News

April 1, 2021

Dear Staff, Partners and Volunteers,

We continue to monitor our workplace and add safety measures based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Washington State, Kitsap County’s Pathway to Recovery Playbook and other government organizations. In line with those safety measures, we are providing this guidance regarding preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Regardless whether one has been vaccinated or not, the following protocols are still in-place at Fishline.

Face Masks:

Unless otherwise notified, you are required to wear a face mask while in the Fishline building or during any Fishline function. The CDC recommends that individuals wear cloth face coverings in public places or when it is impossible to practice social distancing. Fishline also suggests employees, volunteers, and board members consider double masking to provide additional protection against coronavirus variants.

To get the most benefits from a face covering:

• Make sure it completely covers your nose and mouth.
• Read the directions for use (if provided).
• Wash your hands before and after removing it.
• Try not to touch your face when you adjust it throughout the day.
• Keep cloth coverings clean by washing daily, or more often if contamination occurs.
• Don’t let others wear your face covering.
• Keep it away from machinery that it could get caught in.
• If using disposable face coverings, do not reuse them, and throw them away in appropriate trash receptacles.
• Don’t lay your face covering on any surface that may contaminate either the covering or the surface.
• Don’t use it if it’s damaged or has holes, unless it is the only face covering you have access to.

Remember that wearing a face covering can help prevent the spread of the disease, but only in addition to other measures that you should be taking in the workplace and at home, such as frequent hand washing, cleaning and sanitizing frequently-touched surfaces, and practicing social distancing.

Social Distancing:

Fishline will be adhering to the social distancing guidelines by implementing the following:

• Increased physical space between employees at the worksite by modifying the workspace.
• Increase physical space between employees and customers (e.g., drive-through service, physical barriers such as partitions).
• Use signs, tape marks, or other visual cues such as decals or colored tape on the floor, placed 6 feet apart, to indicate where to stand when physical barriers are not possible.
• Implement flexible meetings and/or hold meetings via a remote connection when possible.

•     Close or limit access to common areas where employees and volunteers are likely to congregate      and interact.

• Prohibit handshaking

• Deliver services remotely whenever possible (e.g., phone, video, or web).

• Adjust our business practices to reduce close contact with customers — for example, by providing drive-through service and delivery options, where feasible.

Healthy Environment:

In order to provide all partners, volunteers, clients and staff an environment that is as safe as possible, Fishline is implementing the following:

• Provide tissues and no-touch trash cans.
• Provide soap and water in the workplace. If soap and water are not readily available, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol. Ensure that adequate supplies are maintained.
• Place hand sanitizer stations in multiple locations to encourage hand hygiene.
• Place posters that encourage hand hygiene to help stop the spread at the entrance to your workplace and in other workplace areas where they are likely to be seen. This will include signs for non-English speakers, as needed.
• Discourage handshaking and encourage the use of other noncontact methods of greeting.
• Routinely clean all frequently touched surfaces in the workplace, such as workstations, keyboards, telephones, handrails, and doorknobs. A housekeeping schedule will be established to ensure regular cleaning routines.
• Discourage workers from using each other’s phones, desks, offices, or other work tools and equipment, when possible.
• Provide sanitizing solution so that commonly used surfaces (e.g., doorknobs, keyboards, remote controls, desks, other work tools and equipment) before each use.
• Ensure that disposable gloves are available in the market area. The FDA requires that gloves be worn when handling food in preparation and when handling produce. The CDC recommends gloves be worn when cleaning.
• Require that Fishline staff, volunteers, partners and their clients follow health screening guidelines for signs/symptoms of COVID-19 at start of each shift. Employees, volunteers and partners who are sick will be required to stay home or immediately go home if they feel or appear sick. Any areas where an employee, volunteer, partner and/or their client with probable or confirmed COVID-19 illness worked, touched surfaces, etc. will be cordoned off until the area and equipment is cleaned and sanitized.

If you feel sick or if you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, difficulty breathing, chills, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, or new loss of taste or smell), let your supervisor or building management know, promptly separate yourself from other workers and go home. Contact your health care provider for further steps.  

Respectfully,

Lori Maxim

Executive Director

For specific safety and health guidelines, please visit the following documents:

Staff Policy

Volunteer Policy

Board Policy