NGI Guidance on Safe Conduct of Fieldwork during CoVid-19 Pandemic
December 1, 2020
Much of the Nation and in fact the World is reeling from the CoVid-19 outbreak.
The NGI has taken steps to ensure a continued path towards safe conduct of field research offshore, during the CoVid Pandemic, and has adopted the basic safety protocols and principals set out by NOAA for work to resume on Small Near-Shore Research Vessels. These protocols include:
Personnel:
- Field operations are limited to Vessel Crew and Principal Investigators and those personnel deemed essential to the needs of the project.
- Employees that do not feel well, have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or have experienced COVID-19 symptoms must not participate in field operations. These symptoms include fever, respiratory symptoms (e.g. cough, shortness of breath), aches and pains, chills, headache, sore throat, nasal congestion, diarrhea, and loss of taste and smell.
- Personnel must be limited to the absolute minimum number of people needed to perform the work safely. For safety, small vessel and shore-based field operations require a minimum of 2 people in the field at all times; no one may conduct fieldwork alone.
- The vessel operator or PI/chief scientist will make a hand sanitizer (containing at least 60% alcohol) available for all personnel. Hand sanitizers should be used throughout the day as necessary. This includes after blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, or handling shared equipment and before eating, drinking, or touching your face.
- Assign each piece of equipment to a specific person whenever possible to minimize the sharing of supplies and equipment.
- Maintain social distancing of > 6 ft. whenever possible. If it is not possible to maintain a 6-ft distance, masks/facial coverings must be worn.
- Each person is responsible for their own food, water, sunscreen, insect repellent, face-covering/mask, work gloves, etc. These items should not be shared. If coolers are required, each person will have their own cooler.
Loading boats and vehicles for field operations:
- Prior to boarding a vessel or entering a vehicle, apply a disinfectant to all surfaces with which the occupants will come into contact. The use of disinfectant should be discussed with the PI or unit responsible for the vessel/vehicle prior to use to ensure its compatibility with surfaces. Disinfectants may include an EPA-approved disinfectant solution or disinfectant wipes or a solution of 1/3 cup bleach added to 1-gallon water. Do not rinse or wipe off disinfectant solution, but rather allow it to air dry. If a bleach solution is used, it must be replaced daily to ensure effectiveness.
- Wash or sanitize hands following the loading of vessels or vehicles.
Vehicle travel:
- Vehicle use during field operations (e.g., when driving to a field site or trailering a vessel) is limited to a maximum of 2 people per vehicle, regardless of vehicle size. If possible, we encourage 1 person per vehicle. Any time there are 2 people in a vehicle together, all windows must be open and masks/face coverings must be worn by each person. If weather conditions do not allow the windows to remain open, vehicle occupancy is limited to 1 person per vehicle. The only exception to this rule is if the weather deteriorates during the day and it is not possible to return to campus with the windows open or with only 1 person per vehicle. In this situation, the vehicle occupants should be seated as far apart as possible, must wear a mask/face covering, and should return to campus immediately.
- Designate a single person as the driver for each vehicle. That person should be the only person to drive that vehicle on that day.
- At the end of each day, disinfect the vehicle following the same procedures used prior to entering the vehicle.
- Wear nitrile gloves while fueling vehicles, or if gloves are not available, use sanitizing wipes on the pump handle and keypad and wash or sanitize hands after fueling.
- Should an overnight stay be required, each person should have his/her own room.
Small-vessel operations:
- Small vessel operations should involve the absolute minimum number of personnel needed to safely complete the work (minimum 2 people). For our vessel 25 feet in length, no more than 4 people should be on board. Allowing for a potential minimum 6 Foot Social-Distance.
- Designate a single vessel operator for the duration of the day. The vessel operator should be the only person occupying the helm station and manipulating helm controls and electronics.
- Designate a specific PFD for each person. Do not share PFDs.
- Should someone experience the onset of COVID-19 symptoms while on board, the vessel must immediately return to the dock and further operations will be suspended until the vessel can be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.
- Given the difficulties in maintaining distance on a small vessel, mask/facial coverings must be worn by all personnel while on the vessel. Recognizing the potential for heat exhaustion while wearing masks and performing field activities, routine breaks should be taken as needed, during which vessel personnel maximizes distancing to the greatest extent possible and rest without masks (if a minimum 6-ft distancing can be maintained between/among all personnel on the vessel).
- Upon returning to the dock at the end of the day, wash the vessel thoroughly with fresh water. After the wash-down, disinfect all occupant-contacted surfaces in the same manner as upon boarding.
