SUMMER PLACE COVID-19 PREPAREDNESS POLICY/PLAN
Business name: SUMMER PLACE EXECUTIVE LODGE
Registration Details: ZIMBABWE TOURISM AUTHORITY Ref SCA 0145
Company Physical Address: NUMBER 2 GLEN DEVON CLOSE, HIGHLANDS, HARARE.
Company Contact Number: 0772 307062 OR 0771528285.
Contact Person (Owner/Manager) & Number: SUPERVISOR 0771528285
Number of workers on-site: 4
PURPOSE OF THIS COVID 19 POLICY AND PROCEDURES DOCUMENT
The Summer Place is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for all our employees, customers, patrons, guests and visitors. To ensure we have a safe and healthy workplace, the Summer Place has developed the this COVID-19 Preparedness Plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Managers and workers are all responsible for implementing this plan. Our goal is to mitigate the potential for transmission of COVID-19 in our workplace and community, and that requires full cooperation among our workers, management, guests and visitors. Only through this cooperative effort can we establish and preserve the safety and health of all concerned.
The COVID-19 Preparedness Plan is administered by Manager who maintains the overall authority and responsibility for the plan. However, guests and workers are equally responsible for supporting, implementing, complying with and providing recommendations to further improve all aspects of this COVID-19 Preparedness Plan. The Summer Place managers and employees have our full support in enforcing the provisions of this plan. Our workers are our most important assets. The Summer Place is serious about their safety and health, and protecting both its workers and guests. Employees and guests involvement is therefore essential in developing and implementing an effective and successful COVID-19 Preparedness Plan.
The Summer Place COVID-19 Preparedness Plan follows the industry guidance developed by the Ministry of Health and Child Care. It addresses: • safety of workers and guests, ensuring sick workers stay home; prompt identification and isolation of Covid 19 sick persons; • social distancing of at least 1.5 metres apart; • worker hygiene and controls; • Lodge and workplace building and ventilation protocol; • workplace cleaning and disinfection protocol; • drop-off, pick-up and delivery practices and protocol; and • communications and training practices protocol.
ENSURING SICK WORKERS STAY HOME WITH PROMPT IDENTIFICATION AND ISOLATION
Workers have been informed of monitoring and encouraged to self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Policies and procedures are being implemented to assess workers’ health status prior to entering the workplace and for workers to report when they are sick or experiencing symptoms. We strictly follow the requirements provided in the industry regulations and guidance that is applicable to the business with regard to health screening, how workers will communicate with the business if they are sick or experiencing symptoms while at home, how workers report they are sick or experiencing symptoms while at work, and how workers will be isolated in the workplace until they can be sent home or to official isolation centers.
WORKER HYGIENE AND CONTROLS
Basic infection prevention measures are being implemented at all times. Workers are instructed to wear face masks at all times when dealing with clients or in public domain, wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water frequently throughout the day, but especially at the beginning and end of their shift, prior to any mealtimes and always after using the restroom. All customers, patrons, guests and visitors to the Lodge are required to wash or sanitize their hands prior to or immediately upon entering the grounds of the Lodge or facility. Hand-sanitizer dispensers that use sanitizers of greater than 70% alcohol are at entrances and locations in the premises so they can be used for hand hygiene in addition to soap and water, as long as hands are not visibly soiled.
Workers and customers, patrons, guests and visitors are instructed to cover their mouths and noses with their sleeve or a tissue when coughing or sneezing, and to avoid touching their face, particularly their mouth, nose and eyes, with their hands. Workers and customers, patrons, guests and visitors are expected to dispose of used tissues in provided trash receptacles and wash or sanitize their hands immediately afterwards. Respiratory etiquette will be demonstrated on posters and supported by making tissues and trash receptacles available to all workers and other persons entering the premises.
LODGE LOCATION, ENVIRONMENT, BUILDING AND VENTILATION PROTOCOL
Maintenance of the Lodge and buildings includes necessary sanitation, regular preventative maintenance of building systems, including water, plumbing, electrical, heating and ventilation systems. Uncontaminated or unpolluted fresh air enjoyed at Summer Place is allowed into the buildings. The six bedroomed Lodge is located in the middle of a natural rain forest habitat measuring 17.6 hectares. Public roads are more than 500 metres away. We are strictly a private tourism facility. No random walk-in people or visitors or other visitors are allowed in the complex except for checked-in visitors who are normally a homogenous group that knows each other very well. We do not mix are guests because clients book the whole Lodge to themselves. It’s a “home away from home” holiday facility that provides maximum security, privacy, serenity and highly personalised client services second to none. Natural Vumba tropical rain forests with small dams, globally unique Vumba monkeys and birds, as well as forest walk-ways without meeting any other strangers, offer Edenic experience with maximum tranquillity, security and safety.
