NEW HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES
NEW HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES TO COPE WITH COVID-19 CONTINGENCY EXPLORA
OBJECTIVES:
Put the safety, health and security of travelers and the workforce at the core of the implementation of health and sanitary measures.
APPROACH:
- Implementation of health measures supported by medical evidence, and in coordination with governments and public health authorities. Measures are based on WHO, CDC and Secretaria de Salud Mexico directives.
- Share consistent protocols which are outcome driven, across all our destinations.
- Rebuild trust and confidence with travelers through effective communication & marketing; letting them know the protocols implemented and assurances available to keep them safe.
- Advocate for the implementation of enabling policies to support the recovery of the tourist sector. This document is subject to modifications and updates dependent upon new discoveries regarding the Covid-19 virus.
- Implementation of health measures:
This will include all personnel in general, guides, office collaborators, staff, vehicle operators, boat captains, restaurant staff and guests.
- All Explora personnel in general:
These guidelines apply to all Explora personnel at home:
a1. Keep isolated any member of the family under suspicion of covid-19 infection..
a2. Know your neighbors and be in contact with them via digital media to know of any cases in the vicinity.
a3. Elaborate emergency contact sheet.
a4. Remove all clothe arriving at home and either take a full shower or at least wash hands and arms.
a5. Clothes are to be washed as soon as possible and preferably sun dried.
a6. Leave purse, wallet, watches jewelry and items as such near the entrance of the house.
a7. Remove shoes and leave at the entrance.
a8. If possible, disinfect shoe soles with a water and chlorine solution (one litter of water and two spoons of chlorine).
a9. Ventilate your home.
a10. Disinfect home surfaces with a water and chlorine solution (one liter of water and two spoons of chlorine).
a11. Wash hands as often as possible, before and after any meal, after breaks, after using the restroom and after using any object that could have been manipulated for any other person.
a12. If coughing or sneezing, protect mouth with inside of elbow.
a13. Use hand sanitizer as often as possible.
a14. Keep safe distance, that is, at least one meter between each other.
a15. Avoid crowds.
a16. Use personal barriers depending on their tasks and particular situations.
a17. Family members should be reminded not to touch their faces.
- These guidelines apply to all Explora guides:
b1. All guides will be subject to a daily questionnaire and temperature reading and if they present any suspicious symptom, they will not be working until further notice.
b2. All our Guides will use for the time being face masks and gloves.
b3. Greeting will not include any physical contact with Guests.
b4. Guides will have hand sanitizer for themselves and to offer Guests.
b5. Guides will encourage safe distancing between participants during all the tour, between 1 and 1.5 meters among participants.
b6. Safe distance need to be determined in order to determine the maximum number of personnel to attend a confined space. In the case of guides will be at least 1 meter of distance between them.
b7. At the beginning of the tour and during the welcome speech, Guides will ask all Guests about possible flu symptoms, such as fever, coughing, etc.
b8. Release forms, if applicable will not be shared among participants.
b9. Guides will remind Guests about general rules such as not to touch one’s face, avoid physical contact if not necessary, if coughing or sneezing, do so while protecting one’s faces with inner part of the elbow, not hand, use hand sanitizer continuously during the tour.
b10. Maximum number of participants per vehicle will be adjusted (to be discussed specifically per tour and type of vehicles used).
b11. Guests should be reminded not to touch their faces.
- These guidelines apply to all Explora office personnel:
c1. All office personnel will be subject to a daily questionnaire and temperature reading and if they present any suspicious symptom, they will not be working until further notice.
c2. Make sure all offices are clean and disinfected.
c3. Make sure inventory on cleaning supplies goes accordingly to current needs.
c4. Frequent cleaning of surfaces and items such as sinks, floors, door handles, desks, tables, chairs, telephones, lamps, etc.
c5. For cleaning duties, make sure to use proper gloves and cleaning solution, nitrile gloves and chlorine and water solution.
c6. Place signs that indicate the proper way to wash hands and coughing or sneezing etiquette.
c7. Make sure there is enough soap and hand sanitizer for all collaborators and visitors.
c8. Make sure all collaborators know and understand the signs and symptoms of covid-19 so in case any of them present suspicions symptoms, they inform the person in charge so they can follow up.
c9. Keep A/C running between 23 and 26 degrees Celsius and make sure all A/C filters are clean.
c10. Collaborators should be reminded not to touch their faces.
c11. Safe distance need to be determined in order to determine the maximum number of personnel to attend a confined space. In the case of office personnel will be at least 1 meter of distance between collaborators.
c12. Trays with a carpet material inside will be soaked in a chlorine and water solution (one part of chlorine for 5 of water) at the entrance of the venues in order to disinfect shoe soles (close toe shoes will be used by all personnel).
c13. Elaborate emergency contact sheet.
