A Guide to Keeping Our People & Workplaces Well Unite Against COVID-19 - United Fresh COVID-19 Continuity Planning for Businesses during Alert Level 3

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A Guide to Keeping Our People & Workplaces Well Unite Against COVID-19 - United Fresh COVID-19 Continuity Planning for Businesses during Alert Level 3
A Guide to Keeping Our People & Workplaces Well
              Unite Against COVID-19
United Fresh COVID-19 Continuity Planning for Businesses during Alert Level 3
                                                                                    Fourth Edition
                                                                                As at August 2021
A Guide to Keeping Our People & Workplaces Well Unite Against COVID-19 - United Fresh COVID-19 Continuity Planning for Businesses during Alert Level 3
INTRODUCTION

                                                                                          United Fresh New Zealand Inc. is committed to our horticulture community.
                                                                                          We have produced this guide to help keep our people and workplaces well
                                                                                          in the face of COVID-19 challenges. This is crucial to ensure New Zealanders
                                                                                          continue to have access to fresh fruit and vegetables.
                                                                                          It is important to support your team and keep them well informed on the
                                                                                          status of COVID-19 and which Alert Level we are currently experiencing.
                                                                                          This document will be updated to accommodate the rapidly changing
                                                                                          situation.
                                                                                          You will find important website links for further information at the back of
                                                                                          this document.
                                                                                          Together we can slow the spread.

                                                                                          CONTENTS

                                                                                          2   Alert Level 3 – What it means
                                                                                          2   About COVID-19
                                                                                          3   COVID-19 4 Level Alert System
                                                                                          4   Helping Keep Our People Well
Acknowledgements:
                                                                                          5   Food Safety
Thanks to United Fresh members for sharing organisation information regarding COVID-19:
                                                                                          5   Employer Responsibilities
•   Fresh Direct                                           •   MG Marketing               6   Financial support for businesses
•   Freshmax                                               •   Seeka Fresh
                                                                                          6   Further information and resources
•   Horticulture New Zealand                               •   T&G Global
•   New Zealand Plant Producers Incorporated               •   The AgriChain Centre

                            A Guide to Keeping Our People & Workplaces Well                                           United Fresh COVID-19 Continuity Planning for Businesses   1
A Guide to Keeping Our People & Workplaces Well Unite Against COVID-19 - United Fresh COVID-19 Continuity Planning for Businesses during Alert Level 3
ALERT LEVEL INFORMATION UPDATED
                                 BY GOVERNMENT SEPTEMBER 2021

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  L3_WHAT IT MEANS_FACT_23/03                                            1

L3_WHAT IT MEANS_FACT_23/03                                              1

                                                A Guide to Keeping Our People & Workplaces Well                                                                              United Fresh COVID-19 Continuity Planning for Businesses            2
A Guide to Keeping Our People & Workplaces Well Unite Against COVID-19 - United Fresh COVID-19 Continuity Planning for Businesses during Alert Level 3
ALERT LEVEL INFORMATON UPDATED BY GOVERNMENT 7TH SEPTEMBER 2021

      New Zealand COVID-19 Alert Levels Summary
  •    The Alert Levels are determined by the Government and specify the public health and social measures to be taken in the                                      •    Services including supermarkets, health services, emergency services, utilities and goods transport will
       fight against COVID-19. Further guidance is available on Covid19.govt.nz.                                                                                        continue to operate at any level. Employers in those sectors must continue to meet health and safety obligations.
  •    Different parts of the country may be at different Alert Levels. We can move up and down Alert Levels.                                                      •    Restrictions are cumulative (for example, at Alert Level 4, all restrictions from Alert Levels 1, 2 and 3 apply).
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Updated 7 September 2021

Elimination Strategy — New Zealand is working together to eliminate COVID-19
                  Risk
  Alert Level assessment                                                                                                                         Measures that can be applied locally or nationally
                                                 • Stay home in your bubble.                                                                                                            • As in Alert Level 2, you legally must wear a face covering in some settings. Refer to the detailed table for more

        4
                         • There is
                           sustained             • No travel is allowed except for necessities or to undertake safe recreational activities. You must work and learn                      information. It’s recommended you wear a face covering whenever you leave the house.
                           and intensive           from home.                                                                                                                           • Rationing of supplies and requisitioning of facilities as well as reprioritisation of healthcare services is possible.
                           community             • No gatherings are allowed. All public and education facilities close.                                                                • Members of a household or shared bubble may view or accompany the deceased in a funeral home, cemetery or
  Lockdown                 transmission.
                                                 • If you work for an Alert Level 4 business or service and you have no available options for childcare, you can extend                   faith-based institution subject to strict conditions.
                         • Outbreaks are           your household bubble to include a carer for your children.
 Likely the                widespread.
 disease is not                                  • Businesses must close except for necessities (e.g. supermarkets, pharmacies, petrol stations) and lifeline utilities.
 contained                                         Green grocers, butchers, bakeries, and fishmongers can sell uncooked food items online and must deliver all orders.

