JNL is strictly following the New Zealand Government’s new health and safety related requirements to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as we go back to work.
While all JNL staff who can work from home will remain there, we are delighted to be opening up our worksites around the country. To keep those who come to work safe, we have made several changes to how our workplaces are set up, used and sanitised.
“Like the rest of the forestry, wood processing and other businesses that can get back to work in Level 3, we are delighted to be restarting all our sites around New Zealand,” says Managing Director Hiroyuki Kawado.
“However, we fully appreciate the ongoing need to take extra steps to keep us all safe and we consulted widely when developing our new way of working. These measures are about keeping us all safe, which goes well beyond our workplace as the measures we take at JNL also keep our families, whānau, friends and wider community safe.”
Among our new procedures are measures such as:
- Requiring everyone coming into a JNL place of work to fill out a confidential questionnaire about their health and potential contacts with anyone who might have COVID-19.
- Avoiding face-to-face workstations, and re-arranging workstations to allow two metres’ separation, or between one and two, if two metres isn’t possible.
- Holding meetings in open areas or sanitised meeting rooms big enough for physically distancing.
- Following strict personal and workplace hygiene standards, including disinfecting all hard surfaces that are touched (including pens and tools) when the person using them changes.
- Not sharing PPE.
- Disinfecting work vehicles used by more than one person after each use.
- Keeping records of which team members worked in which areas and when.
We also have safety plans for workers aged over 70 and/or with underlying medical conditions, as they are most likely to become seriously ill with COVID-19.
Throughout Level 4 alert and beyond, anyone who would like support dealing with the stress of the COVID-19 situation is reminded of our Employee Assistance Programme and encouraged to access this Programme, or other mental wellbeing supports we have shared.
“Normal life may be some months away yet, but getting back to work is a step we are all grateful for. Our whole JNL team is ready to once again meet the needs of our customers,” says Hiroyuki Kawado.
