Safety is a number one priority at Aerial Solutions. All ASI employees receive initial training and Safety Orientation Training at our North Carolina facilities that are specific for their job. Each employee receives training in CPR and First Aid, along with required DOT training.
Aerial Solutions Safety Orientation utilizes the PowerSafe On-Line Computer Based Training System, specifically developed by the Safety Council in conjunction with Utilities. The PowerSafe System provides an efficient and standardized, OSHA based awareness program for new hires and annual refresher courses specific to Customer requirements and provides a validated and auditable system.
In addition, each ASI Crew maintains an Emergency Action Plan specific to the days work location and a daily “Tailgate” safety session specific to the task at hand and general reminders to provide a comprehensive approach to Safe Work Practices.
SPECIAL COVID-19 POLICY AND PRACTICES
Aerial Solutions is compliant with all regularly scheduled air saw and support missions and will continue to implement these expanded steps to reduce our exposure and limit the chances of passing sickness between others. If needed, our office staff will work remotely to prevent any spread of sickness and practice physical distancing in field operations.
All Aerial Solutions staff will assume ownership of the following practices and procedures to remain safe and healthy. Aerial Solutions operations are deemed as Essential/Critical Infrastructure Operations for our customers providing services in Utility, Aviation and On the Road Transportation. As such we can operate in areas with Shelter in Place designations as applied by the Department of Homeland Security: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/CISA-Guidance-on-Essential-CriticalInfrastructure-Workers-1-20-508c.pdf
Stay home or in quarters if you are sick: Obviously, if you are sick with a potentially contagious illness, we urge you to stay home until you have recovered. Keep aware of symptoms and any changes in conditions. To expand on our previous safeguards for personal responsibilities employees should NOT report to work if they experience illness symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny/stuffy nose, body aches, chills, or fatigue. Any individual exhibiting these symptoms should seek medical attention.
General Practices Updates: ASI will frequently refer to CDC guidelines for updated recommendations, communicate any CDC recommendations to employees through emails and signage.
Self-Check and Peer-Check: if you answer yes to any of the following questions you should not return to work until 24 hours after you are symptom free without fever-reducing medication.
o Have you or anyone in your family been in contact with a person that is in the process of being tested for COVID-19?
o Have you, or anyone in your family traveled outside of the United States within the past 2 weeks?
o Have you been medically directed to self-quarantine due to possible exposure to COVID-19?
o Are you having trouble breathing or have you had flu-like symptoms within the past 48 hours, including: fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny/stuffy nose, body aches, chills, or fatigue?
o Wash your hands often. Hand washing/sanitizing stations are available on each ASI field crew service truck for staff and customer uses.
o Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
o If a vaccine becomes available, please consider taking it.
Clean AND Disinfect frequently-touched surfaces daily. We encourage an extra step to clean surfaces that are contacted by multiple pilots and crewman between crew changes and pre- and post-maintenance operations.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When greeting, continue to minimize, modify or discourage handshakes.
Social Distancing:
o Limit contact with others and increase personal space to at least 6 feet. Limit group sizes to less than 10 people per CDC recommendations.
o No communal food should be permitted onsite. (e.g., donuts, pizza, etc.)
o Limit any out of office meetings and replace with conference calls or online meetings.
o Discourage physical contact between people. (e.g., handshakes) unless needed for emergency situations (first aid)
o Landowner Contacts- In seeking LZ permission, if it cannot be made by phone, courtesy contacts are to let customers/landowners know crews are coming onto their property, please step back from door after knocking to give space, wear ASI identifying hardhat/vest and or logo,
o Take precautions to cover coughs and sneezes and if you consider yourself to be particularly at-risk because of underlying health conditions or exposure, you are encouraged to be extra vigilant in deciding whether to seek medical attention.
o Face masks or coverings, rubber gloves and other PPE will be provided by ASI as needed or recommended.
Review and implementation of this Aerial Solutions Covid 19 and Pandemic response will include periodic updates and reviews on prevention of illness and how to avoid spread of disease and update ASI Policies as needed. This ASI Policy and Practice will be communicated to ASI staff, customers and vendors and implemented as “lessons are learned” of how best to provide safeguards and comply with CDC Guidelines and recommendations. This practice is to be included in our overall Job Hazard Awareness and steps taken accordingly in the areas we provide air saw services on duty and off duty. Please continue to practice these steps to keep ourselves and our customers safe and healthy.