                         • There are             • Stay home and keep your bubble small. You can expand to reconnect with close family/whānau, enable caregiving, or                    • When you leave home, keep a 2-metre distance from others when in public or 1-metre in controlled environments like

        3                  multiple cases
                           of community
                           transmission.
                                                   support isolated people. This extended bubble legally must remain exclusive.
                                                 • Travel is still restricted, so stay local. Inter-regional travel is highly limited with limited permissions. You can travel
                                                   for work, school, to pick up necessities and good purchased in a contactless way or undertake low-risk recreational
                                                                                                                                                                                          workplaces, where practical
                                                                                                                                                                                        • Customers are only allowed inside specific businesses: supermarkets, banks, primary produce retailers, pharmacies,
                                                                                                                                                                                          petrol stations or hardware stores providing goods to trade customers, or if it is an emergency or critical situation.
      Restrict           • There are               activities. Work and learn from home if you can.                                                                                     • Other businesses can open if they trade in a contactless way.
                           multiple active       • Only people who can’t work from home should return to businesses that can safely open under Alert Level 3.                           • Public facilities remain closed. Early childhood centres and schools will open for students up to Year 10 for those who
 Medium risk of            clusters in           • As in Alert Level 2, you legally must wear a face covering in some settings. Refer to the detailed table for more
 community                 multiple regions.                                                                                                                                              can’t learn from home.
 transmission                                      information. It’s recommended you wear a face covering whenever you leave the house.
                                                                                                                                                                                        • Healthcare services should use virtual, non-contact consultations where possible.
 – active but                                    • Gatherings of up to 10 people are only allowed for weddings, civil union ceremonies, funerals and tangihanga. Physical
 managed                                           distancing and record keeping are legally required. Food and drink cannot be served.                                                 • People at high risk of severe illness, such as older people and those with existing medical conditions, are encouraged
 clusters                                                                                                                                                                                 to stay at home where possible, and take additional precautions when leaving home. You may choose to work.

         2
                         • There could           • You can connect with friends and whānau in person, socialise in groups and go shopping and travel domestically, if                   • You legally must wear a face covering if you work:
                           be limited              following public health guidance.                                                                                                      - as a driver of a taxi or ride-share vehicle
                           community             • You can return to the place where you work or learn but alternative ways of working are still encouraged
                           transmission.
                                                                                                                                                                                          - at close contact businesses, for example barbers, beauticians and hairdressers
                                                 • Businesses, schools, early learning services, tertiary education providers and public facilities, such as museums,                     - in a public facing role at a hospitality venue, for example a cafe, restaurant, bar or nightclub
      Reduce             • There are active        libraries and pools can now all open with additional health measures in place.
                           clusters in more                                                                                                                                               - at retail businesses, such as supermarkets, shopping malls, indoor marketplaces, takeaway food stores
                                                 • Gatherings of up to 50 people indoors or 100 people outdoors are allowed including weddings, funerals and                              - in the public areas of courts and tribunals, local and central Government agencies, and social service providers with
 Low risk of               than one region.
                                                   tangihanga. Mandatory record keeping (as in Alert Level 1) and physical distancing are legally required.                                 customer service counters
 community
 transmission                                    • Hospitality businesses legally must keep groups of customers separated and seated. Maximum of 50 people indoors                        - at indoor public facilities, for example libraries and museums (but not swimming pools)
 within applied                                    or 100 people outdoors in a defined space.
                                                                                                                                                                                        • Health and disability care services can operate as normally as possible.
 area                                            • Event facilities, including cinemas, stadiums, concert venues and casinos can have up to 50 people indoors and 100
                                                                                                                                                                                        • Keep 2 metres apart from people you do not know in public and places like retail stores, libraries, gyms, and museums.
                                                   people outdoors. You can have more than 50 people in an event facility, but only if the people are in separate ‘defined
                                                   spaces’, and there should not be direct airflow between the defined spaces.                                                          • Keep 1 metres apart from people in other places like office buildings and factories, and in places where there is a cap
                                                 • You legally must wear a face covering if you are aged 12 and over when:                                                                on numbers, like cinemas and hospitality.
                                                   - using public transport, airplanes (including in departure points such as train/bus stations) and in a taxi or ride-share vehicle   • People at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 (for example, those with underlying medical conditions,
                                                                                                                                                                                          especially if not well-controlled, and older people) are encouraged to take additional precautions when leaving home,
                                                   - visiting a healthcare or aged care facility (other than for a patient)                                                               unless fully vaccinated. You may work, if you agree with your employer that you can do so safely.
                                                   - inside retail businesses, such as supermarkets, pharmacies, shopping malls, indoor marketplaces, takeaway food                     • Sport and recreation activities are allowed, subject to conditions on gatherings, record keeping, and – where
                                                      stores and public venues — such as museums and libraries.                                                                           practical– physical distancing. Gyms — 2m physical distancing, outdoor teams sport — no physical distancing.
                                                   - visiting the public areas within courts and tribunals, local and central Government agencies, and social service                   • Public transport must be seated only.
                                                      providers with customer service counters

