Orillia - August
Joint Health and Safety Committee
August 3, 2021
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Online Meeting via Zoom
Minutes
Regrets:, Shannon Scott, Carolyn Rimkey, Sree Kurissery, Chris Glover, John Siecker, Elana Weber,
In Attendance: Chris Murray, Bernadette Pickles, Chris Gouett, Rosa Fabiano, Theresa (T-Bird) Prisciak, Tim Rowe, Vicki TeBrugge Guest: N/A
1. Approval of Agenda Approver Seconder Moved Bern Vicki
2. Approval of the Minutes from last JHSC meeting – May 4, 2021 Approver Seconder Moved Rosa T-Bird
3. COVID 19 Updates
● General and Security o The Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) will be releasing an updated Postsecondary Education Public Health Measures Framework (originally issued in June 2020) in early August 2021 and "will ensure alignment with the most current public health and safety guidance and advice for September 2021 and onwards."
o Assuming current trends remain (high vaccination rates and low covid rates) our assumption is that in-person instruction and on-campus activities will be permitted to resume without capacity limits or physical distancing requirements, however masks and face coverings will still be required for all indoor settings and all post-secondary institutions. Masks and face coverings will not be required if you are alone in a room or an office on campus, but we are seeking clarification and will send a follow-up once received.
o The University will begin to plan and implement the return of faculty and staff between now and the end of August with the intent to have most staff and faculty back on campus for the start of the new academic year. This will be arranged departmentally so employees should discuss their individual RTF plans with their direct supervisor.
o The working group of Joint Health and Safety Committee members continues to meet regularly and provide guidance when requested by the Covid-19 Transition Committee.
o Staff and faculty with questions about their return to our campuses in the fall are encouraged to visit our Welcome back to our campuses: Fall 2021 webpage for information.
o Pending an announcement (August 16, 2021) to open both Heritage Place and University Ave Campuses
▪ All staff, faculty, and students allowed onsite
▪ No sign in or visit to Security required – this is for Residence as well. This is for Lakehead Community Members (Staff, Students, and Faculty). All other visitors will be asked to sign in and have a verbal COVID assessment
▪ Encouraged to do COVID assessment and abide by COVID protocols/procedures
▪ If you have symptoms please do not visit the campus
▪ Security will be available when Heritage Place is open and Staff/Faculty/Students are there. Some Staff and Faculty have indicated they will be working at Heritage Place. Students will be learning remotely for at least the next semester. Heritage Place Administration and Security will be discussing their opening plans and scheduling
o At this point Lakehead is waiting to hear from the Ontario Government regarding University and College reopening plans
o Georgian College’s website indicates that Lakehead/Georgian courses will be remote
o Everyone who visits campus (Staff/Students/Faculty/Contractors) are expected to complete the pre-assessment on the Lakehead Security App
o Noted that some members of the Lakehead Orillia Community may be mask exempt
o Discussion regarding the labs on the third floor
▪ Many labs are back to back
▪ In both labs (OA 3001 and 3002)
▪ Only one hallway between the two labs where the lockers are
▪ Looking at developing a plan for crowd control so that a lab is cleared out before a new lab enters
▪ Security will monitor the hallway between labs
▪ Looking at putting up signs, floor markers, etc. to indicate where to stand while waiting to get into the lab
▪ 24 lockers available OA 3001 and 24 lockers for OA 3002. Students are unable to bring coats, bags, boots, etc. into the labs because of health and safety reasons.
▪ Concern has been raised about how to utilize the lockers (being a high touch area) and clean them between uses as there will be labs back to back
▪ More labs in the fall than in the winter. Winter is a concern because of coats and boots
▪ Wondered about budget availability to help with a solution. Suggestion was put forward to speak with the Dean of Science and Environmental Studies. No Graduate Assistant is available because they limited and helping with courses
▪ Suggested that an email be send to the COVID-19 Transition Committee regarding the concerns about the labs and how best to deal with them
● Security
▪ Everything is going well
▪ Waiting to see what the re-opening plan is going to look like
4. Items Arising from the Minutes (last meeting)
● Fire Plan
o Received the CAD files and requested that it be updated by Thunder Bay Physical Plant o Waiting for completion of update – hopefully by the end of August, 2021 5. Injury and Accident Report
● Staff
o Security Guard (finger injured while knocking on doors) update – got an appointment for MRI. Will update when results are received
● Sports related
o None to report
● Students
o Incident without injury – Graduate Student was working in the lab. They were working in the fume hood when they bumped a container of formalin solution. The formalin solution spilled onto a work surface. The student cleaned the area immediately with paper towels and diluted water. They stored the paper towels in a zip lock back for disposal. Student was wearing personal protective equipment so there was no direct contact with the spill. Proper procedures were followed
6. Lab Update
• Lab is busy
o Three graduate students working in the lab
o Under graduate student working in the lab as well
o Vicki on campus three to four days a week to monitor the lab
o Everybody has been social distancing in lab 3
o Users of the lab have been signing into a Google Calendar and also logging what equipment they use
o Lab users have been really good about signing in
o Any issues have been addressed as they come up
o Everybody has been respectful of everyone else and keeping each other safe (wearing a mask, keeping the area clean) o Everything has been going well
7. Items for Discussion
• WSIB has announced that first aid certification has been extended to December 31, 2021
o Lakehead Orillia continues to monitor this
o Orillia Security Staff have been renewing their first aid certification on time
8. Adjournment/Next Meeting.
o Next meeting November 2, 2021
o Meeting adjourned