- These guidelines apply to all other Explora staff (vehicle maintenance and cleaning of vehicles (jeeps, buggies, segways, kayaks and accessory equipment):
d1. All staff will be subject to a daily questionnaire and temperature reading.
d2. All our staff will use face mask, gloves and proper attire in order to sanitize all tour equipment such as vehicles, kayaks, helmets, etc.
d3. Place signs that indicate the proper way to wash hands and coughing or sneezing etiquette.
d4. Make sure there is enough soap and hand sanitizer for all collaborators.
d5. Make sure all collaborators know and understand the signs and symptoms of covid-19 so in case any of them present suspicions symptoms, they inform the person in charge so they can follow up.
d6. All vehicles should be cleaned prior, after each use and at the end of the day.
d7. Do not use compressed air for cleaning purposes that an spread viruses or germs if present.
d8. Special attention should be put in high touched areas such as handles, dashboard, steering wheels, etc.
d9. Staff will use a special tag that will indicate that the vehicles have ben properly sanitized and these will be removed at the end of every use to make sure they can be paced again when the vehicle has been sanitized once more before their subsequent use.
d10. Accessory equipment (paddles, helmets, googles, snorkel gear, etc.) should be cleaned before, after each use and at the end of the day.
d11. All snorkel gear will be carefully sanitized after each use.
d12. No snorkels will be re-used, they will be available for purchase or already included in the tour.
d13. Collaborators should be reminded not to touch their faces.
d14. Proper signage at venues should be placed to remind all about safe distance and proper hand washing etiquette.
d15. Safe distance need to be determined in order to determine the maximum number of personnel to attend a confined space. In the case of office personnel will be at least 1 meter of distance between collaborators.
d16. Trays with a carpet material inside will be soaked in a chlorine and water solution (one part of chlorine for 5 of water) at the entrance of the venues in order to disinfect shoe soles (close toe shoes will be used by all personnel).
d17. Elaborate emergency contact sheet.
- These guidelines apply to Explora vehicle operators and Explora boat captains, ground transportation and vessels:
e1. Drivers, boat captains and staff should monitor their health prior to starting a trip. If a driver is experiencing symptoms, even if they are mild cough and fever, they should stay home and advise their employer so steps can be taken to protect co-workers.
e2. Drivers and boat captains should wear the proper barriers for their work, such as face masks and eye protection, nitrile gloves (for cleaning purposes).
e3. Do not use compressed air for cleaning purposes that can spread viruses or germs if present.
e4. Make sure vehicle interiors are clean and hygienic by wiping surfaces with disinfectant.
e5. Make sure all vessels are clean and hygienic by wiping surfaces with disinfectant.
e6. If the boat tour includes lunch or snack, this will be served in separate sealed portions.
e7. Cleaning is a critical first step for disinfecting affected surfaces. In general, when cleaning vehicle interiors Put on disposable, water-proof gloves. Avoid hand contact with the face, especially the nose and eyes. Direct contact with contaminated areas should be avoided.
e8. Wipe off what you wipe on; don’t leave chemicals to linger.
e9. High touch surfaces in trucks and vans should be regularly cleaned.
e10. Safe distance need to be determined in order to determine the maximum number of personnel to attend a confined space, in the case of vehicle operators it will be at least 1.5 meters.
e11. Buses both open and closed will be used only to a 60 percent of their capacity to increase safe distance among occupants.
e12. Vessels will be used only to a 60 percent of their capacity to increase safe distance among occupants.
e13. Collaborators should be reminded not to touch their faces.
e14. Proper signage at venues should be placed to remind all about safe distance and proper hand washing etiquette.
e15. Jeeps and vans will be sanitized with ozone cleaning machines.
e16. Vehicles such as jeeps, buggies and vans, will have a sticker after they have been properly sanitized to make sure they have been disinfected properly before being used.
e17. Elaborate emergency contact sheet.
- These guidelines apply to all Explora restaurant staff:
f1. All restaurant staff should monitor their health prior to starting a trip. If a collaborator is experiencing symptoms, even if they are mild cough and fever, they should stay home and advise their employer so steps can be taken to protect co-workers.
f2. Thoroughly clean the entire restaurant and kitchen upon reopening.
f3. Avoid food contact surfaces when using disinfectants.
f4. Update cleaning schedules and logs to reflect increased disinfecting for high touch areas including door handles, front of house counters, restrooms as well as in the back of house.
f5. Clean and disinfect shared equipment such as credit card machines, point of sale stations after every use.
f6. When cleaning tables between every seating, any cutlery, salt and pepper shakers, sauce dispensers, or other items must be removed and cleaned then sanitized or disinfected. Tables should be left empty until the new guest arrives and only those items needed should be provided to customers.
f7. Make hand sanitizer available for staff and guests.
f8. High risk infection areas need to be cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis to protect against pathogen spread. These key touch points include areas where traffic is high.
f9. Clean all areas frequently.
f10. Maintain excellent hand hygiene.
f11. Use a disinfectant with a viral/bactericidal claim to disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
f12. Staff should wear eye and face mask protection as well as gloves wither latex or nitrile if they are intended for chlorine cleaning.
f13. Collaborators should be reminded not to touch their faces.
f14. Avoid cross-contamination when wearing gloves – do not touch your face, eyes, nose or mouth.
f15. Disposable gloves must be changed as frequently as applicable to avoid cross-contamination.
f16. Wash hands thoroughly before wearing the first pair of gloves when changing gloves wash hands before wearing the next pair.
f17. All restaurants to be used during the tour will have and sanitizer available.
f18. All wares used for food consumption will be carefully sanitized.
f19. For buffet style serving, Guests will not handle food, they will only indicate which food they like and collaborators will be in charge of serving.
f20. Trays should use clear tops to protect food.
f21. If menus are in use, they should be cleaned after every use.
f22. All venues will be cleaned before, during and after each tour.
f23. Safe distancing will be encouraged between participants, tables, beach chairs and bed, will be spread to increase distance among them (distance between tables should be at least 1.5 meters and seating per table should be maintained at four maximum).
f24. Safe distance need to be determined in order to determine the maximum number of personnel to attend a confined space. In the case of office personnel will be at least 1 meter of distance between collaborators.
f25. Proper signage at venues should be placed to remind all about safe distance and proper hand washing etiquette.
f26. Trays with a carpet material inside will be soaked in a chlorine and water solution (one part of chlorine for 5 of water) at the entrance of the venues in order to disinfect shoe soles (close toe shoes will be used by all personnel).
f27. Elaborate emergency contact sheet.
- These guidelines apply to all Guests:
g1. It is the responsibility of Guests to communicate to our collaborators if they suffer any symptoms of covid-19, so we can activate the safety protocols that the government has implemented in order to respond to this cases.
g2. Guest will be invited to wear face mask and eye protection during the tours.
- Share consistent protocols:
The above protocols have been prepared based on the last medical findings and since this is still a contingency in progress could be modified according to new developments as well as new government directives.
These practices are to be shared among all Explora collaborators located all around the Mexican ports and destinations where we operate to be implemented across the board before reactivation of Guests visits.
- Rebuild trust and confidence:
These will be achieved with the following actions:
a1. Communicating the above protocols to all collaborators.
a2. Collaborators that interact with Guests will inform them of the protocols that we follow in order to increase the hygiene standards and keep a clean and safe environment for all involved.
a3. Placement of proper signage at venues and places of work to remind all of rules to follow in order to avoid contagion.
a4. Elaboration of videos to show that proper procedures are followed among collaborators and visitors.
- Advocate for the implementation of enabling policies:
The above will be attained with collaboration and coordination with other tour operators and the government in order to follow and update if necessary, the procedures to follow to be able to re-activate tourism, which is a very important sector of the economy.
APPENDIX 1:
General Health Operational Practices.
APPENDIX 2:
Sneezing etiquette sign.
APPENDIX 3:
Hand washing procedure sign.
APPENDIX 4:
Social distancing sign.
APPENDIX 5:
COVID 19 symptoms sign .
APPENDIX 6:
Buggy sticker after proper disinfection.
APPENDIX 7:
Jeep sticker after proper disinfection.
APPENDIX 8:
Van sticker after proper disinfection.