                         • COVID-19 is           • All businesses, facilities, schools, education providers and workplaces can open.                                                    • There are no restrictions on personal movement or gatherings.

         1
                           uncontrolled          • NZ COVID Tracer QR codes issued by the NZ Government legally must be displayed in workplaces and on public                           • In all other settings you are encouraged to maintain a record of where you have been.
                           overseas.               transport.                                                                                                                           • You legally must wear a face covering if you are aged 12 and over when:
                         • There could           • The following places legally must have systems and processes to ensure visitors keep a record of where they have                       - using public transport and airplanes (excluding inter-island ferries and school buses).
      Prepare              be sporadic             been (whether via the NZ COVID Tracer app or otherwise), including healthcare facilities, aged care facilities,                        - exclusions apply for people with disabilities or mental health conditions.
                           imported cases.         close-contact businesses, hospitality venues, public facilities, exercise facilities and social gatherings such as
 The disease is          • There could be          weddings, funerals and tangihanga.
 contained in              isolated local        • In all other places, we encourage you to keep track of everywhere you have been, as this helps contact tracing to
 New Zealand               transmission in         identify any potential spread of COVID-19.
                           New Zealand.

New Zealand COVID-19 Alert Levels Summary   Updated 7 September 2021

      A Guide to Keeping Our People & Workplaces Well                                                                                                                                                                                      United Fresh COVID-19 Continuity Planning for Businesses                 3
A Guide to Keeping Our People & Workplaces Well Unite Against COVID-19 - United Fresh COVID-19 Continuity Planning for Businesses during Alert Level 3
HELPING TO KEEP OUR PEOPLE WELL                                                                          Physical distancing
                                                                                                         •	Please keep your physical distance, to help protect yourself and others
Personal and workplace hygiene                                                                           •	Do not have physical contact with anyone who isn’t isolating with you
To mitigate the risk of spreading the virus, it is important to share with your team the importance      •	Physical distance means keeping 2 metres apart from others
of adhering to strict hygiene protocols:
•	Regularly and thoroughly washing hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or cleaning                 Record keeping and contact tracing at your workplace
   with alcohol-based hand sanitiser (see Hand Washing Protocol poster)                                  At Alert Level 3, it is important we have strong contact tracing abilities. Many Alert Level 3 businesses
•	Alcohol-based hand sanitiser is most useful if there is limited access to soap and water,             are now legally required to provide safe and secure ways for everyone 12 years and over who enters
   but hands must still be regularly washed                                                              their premises or location to record their visits.
•	Disposable gloves should be changed regularly and good hand washing hygiene maintained
                                                                                                         Businesses legally must display an NZ COVID Tracer QR code in a prominent place at or near your
•	Avoid touching your face to reduce risk of transferring virus from contaminated surfaces              main entrance. You also need to offer visitors an alternative way to record their visit. If you are using
•	Covering mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when coughing or sneezing.                     an alternative contact tracing system, you need to record:
   Dispose of used tissue immediately into covered rubbish bin
                                                                                                         •	The entry and exit times for workers, visitors and contractors
•	Maintain 2 metres between yourself and your colleagues at all times
•	Ask your team to avoid close personal contact including handshaking                                   •	The names of everyone on your premises or location
•	Remove communal magazines and books etc. from all parts of your business including                    •	Their contact details.
   reception and lunchrooms.                                                                             Make sure you keep your contact tracing records secure.
Workplace cleaning
•	Increase the general cleaning frequency and depth. Use detergent then sanitise
•	High touch areas such as light switches and door handles, lunch tables should be cleaned                Wash your                                                                                                    Physical
   after each break during the day
•	Use approved food grade chemicals, ideally a combined cleaners and sanitiser                            HANDS                                      www.unitedfresh.co.nz
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Distance                       www.unitedfresh.co.nz

