participants. Room capacity will be less than 50% at all times.

 

SCREENING / DOCUMENTING / REPORTING

Screening

Employees are being screened by one or more of the following methods currently or in the near future:

• Touchless forehead/temporality thermometer.
• A walkthrough body temperature detector to monitor employee temperatures.
• Thermal imaging cameras to detect elevated body temperature.

 

 

All employees reporting to work will be screened for respiratory symptoms and have their body temperature taken as a precautionary measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19 before entering the buildings. Each employee will be screened utilizing one or more methods.

An employee who has a fever at or above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or who is experiencing coughing or shortness of breath will be sent home or should not report to work. The employee should monitor his or her symptoms and call a doctor or use telemedicine.

The employee’s temperature and answers to respiratory symptom questions will be documented, and the record will be maintained as a private medical record

An employee sent home can return to work when:

• He or she has had no fever for at least three (3) days without taking medication to reduce fever during that time; AND
• Any respiratory symptoms (cough and shortness of breath) have improved; AND
• At least ten (14) days have passed since the symptoms began.

An employee may return to work earlier if a doctor confirms the cause of an employee’s fever or other symptoms is not COVID-19 and releases the employee to return to work in writing.

An employee who experiences fever and/or respiratory symptoms while home should not report to work. Instead, the employee should contact his or her immediate supervisor for further direction.

Implemented a mandatory health screening assessment (e.g. questionnaire, temperature check) before employees begin work each day and for essential visitors, asking about

• COVID-19 symptoms in the past 14 days
• positive COVID-19 test in past 14 days, and/or
• close contact with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases in the past 14 days.

Assessment responses must be reviewed every day and such review must be documented. Currently developing a digital company self-assessment for COVID- 19 symptoms that reports directly to the employee’s immediate supervisor through existing company technology.

In addition, all employees have been supplied a link to the COVID-19 self-assessment tool based on information from the CDC guidelines and Mayo Clinic expert opinion.

 

CONTACT TRACING NOTIFICATION

If an employee tests positive for COVID-19 we will immediately notify state and local health departments and initiate our own contact tracing plan and notification while cooperating with state contact tracing efforts, including notification of potential contacts, such as workers, clients, or visitors who had close contact with the individual, while maintaining confidentiality required by state and federal law and regulations. We have implemented a continuous log of every person, including workers, visitors, and clients who may have close contact with other individuals at one of our offices or in our vehicles.  

If an employee is exposed to COVID-19 they will be asked to consult with their primary physician and arrange the next steps while working from home and must comply with company policies prior to returning to work.  

If an employee tests positive the employee must work from home (if applicable) and cannot return to work until they are cleared by a physician.  

 

CONFIRMED CASE ACTION PLAN

We have developed a plan for cleaning and disinfection in the case of an employee testing positive for COVID-19.

This plan outlines how we will clean the applicable contaminated areas and with what products we will need and how we will acquire more if we run low on supplies.

 

CHAUFFEUR INTERACTION & CLIENTS IN-CAR EXPERIENCE

Contents of the chauffeur sanitizing and hygiene kit:

• Masks
• Gloves
• 12 oz Hand Sanitizer
• Paper Towels
• 32 oz Spray bottle with Disinfectant
• 22 oz Spray bottle to clean plastic safety divider according to manufacturer’s specifications
• Microfiber towels
• Individually wrapped masks for clients
• 5 x 7 alcohol wipes for clients
• Disinfecting wipes
• Disposal trash bags

 

In-Car:

• Chauffeurs will utilize a mask and gloves.
• Alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol in vehicle and chauffeur will sanitize hands prior to interaction with the client.
• We are requesting clients to wear masks and masks are available upon request.
• Alcohol wipes are offered to clients.
• The chauffeur will request the client’s preference prior to handling personal bags and belongings during pick-up and drop-off.
• If requested to handle personal bags and belongings all chauffeurs must sanitize hands and put on new pair of gloves prior to handling any of the aforementioned items.
• Remove all unnecessary amenities from the vehicle to avoid contamination.
• Chauffeurs have been instructed to avoid using the recirculated air option for the car’s ventilation during passenger transport. In addition, to using the car’s vents to bring in fresh outside air and/or lower the vehicle windows whenever possible with the client’s permission.
• Chauffeurs are required to keep a distance of at least 6 feet from passengers when outside the vehicle.
• Avoid of use of the front seat whenever possible to maintain social distancing protocols.

 

FLEET CLEANING & DISINFECTING PROTOCOLS

Air Brook has always had the reputation and maintained industry-leading levels of sanitizing our fleet. Rest assured Air Brook is continuing to work to adopt the latest guidance on cleaning and disinfecting while continuing to set the highest standards for our industry.  

We are following all recommended Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards pertaining to For-Hire vehicles in addition to our own safety council recommendations for additional safety.  

