Safety is a core value at Railroad Construction Company, Inc. The health, safety and well-being of every co-worker, our number one asset, and their family, is paramount to upholding this value and it is practiced and enforced twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
With an in-house Health and Safety Department, RCC has developed a COVID-19 Response Team to implement a comprehensive COVID-19 Response Program, outlining the policies and procedures to reduce the spread of the virus in office environments and on any project site.
Through the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD), individual RCC co-workers have successfully completed "Making Contact: A Training for COVID-19 Contact Tracers" to identify and thoroughly investigate all suspected or confirmed COVID cases or individuals who may have had close or direct contact with a suspected or confirmed case and take prompt action in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Department of Health guidelines.
The COVID-19 Response Program is continually updated to reflect the industry's latest regulatory changes and address restrictions and guidelines issued by the CDC, State and the Department of Health to protect individuals from COVID-19.
The greatest factor to creating an effective response to the COVID-19 Pandemic is strengthened by each co-worker's dedication and commitment to implementing a healthy and safe work environment.
RCC is conscious of the emotional and mental toll this pandemic has created. An internal Human Resources Department is available and equipped with the appropriate resources tor help any co-worker seek the professional guidance they may need.
RCC PLAN OF ACTION to STOP THE SPREAD of COVID-19
Since the onset of the pandemic, RCC has followed state and federal mandated guidelines as well as industry best practices. To maintain a safe and healthy operation at all project locations and at each RCC office, the RCC Health and Safety Department has implemented guidelines and protocols for every co-worker and essential visitor to follow:
- Wear a face covering/mask at all times.
- Daily health checks are performed for every worker.
- RCC has adapted a "Do Not Work Sick" policy to prevent co-workers from arriving at a project site or office if they are ill.
- Restricted carpooling.
- Restricted workers from gathering in shanties.
- Increased and specialized cleaning and sanitizing of all frequently touched surfaces.
- Limited all air travel unless absolutely critical.
- Evaluated all work tasks and implemented new procedures to ensure co-workers are practicing social distancing and maintaining a minimum distance of 6 feet apart.
Studies and evidence on infection control report that respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks, usually travel around 6 feet. The use of face coverings may slow the spread of the virus and help unaware infected people form unknowingly transmitting it to others.
In an attempt to prevent close, direct contact between co-workers, we have separated all shared working spaces and posted capacity limitations on all common areas such as kitchens and conference rooms.
- Additional wash stations and hand sanitizer dispensers have been added to project sites and office locations to assist co-workers in the practice of good hygiene.
- If someone reports an illness to you or you become aware someone is not feeling well, isolate the individual (avoiding contact with any other individuals) and notify the RCC Health and Safety Department immediately.
- If you or someone else has had close contact with a confirmed or suspected case, isolate the individual (avoiding contact with any other individuals) and notify the RCC Health and Safety Department immediately.
ESSENTIAL VISITOR SCREENING
Prior to entering any RCC working location, every visitor must complete the Essential Visitor Screening Form to document their visit including who they are visiting, areas of the building they will access and answer general COVID-19 related questions to ensure the safety of our co-workers who are presently in the building or onsite.
At RCC, our number one core value is the safety, health and well-being of our most valuable asset, our co-workers. It is our ongoing goal that each co-worker returns home after each shift in the same or better condition than when their shift began. With the ongoing dedication of each individual co-worker, we can overcome the obstacles presented by this global pandemic and keep our co-workers, their families and the public within the communities in which we work, safe and healthy.