Here is a summary of our actions to safeguard our space, employees, and customers.
Common Area Practices
Common Areas include railings, kitchen, tables, foam machines, packing tables, door handles, kitchen sink, kitchen faucet, coffee machines, water machines, appliances, etc. The Trial and Rentals Supervisor comes in early every morning prior to his shift and wipes down all the common areas with Lysol. He makes sure to spray all surfaces and leave the disinfectant sit at least 2 minutes, so it kills all germs and bacteria. Tobii Dynavox also has an outside cleaning company that comes in twice daily to assist in keeping these common areas clean. Each Logistics team member remains at least 6 feet apart while performing their daily tasks. The virus can live on cardboard surfaces for 24 hours and plastic for 72 hours. All Returns (CR’s), Rentals (Product Placement Returns), and Repairs (RA’s) are quarantined in an isolated area and away from employees for 72 hours prior to being opened. All new inventory and packages delivered are isolated for 24 hours before opening or moving to stores. After waiting the 24-72 hours, the team opens the packages wearing both gloves and a mask.
Suggestions for Our Customers to Follow
COVID-19 can live on cardboard for 24 hours and plastic for 72 hours. We advise our customers to let the package sit for 24 hours, as we ship all our devices in cardboard outer container. As an extra precaution, when opening the package, they can use gloves and a mask for an additional level of protection. They should discard the outer cardboard container immediately and wipe down all contents within the container using disinfectant wipes.
Repairs
The virus can live up to 72 hours on surfaces, so every incoming repair is isolated for 72 hours prior to receiving. Upon receiving, the Repair Receiving and Shipping Tech, wearing gloves, wipes the device and any accessories that come in with disinfectant wipes. The repair is passed to the Repair Techs, who wear gloves during the repair and upon completion of the repair wipe the device down again with disinfectant wipes. The Repair Tech passes the repair to the Receiving and Shipping Tech who again wipes down the device and any accessories the customer sent in prior to shipment. The entire Repair Team is wiping down their own workstations and surrounding areas a minimum of two times a day.
Rentals
The virus can live up to 72 hours on surfaces, so every incoming rental is isolated for 72 hours prior to receiving. Upon receiving, the Rental Technician assigned to receiving that day, wearing gloves, wipes the device and any accessories that come in with disinfectant wipes. The Rental device is then passed to the next Rental Technician to prepare with an image. After imaging the device and getting it ready for shipment, the device is wiped down. When an order is received, the device is pulled from the shelf and wiped down again prior to shipping to the customer. The entire Rental Team is wiping down their own workstations and surrounding areas a minimum of two times a day.
Shipping
Each Shipper wears gloves, changing them every hour. After each hour, they remove the gloves and wash their hands prior to applying a new pair of gloves. The Shippers wipe down their workstations two times a day. They also wipe down their shared areas, such as the foam machines and packing table, twice a day. Every device that a Shipper touches or removes from the box as they are shipping will be wiped down with a disinfectant wipe as they are preparing the order for shipment. The shipping teams also wear gloves while assembling mounts and packing any accessories that go with the order, prior to shipping.
Production
The Production Techs wipe down their workstations two times a day. When they are done imaging the devices, they wipe down each device prior to re-boxing and placing it on the shelf for the Shipping Team. Key guards are wiped down after cutting and then placed in a sealed plastic bag.
Inventory / Receiving
The virus can live on cardboard surfaces for 24 hours and up to 72 hours on plastic surfaces, so every incoming new inventory shipment is isolated in a quarantined area for either 24 or 72 hours prior to receiving. The inventory and purchasing team work together to determine the period of time to isolate the delivery, based on source of supply. The Receiving Tech always wears gloves and a mask during receiving. When we receive customer returns, we isolate the package for 72 hours prior to opening them. After they are opened, the Receiving Tech, wearing gloves and a mask, wipes down the device, and any accessories received are either cleaned or scrapped.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Personnel
Tobii Dynavox provides PPE to its employees. Personnel working on behalf of the company in any setting, including our facility in Pittsburgh or any customer location, must wear a face mask/covering. Solutions Consultants or any other field-based employee should wear gloves while performing duties related to devices or services such as demonstrations, in-servicing, training or assistance with installations. If gloves are not practicable for the task, then gloves are worn until all surfaces, devices and accessories have been wiped down with disinfecting product (wipe or spray) in accordance with the package directions. Additional PPE is provided for use as needed including hand sanitizer, wipes, face shields and other protective gear.
In-Person Visits
Solutions Consultants pre-screen for COVID-19 symptoms or risks with planned attendees before in-person meetings. This is designed to mitigate the spread of the virus for both our employee and future participants at in-person appointments. Results are stored for reporting and tracing purposes.
Demonstration Equipment
All devices are wiped with disinfecting product after each use or in-between demonstrations. The company provides field-based Solutions Consultants with wipes. We provide Clorox Healthcare or other suitable best-available medical or hospital grade wipe product. Instructions for cleaning each device are available in the device manuals.
