Future Stars’ response to COVID-19

Updated August 25, 2020

We are following the recommendations and guidelines provided by the Government of Ontario. These guidelines are changing and being updated as new best practices are determined. You can find the most current guidelines here: https://www.ontario.ca/page/government-ontario

The following outlines some specific changes that apply to our company/industry. These considerations range from general umbrella policies for the entire company to procedural adjustments in specific photoshoot situations.

As the COVID-19 pandemic constantly evolves Future Stars will continue to update our policies and procedures as conditions and best practice guidelines change.

We ask all employees and customers to keep in mind that there is no better protection against COVID-19 than hand washing and/or sanitizing hands, maintaining a six foot distance, and wearing a face-covering where distancing is not possible.

How we will ensure all workers know how and are able to keep themselves safe from exposure to COVID-19:

Constant review of the Ministry of Health guidance to ensure our procedures are up to date
Provide updates and notices in common areas
Post signage listing possible symtoms
Post proper hand and respitory hygiene signage throughout the workplace
Post screening checklist and mandatory masking signage (for visitors) at front and back entrance
Signage placed in hallway leading to the restrooms to ensure one way traffic
Encourage staff to stay home if they are experiencing any COVID-19 related symptons. We may need to accommodate a 2-week self-isolation period. Their specific symptoms will determine if this is necessary on a case-by-case basis.

How we will screen for COVID-19:

All staff must do a daily screening at home with the checklist provided. If they do not pass the screening then they are required to stay home and seek medical attention if necessary. If they pass the test upon arrival they must sign off that they have performed and passed the screening.
Limit visitors as much as possible. All visitors must complete a self screening and sign in and out.
In the event that we require a service call, the technician must complete the screening checklist prior to arriving and sign off that they have completed and passed the test.
Staff are encouraged to monitor their own symptoms at all times.
If concerned, staff should take the self assessment tool found at https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/
If a worker shows symptoms of a respiratory illness, they should remain at home and contact their health care provider, Telehealth Ontario or their local public health unit.
If an employee calls in sick they must report if experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19.

How we will control the risk of transmission:

To ensure staff maintain a physical distance of at least 2 meters, physical distancing floor signs have been placed throughout the production floor. Physical barriers will be placed where workstations cannot be moved or distancing is not possible.
Certain workstations on the production floor space have been rearranged to ensure distancing of 2 metres.
In smaller work spaces where proper distancing is not possible staff been instructed to wear masks that have been provided.
A daily cleaning schedule has been created to disinfect high touch surfaces and objects along with common areas. Responsible staff must sign off when their sanitizing is complete.
All staff are responsible for disinfecting their own work area upon completion of their shift.
Shared work spaces (ie. cutters, chairs, time clock, production/lunch table, Xerox) must be wiped down after each use.
Hand sanitizer has been placed in all common work areas.
When a shipment is delivered the receiver must wash their hands or use hand sanitizer.
Meetings are held on our production floor to allow for proper physical distancing.
Allow staff to work at home when possible to limit the amount of people in at one time.
Reduce the amount of order forms/payments collected and switch to an online ordering method as much as possible.
Any submitted paperwork/payments should be bagged with the exterior of the bag sanitized before it enters the building.
If possible submitted bags should be left for a specific time before opening. If this is not feasible the person handling the bags must practice strict hand hygiene and sanitize their work area afterwards.
If a worker shows symptoms of a respiratory illness, like a cough or difficulty breathing, they should stay home. 
If a worker has concerns that a co-worker has respiratory symptoms, the worker should raise their concerns with a supervisor.
Inform staff returning from abroad that they must self-isolate for 14 days and monitor themselves for symptoms, even if mild.

Onsite: General Photography

As front facing staff, the photography teams are dealing with greater exposure to risk factors. As well, they are our biggest asset in keeping our customers safe.

We have created isolated teams (cohorts) of photographers: Groups of 2-3 staff that only work together. If a staff member were to test positive for COVID-19 it would minimize the impact on customers and co-workers required to self-isolate and get tested. This will make scheduling more difficult but with all of us working together it will minimize any potential spread of the virus.

All photography staff must complete the online COVID-19 self-assessment prior to leaving their residence. https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/

All photography staff must properly wear a face mask before they exit their vehicle on location until they are back inside their vehicle for departure.