We are always using the highest classification of disinfectants recommended by the CDC, World Health Organization (WHO), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to treat known pathogens. We have installed safety partitions between chauffeur and passenger compartments where possible.  

 

VEHICLE CLEANING PROCEDURE

• Employees are viewing and/or attending training specifically on COVID- 19 and related safety and sanitation protocols
• When cleaning and disinfecting employees are wearing masks and disposable gloves if required by the products manufacturer’s specifications.
• Doors and windows must remain open whenever possible while cleaning/disinfecting the vehicle.
• The vehicle is cleaned & disinfected prior to the start of each shift & upon the exit of a passenger/s prior to a new passenger/s entering the vehicle.
• Employees are paying special attention to the interior of the vehicle such as hard seats, armrests, door handles, seat belt buckles, light and air controls, doors and windows, and grab handles, while making sure to clean properly with cleaner if the surfaces are visibly dirty, prior to disinfectant application.
• Once standard cleaning is completed by the maintenance team and/or chauffeur. They then proceed to use disinfectant spray/sanitizing wipes to disinfect the vehicle while again paying special attention to all commonly touched surfaces in the vehicle while being sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for concentration, application method, and contact time for all cleaning and disinfection products.
• Trained to ensure that cleaning and disinfection procedures are followed consistently and correctly, including the provision of adequate ventilation when chemicals are in use.
• Taught to understand the proper sanitizing techniques for porous vs non-porous surfaces.
• Special attention and detail are paid when sanitizing child car seats/boosters.
• Vehicles are treated with an antimicrobial surface protectant to create an active biostatic shield of positively charged ions that kill mold, virus, and bacteria on contact.

 

DISINFECTANT:

Our disinfectant is found on the EPA’s Registered Antimicrobial Products for Use Against Novel Coronavirus SARS- CoV-2 (List N), the virus that causes COVID-19. This product is an antimicrobial disinfectant that remediates bacterial and pathogenic contamination leaving no harmful chemical residuals.

 

SURFACE PROTECTANT:

Antimicrobial Surface Protectant that sets up an active biostatic shield of positively charged ions that kill mold, virus, and bacteria on contact.

One or more of the following methods of sanitization are being used for our vehicles:

 

ELECTROSTATIC SPRAY:

Electrostatic sprayers that allow for touchless disinfecting capabilities. The magnetically charged droplets produced by the electrostatic sprayers seek out and coat hard-to-reach areas and surfaces typically missed in standard cleaning processes.

 

ULV COLD FOGGER:

ULV cold fogger the C150 is ideal for applying disinfectants with its fully adjustable droplet size between 5 -50 microns.

 

BOTTLE SPRAYER AND WIPES 

DISINFECTING WIPES

 

SHUTTLE BOARDING PROCEDURES (REVERSE PYRAMID):

The following boarding pattern is being suggested for everyone’s safety. The reverse pyramid boarding pattern in the attached social distancing chart (combines back-to-front with outside-in). If the vehicle is unoccupied, riders are instructed to proceed to the rear of the vehicle to occupy the last set of seats first. The other riders then follow accordingly; if a rider has a condition that prevents them from sitting in the rear, they can inform the chauffeur or dispatch. The procedure for this will be to allow all other riders to board and then the person(s) who need to be seated in the front will do so at the end of the queue. We have posted signs/markings requesting passengers to sit six feet from other passengers and the chauffeur.

 

FACILITIES SIGNAGE

• Posted signage throughout the site to remind employees to adhere to proper hygiene, social distancing rules, appropriate use of PPE, and cleaning and disinfecting protocols.
• The following CDC printed resources either displayed throughout the facilities or prior to entering:
• Symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• What you should know about COVID-19 to protect yourself and others
• Prevent the spread of COVID-19 if you are sick
• How to Protect Yourself and Others
• How to Safely Wear and Take Off a Cloth Face Covering
• Guidance for Large or Extended Families Living in the Same Household
• Stop the Spread of Germs
• What You Can do if You are at Higher Risk of Severe Illness from COVID-19
• Stay home when you are sick!
• Please read before entering.
• 10 things you can do to manage your COVID-19 symptoms at home
• Share facts about COVID-19

ALL OCCUPANTS ARE TO WEAR A MASK AND THE REMAINING OCCUPANTS SHOULD KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE OF 6 FEET WHEN BOARDING.

 

FACILITIES PROTOCOL: PHYSICAL STRUCTURAL

• Implementation of high-efficiency air filters and analysis of current HVAC or ventilation systems to reduce the viral load in workplace interiors.
• Analysis of access control into the office and potentially updating to key fob access with automated doors to reduce touchpoints.
• Analysis of current high touch point light switches and the use of timed motion sensor switches. Removal of the clock in/out stations and migrated everything to application-based so employees can clock in/out on company-supplied devices.
• Reconfiguration of worksites to add more distance between employees. Spaced desks at least six feet apart whenever possible and discourage shared equipment or workstations.
• Posting of social distancing markers using tape or signs that denote 6 ft. of spacing in commonly used and other applicable areas on the site (e.g. dispatch window, chauffeur lounge, health screening stations).
• Establish designated areas for chauffeur supply pick-ups limiting contact to the extent possible.
• Implementation of physical barriers (sneeze guards) between dispatch and chauffeurs.