- Wear nitrile gloves while fueling vessels, or if gloves are not available, use sanitizing wipes on all surfaces that will be handled (pump handle, switches, keypad, etc.) and wash or sanitize hands after fueling. When possible, fuel vessels on campus to reduce contact with others.
De-mobilization/unloading:
- Clean and disinfect all equipment (including PFDs) used in the field at the end of the day, using a disinfectant approved by the PI responsible for the equipment (see above for information on approved disinfectants). If equipment cannot be disinfected using an approved disinfectant, it should be placed in a designated and marked area for at least 5 days before re-use. If the equipment will not be harmed by direct sunlight, it may instead be left in full sun for a minimum of 24 hours before re-use. These waiting periods do not apply if the same person is using the piece of equipment two days in a row.
- Wash or sanitize hands following the unloading of vessels or vehicles.
As some institutions of higher education (IHE) open in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers the following considerations for ways in which IHEs can help protect students and employees (e.g., faculty, staff, and administrators) and slow the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). IHEs vary considerably in geographic location, size, and structure. As such, IHE officials can determine, in collaboration with
state and local health officials, whether and how to implement these considerations while adjusting to meet the unique needs and circumstances of the IHE and the local community. Implementation should be guided by what is feasible, practical, acceptable, and tailored to the needs of each community.
CDC Considerations for Institutions of Higher Education (IHE)
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/colleges-universities/considerations.html
Guiding Principles to Keep in Mind
The more an individual interacts with others, and the longer that interaction, the higher the risk of COVID-19 spread. The risk of COVID-19 spread increases in IHE non-residential and residential (i.e., on-campus housing) settings as follows:
IHE General Settings
- Lowest Risk: Faculty and students engage in virtual-only learning options, activities, and events.
- More Risk: Small in-person classes, activities, and events. Individuals remain spaced at least 6 feet apart and do not share objects (e.g., hybrid virtual and in-person class structures or staggered/rotated scheduling to accommodate smaller class sizes).
- Highest Risk: Full-sized in-person classes, activities, and events. Students are not spaced apart, share classroom materials or supplies, and mix between classes and activities.
Promoting Behaviors that Reduce Spread
IHEs may consider implementing several strategies to encourage behaviors that reduce the spread of COVID-19.
- Staying Home or Self-Isolating when Appropriate
- If a decision is made to have any version of in-person classes, before returning to campus, actively encourage students, faculty, and staff who have been sick with COVID-19 symptoms, tested positive for COVID-19, or have been potentially exposed to someone with COVID-19 (either through community-related exposure or international travel) to follow CDC guidance to self-isolate or stay home.
- Once back on campus, educate students, faculty, and staff on when they should stay home or self-isolate in their living quarters.
- Actively encourage students, faculty, and staff who are sick or have recently had close contact with a person with COVID-19 to stay home or in their living quarters (e.g., dorm room). Develop policies that encourage sick individuals to stay at home without fear of reprisals, and ensure students, faculty, and staff are aware of these policies. Offer virtual learning and telework options, if feasible.
- Students, faculty, and staff should stay home when they have tested positive for or are showing symptoms of COVID-19.
- Students, faculty, and staff who have recently had a close contact with a person with COVID-19 should also stay home and monitor their health.
- CDC criteria can help inform return to work/school policies:
- Hand Hygiene and Respiratory Etiquette
- Recommend and reinforce handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- If soap and water are not readily available, hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol can be used.
- Encourage students, faculty, and staff to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or use the inside of your elbow. Used tissues should be thrown in the trash and hands washed immediately with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- If soap and water are not readily available, hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol can be used.
- Cloth Face Coverings
- Recommend and reinforce the use of cloth face coverings among students, faculty, and staff. Face coverings should be worn as feasible and are most essential in times when physical distancing is difficult. Individuals should be frequently reminded not to touch the face covering and to wash their hands frequently. Information should be provided to all students, faculty, and staff on proper use, removal, and washing of cloth face coverings.
- Note: Cloth face coverings should not be placed on:
- Babies and children younger than 2 years old
- Anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious
- Anyone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cover without assistance
- Cloth face coverings are meant to protect other people in case the wearer is unknowingly infected but does not have symptoms. Cloth face coverings are not surgical masks, respirators, or other medical personal protective equipment.
- Adequate Supplies
- Support healthy hygiene behaviors by providing adequate supplies, including soap, hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol, paper towels, tissues, disinfectant wipes, cloth face coverings (as feasible), and no-touch/foot pedal trash cans.