•	Where a positive case of COVID-19 is confirmed, advice should be taken from the                         1             Wet                  2              Soap
   government COVID-19 website regarding deep cleaning protocols
•	Mobiles and landlines should not be shared and should be cleaned and sanitised regularly                                                                                                                                          Physical distance
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      means keeping
Face coverings                                                                                                                                                                                                                       2 metres apart
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       from others
                                                                                                                 Wet your hands under              Soap and scrub backs of hands,

Your employees must wear a face covering at work if they:                                                         clean running water.
                                                                                                               Use warm water if available.
                                                                                                                                                      wrists, between fingers,
                                                                                                                                                  under fingernails for 20 seconds.

•	Work at a supermarket, dairy, petrol station, licensing trust, pharmacy, food bank,
    self-service laundry, hardware store, butcher, fishmonger, greengrocer, shopping mall, bank            3            Rinse                 4               Dry
    or New Zealand Post
•	Work in the public-facing area of a court, tribunal or social service provider
•	Are a delivery driver to residential addresses — delivery drivers only need to wear a face covering                                                                                   If you are in places
    when they are out of their vehicle                                                                         Rinse all the soap off under   Dry your hands all over for 20 seconds.
                                                                                                                                                                                          where you cannot                   Please keep your physical distance,
                                                                                                                  clean running water.            Using a paper towel is best or,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                             to help protect yourself and others.
•	They are a driver of a taxi, ride-share vehicle, ferry, bus or train used for public transport —            Use warm water if available.        if at home, a clean dry towel.
                                                                                                                                                                                            keep a physical                   Do not have physical contact with
    this excludes school buses and ferries between the North Island and South Island.                             Washing and drying your hands correctly
                                                                                                                                                                                        distance of 2 meters                 anyone who isn’t isolating with you.
                                                                                                               is a simple step you can take to staying well.

                                                                                                                                                                                          from others wear
                                                                                                                                                                                               a mask.

                                  A Guide to Keeping Our People & Workplaces Well                                                                                       United Fresh COVID-19 Continuity Planning for Businesses                                              4
NO EVIDENCE OF FOODBORNE TRANSMISSION OF COVID-19                                                     EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITIES
                                                                                                      UNITING AGAINST COVID-19 IN THE WORKPLACE
                                                                                                      As employers we all need to do what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19, and protect
  WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION                                                                           our people.
  FOOD SAFETY GUIDANCE UPDATED                                                                        COVID-19 has created a new work health and safety risk that businesses need to manage.
  The World Health Organisation has recently released
                                                                                                      All businesses are expected to:
  more detailed food safety guidance for food business,                                               •	Follow the latest Ministry of Health advice about preventing COVID-19 and to promote good
  you will find this information on our website here.                                                    hygiene practices at work
                                                                                                      •	Identify and manage any emerging risks brought about by COVID-19. For example, changes
                                                                                                         in consumer demand may impact worker health and safety and supply issues with personal
                                                                                                         protective equipment
  FOOD SAFETY                                                                                         Organising your workplace
  According to the NZ Food Safety Science & Research Centre and MPI, so far,                          •	Where possible, people should work from home. Ensure people are provided necessary
  there is no evidence that humans have been infected by swallowing the virus in                         resources to do so
  or on food or drink, though it has been found in a small number of faecal samples.                  • Staff shifts should leave the workplace before the next shift arrives
  The strong acid in the stomach is thought to destroy this type of virus.                            • Stagger staff start, finish and break times so fewer people are together
                                                                                                      • Control or restrict travel for your team to work meetings and events
  The European Food Safety Authority have also stated: There is no evidence that food
                                                                                                      • Meetings should be conducted using teleconferencing technology
  is a likely source or root transmission of COVID-19.
                                                                                                      • Restrict visitors/customers coming on to worksites
                                                                                                      •	Strengthen registration procedures requiring visitors to identify risks associated with
                                                                                                         COVID-19 before entering worksites
People contract coronaviruses by breathing in infected droplets, or by getting it on their hands,     • Where practical, separate workstations to maintain social distancing
for example, and then touching their face, especially the mucous membrane inside the nose.            •	Organise teams into small ‘pods’ of workers that work in separate areas such that if one
Conceivably, infectious droplets could land on food, packaging, or other surfaces, and then be           person comes into contact with COVID-19, the number of workers exposed and needing
transferred to the face via hands – though this has not been proven to occur as yet. The virus           to self-isolate is limited
can survive for a few days on surfaces, depending on the nature of the material.                      •	All shared vehicles including forklifts need to be well cleaned and sanitised regularly and
The important things for our industry to adhere to in the food safety space is to be vigilant with       always after each operator finished before the new operator uses the vehicle
strict hygiene and cleaning regimes, ensure your traceability systems are adhered to and identify
                                                                                                      Looking after your staff
anyone showing symptoms.
                                                                                                      • Ensure your staff are fully informed of personal and company safety measures
A suspected or confirmed infection could have serious consequences for your workplace.
                                                                                                      • Maintain regular contact with teams working in isolation or from home
However, not reporting it and not acting straight away to isolate all other contacts would have
worse long-term outcomes for the reputation of a producer or the whole sector, not to mention         • Offer frequent support and reassurance
the health of others.                                                                                 •	Offer physical wellbeing information regarding eating well, staying active,
                                                                                                         maintaining usual routines
There has been some misinformation shared in the media and on the government website to use
                                                                                                      • Communicate leave policies with your team
soapy water to wash fruit and vegetables. This is incorrect, the correct advice for consumers is to
                                                                                                      • Provide Health and Safety updates (via email, teleconference, zoom or similar)
wash all produce as you normally would by rinsing it under the tap before consuming it. It is not
advisable to wash fresh produce with detergent.
                                                                                                      For more information visit:
                                                                                                      Golden Rules for Business at Alert Level 3 – link here.