 

VEHICLE RECOVERY PROTOCOL

If we are notified of a positive COVID-19 case by a passenger or chauffeur, we will immediately begin the notification of the tracing process according to the CDC recommendations.

We will identify any and all vehicles the passenger or chauffeur may have been in and remove them from operations for a period of 48 hours.

Everything in the vehicle/s will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected including sanitizing the air. The final step prior to being returned to operations is to apply the antimicrobial surface protectant throughout the vehicle/s.

 

FACILITIES CLEANING

• Schedule daily cleaning and disinfection to all high-touch surfaces in our offices, such as door handles, desks, phones, light switches, and faucets.
• Touch surfaces will be disinfected prior to the start of a shift and at the completion of a shift.
• Individual employees are responsible for wiping down workstations prior to and after shift and eating at workstations is discouraged.
• Maintain cleaning logs on-site that document date, time, and scope of cleaning that follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Department of Health (DOH) recommendations.
• Conduct regular cleaning and disinfection at least after every shift, daily, or more frequently as needed.
• Consider all the high-traffic areas and touchpoints of your facility: door handles, light switches, elevator buttons, lobbies, bathrooms, break rooms, and shared offices.
• Increase the frequency of routine deep cleanings, with a focus on high-touch surfaces in the workplace, such as workstations, keyboards, telephones, handrails doorknobs, etc.
• Procurement of a professional cleaning company that specializes in COVID-19 cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing of each facility regularly as recommended by the CDC.
• The company will be applying an antiviral coating while cleaning.
• Ensuring employees comply with all hygiene and cleaning requirements.

 

SUPPLIES

• Provide and maintain hand hygiene stations for personnel, including handwashing with soap, water, and paper towels, or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing 60% or more alcohol for areas where handwashing is not feasible.
• Hand sanitizers are available throughout the facilities for employee/guest use.
• Support employee hygiene by keeping tissues, soap, disinfectant wipes readily available to all employees.

 

THE AIR BROOK SAFETY & CLEANLINESS COUNCIL:

FINDINGS:

At this point in time, the Air Brook Safety and Cleanliness Council has decided against the use of ultraviolet light in the “C” range, also known as UVC. The big challenge with using UV-C light is being sure your UV lamp provides a large enough dose of UVC light to all the surfaces you need to disinfect and that you are not exposed to the UVC light, as it is dangerous. UVC works fastest and most reliably on non-porous surfaces, but it may be easier and faster, as well as safer, to clean such surfaces with liquid disinfectants.

The decision to utilize a soft plastic in our safety divider versus a hard plastic one was an easy one. The CDC recommends a divider for for-hire vehicles and a hard plastic one doesn’t cover as well. A hard plastic divider can be dangerous in an accident while potentially prohibiting the proper deployment of side airbags.

 

CURRENT INITIATIVES:

• The Air Brook Safety and Cleanliness Council is still investigating the use of different in-cabin air filters but currently, we do not see any benefit since the recommendation is not to recirculate the air and use a fresh air mode and open the windows. Rest assured all Air Brook vehicles use all OEM air-cabin filters.
• The Council is reaching out to Lincoln/Ford to discuss the software that was developed to allow some of its Police Interceptor Utility patrol vehicles to use the climate control system to raise the cabin temperature to 133 degrees for 15 minutes to help kill any coronavirus inside. The research was conducted in conjunction with The Ohio State University found that the cycle could reduce concentrations of the virus present by up to 99 percent.
• Reviewing the replacement of door handles, push/pull locks, emergency exit devices, and more with silver ion coating that can help slow the spread of bacteria and viruses.
• Assessing and analyzing the elimination of porous surfaces and fabrics throughout our facility. Lobby chairs, carpets, and wall tapestries can harbor coronavirus particles for up to a week without sanitization.
• Analyzing the ability and legalities of having employees tested for Covid-19.

 

CONCLUSION:

Air Brook and the Air Brook Safety and Cleanliness Council is committed to monitoring the latest guidance from the CDC, WHO, EPA, and OSHA while updating our protocols, and developing appropriate guidelines for chauffeured ground transportation. This will include everything from training on safety and cleaning, sanitation, disinfecting, and social distancing protocols to providing appropriate personal protective equipment.

Our goal is to allow our clients to have peace of mind knowing the vehicle has been clean, disinfected, and sanitized according to the highest standards.

 

Learn more in our COVID-19 Health and Safety video: