COVID-19 NEWS

APRIL2021 COVID-WORKING PROTOCOLS

4/17/2021

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Amano Gardens: COVID-19 Work Guidelines
STATE OF EMERGENCY – STAY AT HOME ORDERS PROTOCOL

STAFF

A mandatory online self-assessment test is required to each staff every workday. The assessment automatically submitted to management and MUST BE COMPLETED before going to the scheduled maintenance site.

Staff who consider themselves at higher risk (e.g., immuno-compromised, chronic disease, older age) are advised to stay in self-isolation at home and not take work shifts.
Staff are required to work independently, with no co-workers or supervisors on site, for most of the work assigned according to the colour code regulations stablished by the government of Ontario.
Should any other person approach staff while onsite, staff are to maintain the recommended 6 ft distance and request the other person keep their distance.
Staff is prohibited from entering the client's residential quarters.
Staff should consult with management if access to sheds, garages, or other structures is required.
1. Transportation:
  - Amano advises against carpooling.
  - Staff who rely on public transportation are advised to follow Ottawa Public Health precautions.
2. Protective equipment:
  - Amano provides staff with gloves (one clean pair per property per day), reusable cloth masks, hand sanitizer, and hospital-grade surface disinfectant.
  - Quantity of gloves provided to staff will depend on the number of shifts per week assigned per staff.
  - Staff is to change gloves and put on a fresh pair for each property.
  - Staff is responsible for washing all used gloves and masks at the end of their shift and getting them ready for another day.
3. Support:
  - Amano will strive to provide staff with as much information as possible on available services and how to access them.

CLIENTS
- A mandatory online self-assessment test is required to each client for the day of the scheduled service. The assessment automatically submitted to management and MUST BE COMPLETED before staff arrives to the maintenance site.
  - Clients who do not have access to the online questionnaire, can request a courtesy call from Amano staff to complete the questionnaire over the phone.
- On-site consultations are discouraged unless deemed essential.
  - If necessary, on-site consultations will be carried out practising social distancing as prescribed by public health officials i.e. maintaining 6 ft distance at all times. Clients will be required to wear masks if meeting staff on-site.
- Garden coaching services are suspended until further notice, when changes in Public Health guidelines are updated.
- Client’s properties
  - Properties that require access through the residence to get to the backyard will not be served during the 2021 landscaping season, or until further notice, when changes in Public Health guidelines are updated.
  - Only properties that have external access to the garden areas will be served (e.g., front yards, garden gates to backyard).
WORK SCOPE

Amano will reduce the work scope of its operations while the City of Ottawa remains under COVID-19 emergency protocol with the five zones of public health measures (Prevent, Protect, Restrict, Control and Lockdown).
Service requests will be carefully assessed to determine essential from non-essential work.
Only essential work will be performed until further notice.
Amano considers essential work is that which relates to maintenance such as:
spring clean up (e.g., debris pick up, raking to allow proper access to outdoor space)
grass cutting, reduced to bi-weekly service, to avoid flowering grasses and weeds that exacerbate allergies and unkept areas that could harbour pests (e.g., ticks)
pruning that cannot wait without significant negative consequences such as potential disease or loss of specimen
new or existing vegetable gardens work to help with food production and reduce the pressures on our food systems

Amano considers non-essential work that which relates solely to esthetics, such as:

new design installations (except for those with the purpose of growing food)
rejuvenation of old gardens
new planting or seeding
mulching of garden beds will be assessed on a case-by-case to make a determination.

The default approach will be to postpone all work that can be delayed for later in the season without creating considerable hardship for plants and clients.

Work will be planned so as to be carried out on site by a maximum of one to three staff, and only where space allows for staff to maintain 6 ft distance at all times.
Work that requires more than one staff working in close proximity (e.g., lifting a heavy planter, planting a wire-basket size tree/shrub) will not be performed until further notice.

3. TOOLS

Using provided disinfectant, tools will be cleaned:
- at the beginning of each shift, and
- again before leaving each property.

4. SURFACES

Staff will disinfect all applicable surfaces (e.g., water taps, gate latches, hose nozzles) before:
- starting their shift at each property,
- leaving the property.

5. GARDEN SUPPLIES

Amano will limit the amount of garden supplies required, purchased or provided to a minimum to decrease the need for staff, clients, or management to shopping times.
If purchased by Amano, all purchased supplies will be disinfected upon delivery to the client's property (when applicable, e.g., plastic bags of compost, plant pots).
If supplies are provided by a client, staff will disinfect them upon arriving at the property before they start working.

We appreciate your cooperation in complying with these guidelines.

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April 16, 2021

4/17/2021

1 Comment

The challenges pile up but if we are to learn from the vigour nature shows us every spring, we shall turn our heads towards the sun and rejoice in the wonders of our surroundings.

Following the declaration of the State of Emergency in Ontario on April 8th, we are now under enhanced enforcement of the Stay-At-Home orders. As such, Amano has revised its 2021 protocols to reflect the severity of the situation and heed to the latest Public Health advise.

While we wait for further direction from the Government in their determination of essential work allowed, we are proceeding with April 2020's guidelines for the landscape industry and City of Ottawa's assessment:

Landscaping and lawn care businesses that are providing services strictly for safety, security or sanitation purposes will be allowed. These services include lawn cutting, dethatching, rolling, clearing yard and garden debris and aeration.