WORKPLACE CLEANING AND DISINFECTION PROTOCOL
Regular cleaning and disinfecting is implemented, including a schedule for routine cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces, equipment, tools and machinery, vehicles and areas in the Lodge environment, including restrooms, play rooms, lunch rooms, meeting rooms, gazebos, children play areas, play area toilets, checkout stations, fitting rooms, and drop-off and pick-up locations. Frequent cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch areas, including phones, keyboards, TV touch screens and remote controls, door handles, wall panels, railings, machines, utensils, chairs and cushions is done as a matter of best practices.
COMMUNICATIONS AND TRAINING PRACTICES AND PROTOCOL
This COVID-19 Preparedness Plan was communicated face to face and in writing to all workers before and when opening, and necessary training was provided as well. Additional communication and training will be ongoing. Instructions will be communicated to all workers including independent contractors, subcontractors, vendors and outside technicians about protections and protocols, including: 1) social distancing protocols and practices; 2) drop-off, pick-up and delivery; 3) practices for hygiene and respiratory etiquette; 4) recommendations or requirements regarding the use of masks, face-coverings and/or face-shields by workers and customers, clients, patrons, guests and visitors. All workers and customers, clients, patrons, guests and visitors will also be advised not to enter the premises if they are experiencing symptoms or have contracted COVID-19.
GUESTS BOOKING & CHECK-IN PROTOCOL
The SUMMER PLACE, a 6 bedroomed executive lodge run on Christian biblical principles, welcomes all guests interested in holidaying in Vumba. It offers a unique, memorable experience of its kind in Zimbabwe, supported by gazebos and braai facilities, well equipped children’s playgrounds, volleyball and basketball facilities, premium DSTV bouquet, Hope TV channels and internet facilities. Bookings are done and confirmed online through our website ( vumba.thesummerplacezw.com) once payment has been received. No drop-in guests or visitors.
Guests bring their preferred food which is then prepared, cooked and served by our customer centric staff who also do all the cleaning. However, pork, beer, drugs and smoking are strictly prohibited in line with biblical principles we subscribe to. Meals are cooked to clients’ taste and served as and when they want. No structured and rigid hotel mealtimes.
The online booking form will request for advance information about guests coming. This information includes full names of all guests, their IDs and contact numbers, full physical residential addresses, age profile, gender, mode of travel, number of guests, guests relationships, health status, underlying conditions, work or employment status, etc. This information will be treated with confidence.
On arrival, guests will undergo mandatory regulatory Covid 19 checks such as wearing face masks, temperature checks, washing of hands with soap water, sanitisation, as well as completion of check-in and indemnity forms once accepted to check-in. Guests failing Covid 19 health check will not be allowed to check-in. Those with Covid 19 symptoms, together with members they will be travelling with in the same vehicle, will be isolated, quarantined and immediately referred to National Covid 19 Rapid Response Team. Those allowed to check-in will be required to strictly observe Covid 19 rules and regulations as issued and guided by the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare.
COVID 19 PREPAREDNESS ASSURANCE PROTOCOL
Please provide the following information by checking the boxes to certify that you have done what is required.
This control plan/template outlines how our workplace will comply with the mandatory safety standards for operation in the COVID-19 reopening period. The template must be filled out to ascertain that we meet the requirements. It does not need to be submitted for approval to authorities but must be kept on premises and made available to guests and authorities in the case of an inspection or outbreak.
SOCIAL DISTANCING
Ensured that all persons, including employees, customers, and vendors remain at least six feet apart to the greatest extent possible, both inside and outside workplaces.
Established protocols to ensure that employees can practice adequate social distancing.
Provided hand washing capabilities throughout the workplace.
HYGIENE
- Posted signage for safe social distancing.
Ensured frequent hand washing by employees and provided adequate supplies to do so.
Required face coverings or masks for all employees.
Provided regular sanitization of high touch areas, such as workstations, equipment, screens, doorknobs, restrooms throughout work site.
STAFFING & OPERATIONS
Provided training for employees regarding the social distancing and hygiene protocols.
Established and maintained cleaning protocols specific to the business.
Ensured employees who are displaying COVID-19-like symptoms do not report to work.
CLEANING & DISINFECTING
Ensured that when an active employee is diagnosed with COVID-19, cleaning and disinfecting is performed.
Established a plan for employees getting ill from COVID-19 at work, and a return-to-work plan.
Prepared to disinfect all common surfaces at intervals appropriate to said workplace.