                                  A Guide to Keeping Our People & Workplaces Well                                                     United Fresh COVID-19 Continuity Planning for Businesses         5
UNITED FRESH CONTACTS
                                                                                                      General & Media Enquiries: Paula Dudley, General Manager, United Fresh New Zealand
                                                                                                      Incorporated info@unitedfresh.co.nz
                                                                                                      Supply Chain: Jerry Prendergast, President, United Fresh New Zealand Incorporated,
                                                                                                      info@unitedfresh.co.nz
                                                                                                      Food Safety: Anne-Marie Arts, Food Safety Representative, United Fresh Technical Advisory
                                                                                                      Group amarts@agrichain-centre.com
                                                                                                      Technical Queries: Dr Hans Maurer, Chair, United Fresh Technical Advisory Group
                                                                                                      hmaurer@agrichain-centre.com

                                                                                                      FURTHER INFORMATION
                                                                                                      Read more about COVID-19 Alert levels here
                                                                                                      https://covid19.govt.nz/government-actions/covid-19-alert-system/
                                                                                                      Doing business at Alert Level 4
FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES                                                                      Find out if your business can operate at Alert Level 4 here
Financial support schemes to help businesses and their employees in times of difficulty, to recover   https://covid19.govt.nz/business-and-money/businesses/doing-business-at-alert-level-4/
from the effects of COVID-19.
                                                                                                      For up-to-date advice from the Ministry of Health go to
                                                                                                      https://covid19.govt.nz or phone 0800 358 5453
On this page
                                                                                                      New Zealand Ministry of Health
COVID-19 financial support tool                                                                       https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus
If your business has reduced revenue                                                                  New Zealand Food Safety Science & Research Centre
If an employee needs to self-isolate                                                                  https://www.nzfssrc.org.nz/node/154

If an employee is waiting for the result of a COVID-19 test                                           Employment New Zealand
                                                                                                      https://www.employment.govt.nz/about/news-and-updates/workplace-response-coronavirus-
Information in other languages                                                                        covid-19/
                                                                                                      Business.govt
Read more here https://covid19.govt.nz/business-and-money/financial-support/financial-support-        https://www.business.govt.nz/news/coronavirus-information-for-businesses/
for-businesses/
                                                                                                      World Health Organisation
                                                                                                      https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
GUIDANCE FOR BUSINESSES THAT ARE LOCATIONS                                                            United Fresh New Zealand Inc.
OF INTEREST                                                                                           https://www.unitedfresh.co.nz/technical-advisory-group/covid-19
https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/pages/guidance_for_business_that_are_               Horticulture New Zealand has information and resources specifically for New Zealand Growers,
locations_of_interest_19_aug_21.pdf                                                                   https://www.hortnz.co.nz/covid19/

                                                                                                           Search United Fresh New Zealand Incorporated to connect with us on

                                                                                                                  www.unitedfresh.co.nz                info@unitedfresh.co.nz                0800 507 555

                                  A Guide to Keeping Our People & Workplaces Well                                                 United Fresh COVID-19 Continuity Planning for Businesses                  6
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