Biosafety Protocols
Biosafety Protocols
NOMADIC ECUADOR understands the Health and Biosafety will be critical to ensure passengers feel safe when travelling therefore in order to protect our travelers, staff and community; NOMADIC ECUADOR have implemented our biosecurity protocols based on World Health Organization recommendations and measures established by our Ecuador authorities: MTT6-PRT-008 [Version 1.0] YEAR 2020 MINISTRY OF TOURISM MINISTRY OF PUBLIC HEALTH MINISTRY OF PRODUCTION, FOREIGN TRADE, INVESTMENT AND FISHING:
Biosafety: Biosafety is the application of knowledge, techniques and equipment to prevent exposure to potentially infectious agents or agents considered to be of biological risk to people, laboratories, hospital areas and the environment.
PPE: Abbreviation for Personal Protective Equipment. It constitutes implements that protect a person from danger. It includes, but is not limited to gloves, mask, goggles, apron, helmet, etc. The use of these implements depends on the risks evaluated in each activity.
Recommendations for all staff before leaving home:
a) Daily personal hygiene
b) Clean clothes
c) Short nails
d) Picked up hair
e) Do not use jewelry: rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, etc.
f) Change clothes in the establishment, always washing and disinfecting hands.
g) Put on the mask before leaving home.
h) Maintain distance between people of at least two meters.
i) Take a gel sanitizer dispenser for personal use.
j) Do not touch your face or other parts of your body on your way to work. k) In case of presenting symptoms related to COVID-19, refrain from leaving the house, immediately notify the employer and do not go to the workplace.
Travel to workplace and return home
a) when travelling by public transport, or other means of transport (taxi), the interpersonal distance with other people must be kept; in addition to the use of a mask.
b) If you travel to your place of work on foot, by bicycle, motorbike or scooter, private vehicle or other type of mobilization, it is mandatory to wear a mask.
c) Keep interpersonal distance at all time. d) Clean and disinfect hands before and after using the means of transport
Establishment and workplace:
a) It is recommended that care be provided only through scheduled appointments.
b) The door of the Tourist Services Agency will always remain closed
c) If the workspace does not allow interpersonal distance to be maintained during ordinary shifts, the possibility of redistributing tasks, modifying work schedules and/or doing them by teleworking should be considered.
d) It is recommended that consultations be made through social networks, e-mail or telephone calls.
e) At the beginning, during and at the end of the working day, the following should be disinfected: entrance, waiting room, counters or customer service area, work area, bathroom, meeting room; depending on the type of premises and facilities where the Tourist Services Agency operates.
Due to Covid our entire staff is still working from home. Weekly online meetings with all our current staff
Employer: a) The person in charge must provide the worker with gel sanitizer at 70% for personal use during the working day. b) It is essential to wear a mask during the working day. The company must provide the worker with facemasks that comply with the technical specifications (the N95 respirator is excluded as they are intended for use by health personnel). c) The company must place a foot disinfectant area at the entrance to its work center with a liquid solution prepared to disinfect the soles of the shoes of workers and other people entering the establishment. d) The company must have a digital thermometer to take and record the temperature of workers as they enter and leave the workplace. Persons with a temperature higher than 38° may not enter. e) Must disinfect the seats used by the client once he leaves the establishment. f) Have a marked container, with cover, lid and pedal operated for waste such as mask, PPE, etc. g) Place gel sanitizer dispensers in strategic places so that both staff and customers can access them. h) It is recommended to reinforce the cleaning and disinfection of:
• Computers, screens, mouse, keyboard.
• Doors, handles, light switches.
• Water faucets, soap and disinfectant dispensers, paper dispensers, hand dryers.
• Work surfaces. Pens
• Counters, tables, chairs.
• Bathrooms
• Others that are considered to be at risk.
Cleaning personnel must wash their hands before and after performing cleaning and disinfection tasks, according to what is described in Annex 01 and Annex 02 of this document. Also, PVC gloves, mask and rubber apron should be used. The manufacturer’s recommendations on PPE for handling and dilution of the inputs to be used should be followed. j) Provide basic information to the staff on the safety measures and standards in relation to the health emergency by COVID-19. The information should contain the following subject matter: · Protection to attend public; · Personal and collective protection and prevention measures; · Places where the disinfectant solution dispenser(s) are located upon entry and/or in strategic areas within the establishment; · And other updated information that may be considered necessary.
Every person who enters the facility: a) Must wear a mask when entering the establishment and keep it on at all times. b) Shall disinfect their hands with alcohol or gel sanitizer at 70% c) Must respect the minimum social distance established d) Must disinfect their footwear e) Once leaving the office, for prevention, disinfect the areas where the person had access. f) It is recommended to keep a record of all persons entering the establishment. g) Avoid direct contact, do not shake hands between employers, workers, users and suppliers. h) Disinfect what is received before handling its contents. 2. Waste management: a) The personnel handling the waste must have prior knowledge of the biosafety procedures for this purpose. b) For good waste management, the establishments shall have containers and covers in sufficient size according to their operation. c) Waste generated, such as gloves, handkerchiefs, and masks must be disposed of in a plastic cover (cover 1) in a garbage can (preferably with a lid and an opening pedal) set up on site; this waste must not be considered for recovery activities and subsequent reuse for recycling. d) Observe the regulations established for the disposal of waste, issued by the competent health authorities.
