Covid Level 2 operations

Operating under Covid 19 Delta Level 2 Policy and Procedures

Rational
Little Softies is committed to providing a safe environment for its staff, clients and children whilst using Little Softies equipment to safeguard from infection.

Objective
The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that Little Softies can continue to operate as safely as possible during Alert Level 2 of the COVID-19 Pandemic. It is important that everyone coming into contact with Little Softies is protected from infection and prevented from the spreading of infection. The New Zealand Inflatables Hirer Association (NZIHA) of which Little softies is a member of, Code of Ethics includes commitments to ensuring the health and safety of both the hirers and users of the equipment and states that action should be taken by the hire company to ensure the continued health and safety of employees, client’s and members of the public who may come into contact with the business. These are continuing commitments, ones that we must fulfil in the safest possible way. These operating procedures are intended to ensure that Little Softies is implementing all public health measures to help keep staff, client’s and tamariki, as safe as possible.

This procedure is based on Ministry of Health (MoH) and the New Zealand Inflatable Hirers Association (NZIHA) advice as at 14th February 2021. Should MoH and NZIHA advice become less stringent these operating procedures shall be reviewed and amended as appropriate.

Key Public Health Principles

The three key public health principles that support Alert Level 2 are:
1. To minimise the risk that someone gets infected in the first place,
2. To limit the number of possible contacts people have if they do get infected, to make it easier to rapidly stop further spread.
3. To remember to ‘play it safe’ and that level 2 is not business as usual.

Bookings
Bookings must be cancelled by the client if any person planning to be present at the hire, this includes the children are exhibiting or have exhibited within the last 3 days of the booking date any of the follow symptoms:
• A high temperature of at least 38°C
• Shortness of breath
• Sore throat
• Sneezing and runny nose
• Temporary loss of smell
Or have been in contact with anyone with confirmed or suspected Covid 19

Little softies must be informed of this as soon as possible. A Covid 19 screening assessment will be completed with all clients prior to delivering the equipment. Little Softies will not be able to continue with the hire if the results of the questionnaire identify it is unsafe to do so. Clients will be given the option to re-book at no extra cost to them. Refunds minus the $40 booking fee will be offered in some cases if re-booking is not an option.

Delivery
• Social distancing rules to be followed by staff and clients
• Good hand hygiene will be followed and PPE worn by staff
• Client’s to use their own pens to sign paperwork

Payments

• NZIHS recommends that all payments be contactless. Little Softies already operates a contactless payment system


Health & Safety during the hire

• Client’s will be asked to complete a register of attendees at their event for contact tracing. Little Softies can provide a template for this if required. Unfortunately Little Softies is unable to source a QR code as it is not a static business. QR codes should be scanned if the event is being held at a public venue i.e. community hall etc for events being held at home clients can make their own QR codes if they wish

• Clients will be expected to follow good hand hygiene before touching/using the equipment. Hand sanitiser can be provided if required. Please ensure that children wash and dry their hands regularly and cough into their elbow (age related of course).

• Children should be encouraged not to touch their mouth or eyes

• Adults should apply social distancing however this is slightly more difficult when it comes to children. Little Softies advise that client’s limit the amount of children using the equipment at the same time if possible i.e. if the recommendation is 6 children on the castle at a time then reduce this to 3

• If a child does cough or sneeze onto any of the equipment then this should be cleaned off immediately by the client using soap and water and then disinfected

Staffing
• Our staff are responsible for monitoring their own health and will not be in contact with or deliver any equipment if they feel at all unwell

• Our staff will wash their hands regularly, cough into their elbow, and not touch faces. Hand sanitiser will be used by all staff before and after touching the equipment

• PPE will be used if required

• Staff will apply social distancing when interacting with clients


Payments

• NZIHS recommends that all payments be contactless. Little Softies already operates a contactless payment system

Cleaning of equipment to stop the spread of infection

• All equipment will be cleaned with soapy water and Dettol (which claims to be 99% effective against Covid 19) before and after every hire. This will be done as thoroughly as possible however as you can appreciate with some of the larger castles it will be difficult to ensure total coverage therefore it is important all other health and safety measures are also followed

• The Ball Pit will not be hired out under alert level 2 as it is impossible to ensure the sanitisation of every ball

Little Softies will do everything we can to ensure your party goes ahead as safely as possible and if we all work together I’m sure this can be achieved

Thank You for your on-going support and co-operation. Please get in touch if you have any questions