Does your dealership’s health and safety plan include employee screening, record-keeping and audits?
As the pandemic rages on, with new variants of the virus in Canada, it is now more important than ever to ensure that dealerships and their staff continue their implementation of health and safety protocols — even amid COVID fatigue.
If the possibility of a COVID-19 breakout at your dealership seems unlikely at this time, it is worth noting that there have been numerous breakouts at places of business, including one at a Chevrolet dealership in Ontario in December 2020.
In an interview with Canadian auto dealer, Teresa Clow, Manager of Community Health Protection at the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit in Smiths Falls, Ont., said that particular outbreak was not the only one. “Cases had shown up in several sales and service centres in our region,” said Clow.
Asked what dealers can do to reduce the possibility of an outbreak, Clow suggested they conduct employee screening using the most current tool on the Ontario Ministries website (or your respective province), and follow-up with employees who are ill to ensure they visit an assessment centre.
“Keep good records to contact customers who come in, even just to browse.”
— Teresa Clow, Manager of Community Health Protection at the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit
She also suggested creating a workplace safety plan (see the template from Ontario as reference: https://www.ontario.ca/page/develop-your-covid-19-workplace-safety-plan), and making sure all surfaces are cleaned between the time a customer test-drives a vehicle or after the vehicle has been serviced.
Furthermore she advises reducing the number of people inside the showroom, and using well-fitted masks and physical distancing when interacting with customers and each other within the workplace. Clow also offers a word of caution about lunch rooms: reduce the number of people allowed in at one time so that a proper distance can be maintained.
“Keep good records to contact customers who come in, even just to browse — include information such as the date and time of visits and who they spoke to, as well as how to contact them,” said Clow. “This is very helpful to follow up with contacts of positive cases and reduces the need for media releases.”
But many dealers have implemented most (if not all) of these tips, and for some businesses and/or their employees the issue is not so much what can be done, since many provinces (such as Quebec) and the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) have offered tips and guidelines. For them the question is, what should they be aware of that they may not already know?
Clow breaks that down into a few simple points: meeting with customers inside a vehicle without masks or for long periods of time with masks may transmit the virus easily. All workplaces also need to implement a good screening process for employees (or maintain the high standards for the one they have), along with maintaining proper records.
One example of a dealership using technology to help with the screening process is Searles Chevrolet of Caledonia, Ont. They added a standalone, touchless pedestal and monitor (which they call Janus) that audibly welcomes customers into the dealership, while simultaneously checking their body temperature and whether or not the person is wearing a mask.
“OEMs are now mandating more and more that we dealers invest in or find solutions to this public health crisis, so we can continue doing business as usual,” said Mark Searles, General Manager at Searles Chevrolet. “Currently we are already checking temperatures, but this new Janus unit takes away the need for us to waste human resources on this necessary step.”
The Janus monitor is meant to ensure that both groups adhere to the basic safety guidelines set by the province, and has been configured to quickly monitor body temperature and “welcome” customers into the dealership if a person’s temperature reads below 37.3 Celsius (the body temperature threshold outlined by federal government’s public health guidelines).
The tech also includes facial recognition technology that alerts dealership employees to non-compliance around mask-wearing requirements. This is just one example of how dealers are tackling the screening process. However, that process may not catch the other key issue plaguing the country — the fact that some people may be asymptomatic.
“Many positive cases may not have symptoms, but still can spread the virus. Some people may have mild symptoms, but positive people can transmit the virus to others who may become seriously ill or die, so we all need to be very careful,” said Clow. “New variants of concern are on the rise and these pose a risk to our communities as they spread easily.”
Following the current public health measures protects against these as long as everyone remains vigilant, she added.
One of the reasons that active screening is important is that dealers can take note of all types of symptoms, including the mild ones, and then ensure the employee gets tested. And while wearing protective eyewear and a mask when physical distancing may be challenging, it will help reduce the risk level of a customer or an employee coming into contact with a positive person.
Clow also said there are no more social bubbles — or there should not be. This is because the people you work with interact with others outside of work, so anyone not following public health precautions is susceptible to the virus and may bring it into the workplace unknowingly.
“Poor practices in place can result in your workforce being in isolation for at least 14 days,” said Clow.
For dealerships in Ontario, she said charges can be laid against employers and employees for not following the requirements of the Reopening Ontario Regulation. However, there is some good news in these warnings: Clow said there have seen less outbreaks in the automotive retail industry during the last few months.
The most common themes in many workplaces experiencing breakouts is a lack of following the rules regarding the social bubble, mask usage, and physical distancing. And while lunch/break rooms are typically small, Clow said people let their guard down in these social settings and masks are removed to eat or drink. In this case, physical distancing needs to be respected while the number of people in the area must be reduced.
“Many positive cases may not have symptoms, but still can spread the virus.”
— Teresa Clow, Manager of Community Health Protection at the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit
“We all have to be responsible in following the public health measures, but businesses can make sure they are enforcing the rules when people are visiting their establishments,” said Clow. “Car dealers as employers have a responsibility to ensure health and safety measures are in place to protect employees.”
She said a safety plan is required but that employees also need to be made aware of it and trained on the measures, while dealers should implement audits of the measures in place to ensure they are being followed. Doing so could also help employees dealing with “COVID fatigue” remain alert and active.
There are a number of options available to dealers in terms of technology, products and services to help their stores and staff, whether small or large, remain vigilant and consistent in maintaining health and safety protocols. Alco Prevention Canada is one example, offering a long list of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) that ranges from masks to shields, sanitizers, wipes, thermometers, hand cleaning stations, and devices. And Health Canada has recommended a list of approved products on their website for cleaning and disinfecting hard surfaces (www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/disinfectants/covid-19/list.html).
In the meantime, dealerships will need to find a way to manage COVID fatigue among their staff and perhaps their customers, while federal and provincial governments work to vaccinate the population.