During attention of public: Within the establishments of the Tourist Services Agency: a) Keep the mask on at all times (all persons entering the establishment). b) Use a disinfectant with 70% of alcohol. c) Respect the minimum social distance established. d) Avoid hand-shaking people throughout the service. Apply alcohol or gel sanitizer every time you have contact with surfaces or objects that have not been disinfected, that the worker is not in charge of (documents or objects handled by other people in the field of the Tourist Services Agency or others). f) The use of electronic means of payment (bank transfers, credit debit cards, etc.) is recommended. Avoid paying in cash. g) The use of electronic invoicing is recommended. Avoid signing receipts, invoices, etc. h) It is recommended to make the delivery of information to the customer through digital means and limit the delivery of promotional material in physical. i) It is recommended that signs be posted with information on preventive measures, as well as contact numbers such as 171 or 911.
Our Operations staff is verifying that all our suppliers (including guides and ground transportation) comply with biosafety protocols and health measures in place based on World Health Organization recommendations and measures established by our Ecuador authorities:
En-route procedure in the tourist operation: Indications for Taps and Conductors It is recommended that before the tourist begins the contracted touristic operation, the temperature is taken with a digital thermometer, to avoid mishaps en route
For transfer in the vehicle a) Facilitate the acquisition of masks for passengers who do not have them. b) Clean door and window handles, handles and other common handling elements. The carrier each time the passengers disembark must do cleaning. c) Always have alcohol or disinfectant gel at 70% in the vehicles for the use of the personnel performing the operation and the passengers. d) The maximum capacity of passengers to be transported per unit must be maintained at 50% of the capacity established by the manufacturer. e) Verify that the passenger uses the mask during the entire trip.
Tours in general: a) In all the activities that the guide and driver carry out with the passengers, they should always encourage the washing of hands and the disinfection by applying alcohol disinfectant gel at 70%, especially after tasting some snack in lunches and dinners. This measure will be applied before and after passengers are served. b) When passengers handle objects on any tour experience, they should be treated with 70 % alcohol disinfectant gel. c) Maintain the established social distance between people of one (1) meter in open spaces and two (2) meters in closed spaces.
Use of bathrooms: a) The guide shall check whether the site complies with biosecurity standards, through appropriate cleanup records. b) If anything was out of place, the guide should immediately inform the Agency so that appropriate action can be taken.
Visit to markets, museums, and communities: a) The guide must check that the site has a biosecurity protocol and verify that the passenger complies with the guidelines established in the place visited. b) Detail the procedure to be followed to clients: maintain a stable social distance, do not shake hands, do not touch products or merchandise, do not consume food or drinks, carry alcohol or disinfectant gel at 70% and a mask. When returning to the vehicle, disinfect hands and shoes. c) The protocol of each place and establishment visited must be respected.
Use of food and beverage establishments: a) The establishment must have a biosecurity protocol to operate under the new conditions established by the competent authority b) It is recommended that Tourist Services Agencies use establishments that comply with the biosecurity protocols established by the Competent Authority. c) The Tour Operator, through the guide, shall inform the passengers about the protocol to be followed in the establishment’s facilities. d) The Tour Operator will inform the guide of the food and beverage establishment to be used and the guide will not be able to change places. In case there is any news, the guide must immediately inform the Operator for the respective coordination.
Use of tourist accommodation: a) The Tourist Services Agency indicates the tourist accommodation establishment to be used and verifies that the establishment has biosecurity protocols b) It is recommended that the Tourist Services Agency uses establishments that comply with the biosecurity protocols established by the competent authority. c) The Tour Operator through the guide will inform the passengers about the protocol to be followed in the facilities. d) The guide cannot change the tourist accommodation by himself. In case there is any news, the guide must immediately inform the Tour Operator for the respective coordination.
Outdoor activities (cycling, rafting, canopy, etc.): a) The Tour Operator, through the guide, must check that the establishment has a biosafety protocol and coordinate with the supplier, so that these are applied. b) The guide explains and details to the clients the protocol to follow.
Trips to places of difficult access a): In all types of travel, the guide must be aware of passengers who present symptoms related to COVID-19, if any must certify the Tour Operator and take the passenger to the nearest health facility for review. Review the protocol of action to possible houses suspected of COVID-19 for Tour Operators.
SOURCE: MTT6-PRT-008 [Version 1.0] YEAR 2020 MINISTRY OF TOURISM MINISTRY OF PUBLIC HEALTH MINISTRY OF PRODUCTION, FOREIGN TRADE, INVESTMENT AND FISHING