An Estevan area oilfield company responded swiftly to maintain the safety of its employees following a recent positive case of COVID-19.聽
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) revealed on March 18 that an outbreak had been declared at Sun Country Well Servicing. Rob Stables, the safety manager for the company, didn鈥檛 divulge the number of cases, citing privacy, but the Government of Saskatchewan says on its website that it only takes two.
The first positive test came a few days before March 18, Stables said.聽
After the first positive, Sun Country heeded the guidelines from the SHA. Stables, who is on a committee with the Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors (CAODC), said they also followed the CAODC guidelines for both the drilling and service rig industries.聽
鈥淲e have been implementing both of those prior to, and then post-tests,鈥� said Stables.聽
If employees are sick or have been exposed to COVID, they stay home. 聽
鈥淎nybody who was considered a close contact with that first (positive) test was put on self-quarantine,鈥� said Stables.聽
Sun Country is tracking employee testing results, and possible exposure dates and isolation timeframes to make sure those who may have been exposed are cared for properly. 聽
Before the first positive, Sun Country was taking a lot of precautions. There was hand sanitizer, masks and surface cleaner on all of the rigs. They ask employees to ride in separate vehicles instead of one, while wearing masks. They have restricted access to the area referred to in the industry as the dog house 鈥� the room adjacent to an oil rig floor.
They also have to do the safety sign-ins, so they try to have the sign-in sheet outside.
鈥淭hat goes in concert with the consultant and what their wishes are, too, because they鈥檙e just as susceptible as anybody else. In fact, they might be more susceptible.鈥� 聽
In the office, Sun Country Well Servicing is in a separate office. The receptionist is moved into an office, and they have hand sanitizer and sign-in sheets and surface cleaner. Checklists are in the office for when surfaces should be cleaned.聽
For non-essential personnel, when they make a delivery, they鈥檙e allowed in the back shop, and they leave after the delivery.聽
鈥淭here鈥檚 been a lot of distancing type measures and cleaning type measures to make sure that we鈥檙e as safe as possible, and meeting Saskatchewan and CAODC guidelines,鈥� said Stables.
The company used to have safety meetings once a month with everybody in attendance, but now they鈥檙e happening via email and video conferencing with the Estevan and Calgary offices. When he goes out for an inspection, he makes sure that he drops off the information for a safety meeting.聽
Training is happening online as much as possible, and if anything is in-person, they follow the guidelines for social distancing and mask use.
Stables said the employees are feeling the strain of the pandemic, but everybody is respecting what the guidelines say and they鈥檙e doing what they鈥檙e supposed to, so they can keep working without an issue. He鈥檚 pleased with how the company handled this situation.聽聽
