Posts Tagged ‘safety coronavirus’

COVID-19: PLAN, DO, CHECK, ADJUST

Monday, July 27th, 2020

Egan’s preparedness and response during a global pandemic

Social distancing. Quarantine. Essential and nonessential. Adapting to COVID-19, over the last several months, has meant quickly adjusting to changes in all areas of our lives. It has put us in a place to define a “new normal”. For over 75 years, the heart of our business has been to provide skilled trades, professional services, and 24/7 response under all circumstances. Along with the rest of the world, we now know what “under all circumstances” means in the midst of a global health crisis.

While modifying the way we approach our business, Egan Company has continued its daily operations to meet customer needs without losing sight of our highest priority of keeping  our employees and trade partners safe under new and heightened safety measures that would not have even been a consideration just a few short days and weeks before. “In early March, we had to act quickly to ensure the safety of our employees and their families as well as respond to the new guidelines and necessary safety precautions on all jobsites and in all offices,” said Duane Hendricks, Egan Company President & CEO.

During the season of “Stay Home” Executive orders, the construction and skilled trades industry was deemed an essential service as critical to maintaining the health and safety of Minnesotans by Governor Tim Walz. With three offices, shops, and hundreds of jobsites, Egan continued to perform a large part of its work in providing specialty trades to customers. However, this hasn’t happened without challenge and a necessity to think differently. Through a mix of new precautions, remote work, leaner approaches, workforce reductions and furloughs, the response to COVID-19 has demanded focus. About 70% of Egan’s workforce reports to a jobsite or customer facility to perform work each day. For these frontline employees and crews, working remotely isn’t an option and ”six feet apart” is difficult. But the focus remains: ensuring all employees work in a safe and healthy environment, regardless of where the work is performed.

Four months in, the COVID-19 pandemic continues its evolution. In June, the State of Minnesota published requirements that all critical sector businesses need to develop and implement a COVID-19 Preparedness Plan. Access a copy of the Egan Company COVID-19 Exposure Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Plan below.

Like other companies, we’re still responding and adjusting to the many changes occurring every day, as well as adapting to a new way of working and being there for our customers,” said Hendricks. “In place of our face-to-face interactions, we’ve found new ways to connect by phone and online video calls to continue prioritizing and building relationships.

.

There’s no doubt this pandemic will mold our future. And there will be key influences, including the importance of human interaction as well as thinking differently about buildings and building systems. Preparing customers and facilities for future occupancies could take on various different looks like: touchless fixtures, modified mechanical and HVAC systems, technology and building analytics, and even sanitizing lighting. Embracing these opportunities of what may lie ahead, we remain steadfast with the core priority of keeping those we value safe and healthy.

“In the last few months, we’ve learned that we can continue to meet customer needs, have productive remote employees, and maintain successful and positive jobsite environments during this unprecedented time,” said Hendricks. “As we navigate the future with COVID-19, we’ll continue to plan, do, check, and adjust, but our dedication to the safety and well-being of our employees, customers, and their families has been our top priority for 75 years, and will remain our priority for another 75 more!”

Additional resources and articles

OUTLOOK AMID CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: CONTINUED SAFETY AND OPERATIONS

Monday, April 27th, 2020

Over the last several weeks, we’ve had to quickly adjust to changes in all areas of our lives in support of one priority: the safety and well-being of our employees, our customers, and our communities. 

For over 75 years, the core of our business has been to provide skilled trades, professional services, and 24/7 response under all circumstances. Egan Company continues to operate daily, ensuring your needs are met. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold, the Task Force team at Egan has also continued to evolve prevention, preparedness, and response plans.

The thoughtful and decisive action we’ve taken over the last two months remains in-place

Here’s a quick summary of what is active, in response to COVID-19: 

  • Business continuity – maintaining operations and minimizing disruptions in our shops, the field, and the office, disinfecting equipment and tools before delivery, and closely monitoring potential impacts in the supply chain.
  • Shop work area adjustments – employing practices that will help prevent the spread of germs and creating multiple and separate work areas in our shops and on the jobsite.
  • Precautions and key actions – following CDC guidance for precautionary measures, daily self-monitoring and screening protocol, social distancing, instituting field safety guides for jobsite and shop practices, supplying disinfectant/sanitizer/masks, practicing good hygiene, and cancelling nonessential meetings.
  • Team support – providing direct support for COVID-19 questions/concerns from employees and preparing in the case of potential exposure.
  • Industry relations – remaining connected with many organizations and suppliers to keep apprised of movements that could affect our work.

Reach out at any time – we’re here to support you with unwavering service

There is no doubt this pandemic has presented new challenges for everyone. As government officials begin to lift “Stay at Home” Executive Orders, Egan is here to help transition facilities to ensure all sites are operational. Please let us know if there’s anything we can do for you.

Thank you for working alongside us through this unprecedented time. We’ll continue to assess our plans and adopt new methodologies based on guidance from national and local governments and health authorities—and ask you to do the same.

Egan Company COVID-19 Response and Preparedness Plan

Friday, March 13th, 2020

We’re all experiencing an unusual time with the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak developing throughout the United States and in our communities. Like you, the safety and well-being of our employees and their families, our customers, and our colleagues are of utmost priority.

Across the company, we have taken preventative measures to stay prepared

Below are the precautions and practices Egan has implemented over the last week to “slow the spread”:

  • Mobilizing a Task Force team that is meeting daily to closely monitor the situation, quickly implement safe working environment strategies as outlined by public health agencies, and continuing to develop our prevention, preparedness, and response plans
  • Encouraging all Egan employees to self-monitor daily for symptoms that could be associated with viral respiratory infections (fever, cough, shortness of breath) before coming into work
  • Enacting key CDC guidance, including social distancing, hygiene measures, and minimizing large social gatherings
  • Leveraging technology and various communication avenues to keep employees informed of changing expectations and updated tactical plans
  • Implementing screening protocol (cruise or recent travel, known exposure, symptoms)
  • Limiting all non-essential in-person meetings and placing restrictions on visitations
  • Encouraging remote work wherever viable

Asking for your support by following similar precautions

To ensure the safety of everyone on the job, Egan is asking all customers, partners, subcontractors, vendors/suppliers to also follow similar protocols. This includes:

  • Adherence to CDC and MDH guidance
  • Maintaining ongoing communication and informing Egan of any anticipated project changes or supply chain interruptions
  • Screening all visitors prior to visiting or working at any Egan site, shop, or office

We are also committed to doing our part to limit the spread of COVID-19 and maintain a healthy workforce

At this time, Egan is not experiencing (and does not anticipate) delays in responding to customer needs. We will continue to uphold our commitment to providing responsive, high-quality, skilled trades services to keep our customers’ facilities and their systems operationally sound. We will also continue to serve our customers’ construction and fabrication needs, while implementing necessary precautions on jobsites to monitor and maintain the health of our workforce.

Our thoughts are with anyone who may be affected by the coronavirus. As the situation evolves, we will work alongside you as we all manage through this unique challenge together.

Useful information and resources