Photography staff would only remove masks on location to eat/drink during a break with the condition they continuously maintain a safe physical distance from any other individual – including co-workers. If possible, breaks and lunches should be taken outside.

Prior to entering the building photography staff will adhere to the league’s screening procedure. If the league has not implemented a screening questionnaire we will provide one for both league and company records. https://www.niagararegion.ca/health/covid-19/pdf/screening-tool-colour.pdf

Photographers are to take a photo of their completed screening questionnaire and email it to hsinwen@future-stars-sp.com for our records. The school would keep the hard copy.

Photography staff will maintain safe distancing at all times where possible.

Subjects waiting to be photographed should maintain safe distancing as much as possible.

Photographers are to work with league volunteers on the flow of athletes. Maintaining flow of athletes with safety distance measures being upheld will be a combined effort between photographers and league volunteers. Ultimately, we must let league volunteers enforce distancing measures put in place by the league.

It is highly encouraged for the league administration to pre-plan how athletes will be directed to the photography studios. We strongly suggest scheduling teams far enough apart so as to be able to maintain physical distancing within the photography area.

It is highly recommended that the photography area has designated entrances and exits to help maintain safe physical distancing.

Subjects required to wear a mask should only remove their mask once they are posed in front of the camera and the mask should be put back on before they leave their posed position.

Spray bottles with alcohol-based sanitizer are provided to all staff for multiple purposes.

Group photographs are not being offered at this time and instead Future Stars is offering a composite arrangement in place of group photos in programs where traditional group photos were once offered.

What we will do if there is a potential case, or suspected exposure to, COVID-19:

Exclude symptomatic workers from the workplace:

If a worker calls in sick or informs of symptoms, or close contact with someone with symptoms, they must take the self-assessment test. They must then follow any recommendations given by the tool, including being tested and self-isolating. They should contact their doctor or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 for further directions about testing and self-isolation.

If the employee is very ill, call 911 and let the operator know that the person may have COVID-19.

If a staff member shows symptoms in the workplace, they must return home and self-isolate immediately. If the employee cannot leave immediately, they will be given a mask to wear and will be isolated in a room with a closed door until they are able to leave.

2. Contact Public Health

Immediately contact local public health unit for guidance on next steps.

To support contact tracing, a visitors log will list anyone who may have had close interactions with an infected worker including their name, date, contact number, name of visitor’s business and time in and out.

Follow Public Health Guidance

Support local public health requirements that may include any of the following:

other employees who were exposed are notified and sent home to self-isolate, self-monitor and report any possible COVID-19 symptoms
the workplace may be shut down while the affected workplace or area and equipment are disinfected
disinfect surfaces that may have been touched by the ill worker as soon as possible
self-isolation for a minimum of 14 days for employees with symptoms and for those who have had close contact with an individual with symptoms or a confirmed diagnosis
symptomatic workers may need to self-isolate for longer based on the advice of public health or their health care provider

How we will assist in contact tracing:

Maintain attendance records
Maintain a visitors log tracking date and time of visit
Maintain current records of where our photographers have traveled while working for us, which co-workers they have recently worked with and which individuals they have recently photographed.
If an employee tests positive for COVID-19, any employees that have been identified as having close contact with that person will be notified.

Outbreak Procedure:

There are 3 outbreak scenarios we have prepared a response for:

Outbreak reported within a league:

All photography staff who worked at the league shoot in the past 14 days will be required to immediately self-isolate and be tested for COVID-19.

Outbreak reported by photography staff:

All leagues photographed by the infected staff member in the past 14 days will be immediately notified. Pegasus can provide a list of athletes that were photographed directly by the infected staff member.

The infected individual, as well as any staff they have worked with in the past 14 days, will be required to immediately self-isolate and be tested for COVID-19.

Outbreak reported by staff at our head office:

Although we have gone to great lengths to implement safety measures at our production facility an outbreak is possible. In the event of an outbreak our facility will temporarily close, a professional deep clean will take place and any staff who may have come in contact with the infected staff member will be asked to self-isolate and be tested.

How we will make sure our safety plan is working:

Assign a select group of managers to ensure there is compliance with all protocols within their department
Communicate any procedure changes to staff via email and signage
Will continue to update our policies and procedures as conditions and best practice guidelines change