Landscaping projects commissioned for aesthetic reasons only, or that involve interlock, fences, decks, etc. will not be permitted until further notice from the Province.

We will continue to update our guidelines and work processes as we go along. Stay tuned, stay healthy!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at [email protected] or 613-656-1329

1 Comment

Launching of Landscaping season

4/22/2020

18 Comments

Yesterday, the City of Ottawa announced that property maintenance services will be permitted to operate as of May 1. Details can be found here.

In lines with our previous assessment of what is considered essential, the City of Ottawa states:

Landscaping and lawn care businesses that are providing services strictly for safety, security or sanitation purposes will be allowed as of May 1. These services include lawn cutting, dethatching, rolling, clearing yard and garden debris and aeration.

Furthermore, the City clarified that

all other activities, such as landscaping projects commissioned for aesthetic reasons only, or that involve interlock, fences, decks, etc. will not be permitted until further notice from the Province.

We are happy to inform our clients that we have an amazingly talented staff that has been sewing some wonderful non-medical masks for all our staff and we have been able to acquire botanical cleaning and disinfecting products (on their way from British Columbia!) to keep our sanitizing efforts at each site we visit.

We will continue to update our guidelines and work processes as we go along. Stay tuned, stay healthy!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at [email protected] or 613-656-1329

18 Comments

April 9, 2020

4/9/2020

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic Amano has developed the following guidelines for our staff and clients regarding to our work procedures and safety protocols.

During the state of emergency, only essential landscaping and gardening work will be carried out. Please read below (Work Scope) on what we have determined to be essential.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at [email protected] or 613-656-1329

Amano Gardens: COVID-19 Work Guidelines

Staff

Staff are required to work independently, with no co-workers or supervisors on site, for most of the work assigned during the lockdown regulations.
Staff are to maintain the recommended 6 ft distance with all other people they may encounter while working on their work assignment.
Staff is prohibited from entering the client's residential quarters.
Staff should consult with management if access to sheds, garages, or other structures is required.
Staff who consider themselves at higher risk (e.g., immuno-compromised, chronic disease, older age) are advised to stay in self-isolation at home and not take work shifts.
A mandatory self-assessment test will be required to each staff prior to taking a work assignment. The assessment is to be submitted to management the day before the work is scheduled.

Transportation:

Staff who rely on public transportation are advised to follow Ottawa Public Health precautions.
Amano advises against carpooling.

Protective equipment:

Amano provides staff with gloves (one clean pair per property per day), masks, and disinfectant.
Quantity of gloves provided to staff will depend on the number of shifts per week assigned per staff.
Staff is to change gloves and put on a fresh pair for each property.
Staff is responsible for washing all used gloves at the end of their shift and getting them ready for another day.

Support:

Amano will strive to find support for staff, for example by providing information on available services and how to access them.

Clients

Crew leaders and management are responsible for following up with clients over the phone and via email to discuss work scope and service delivery.
On-site consultations are discouraged unless deemed essential.
If necessary, on-site consultations will be carried out practicing social distancing as prescribed by public health officials i.e. maintaining 6 ft distance at all times. Clients will be required to wear masks if meeting staff on-site.

Client’s properties

Properties that require access through the residence to get to the backyard will not be served during the 2020 landscaping season, or until the threat of COVID-19 has passed.
Only properties that have external access to the garden areas will be served (e.g., front yards, garden gates to backyard).

Work scope

Amano will reduce the work scope of its operations while the City of Ottawa remains under COVID-19 emergency protocol.
Service requests will be carefully assessed to determine essential from non-essential work.
Only essential work will be performed until further notice.
Amano considers essential work is that which relates to maintenance such as:
- spring clean up (e.g., debris pick up, raking to allow proper access to outdoor space)
- grass cutting, reduced to bi-weekly service, to avoid flowering grasses and weeds that exacerbate allergies and unkempt areas that could harbour pests (e.g., ticks)
- pruning that cannot wait without significant negative consequences such as potential disease or loss of specimen
- new or existing vegetable gardens work to help with food production and reduce the pressures on our food systems
Amano considers non-essential work that which relates solely to aesthetics, such as:
- new design installations (except for those with the purpose of growing food)
- rejuvenation of old gardens
- new planting or sodding
- mulching of garden beds will be assessed on a case-by-case to make a determination.

The default approach will be to postpone all work that can be delayed for later in the season without creating considerable hardship for plants and clients.

Work will be planned so as to be carried out on site by a maximum of one to three staff, and only where space allows for staff to maintain 6 ft distance at all times.
Work that requires more than one staff working in close proximity (e.g., lifting a heavy planter, planting a wire-basket size tree/shrub) will not be performed until further notice.

Tools

Using provided disinfectant, tools will be cleaned:
- at the beginning of each shift, and
- again before leaving each property.

Surfaces

Staff will disinfect all applicable surfaces (e.g., water taps, gate latches, hose nozzles) before:
- They start working.
- Leaving the property.

Supplies

Amano will limit the amount of supplies required, purchased or provided to a minimum to decrease the need for staff, clients, or management to go shopping.
If purchased by Amano, all purchased supplies will be disinfected upon delivery to the client's property (when applicable, e.g., plastic bags of compost, plant pots).
If supplies are provided by a client, staff will disinfect them upon arriving at the property before they start working.

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