Plant Operations and Safety POLICES AND PROCEDURES OVERVIEW FOR MAINTAINING QUALITY OF ENVIRONMENT OF CARE, VEHICLE SAFETY, RESIDENCE AMENITIES, CHAIN OF COMMAND COMMUNICATION, SUPPLY AND RESOURCE AWARENESS, DOCUMENTATION, ROUTING OF REQUESTS, AND TEAM CONTINUITY. Maintaining A Safe And Clean Environment Of Care Our facilities must always resemble the setting of a five-star hotel, always. Proper time management and teamwork is essential to achieving this unwavering standard at Apex. Residential checklist and sanitation practices- A new residential checklist will be in effect on July 6th. Increased staff, as well as performance indicators are the catalyst for this change. Attention To Detail - This is paramount in our day to day operations, and client care. If we are detail oriented, communication will improve. This includes listening skills that are essential with client care, and vital instructions that could potentially be life saving. It also reduces risk greatly by raising awareness of obstacles in executing a task and having a contingency plan. Organization – ZERO clutter, is the goal to enable staff to more efficiently, and effectively clean and disinfect surfaces. Consistently storing materials ensures inventory is easier to track which improves efficient, accurate communication. Inventory of certain items that clients now need to check out is especially important to the safety and security of our clients. The practice of returning things to their proper location will make you more efficient, and that in turn will make your daily tasks more manageable. Monitoring – Rounds include “resetting” the residence to tour ready condition (within reason). Initiative – The Apex DNA is one that consists of a team that leaves nothing to chance and is always in a constant state of operational readiness. We must all take the initiative to support our team, which may entail going above and beyond regularly. The inconsistent nature of our business requires us maintain the highest of standards for the residence regardless of census. Sanitation – Joint Commission’s standards and polices with regards to sanitation for healthcare establishments is extremely detailed an Feedback – Management relies on your feedback, as well as other indicators that communicate how effective our polices and procedures are. If you have suggestions on how we can improve as a team to reach the consistent level of cleanliness and order that is expected, please communicate those ideas with myself or Robert. Vehicle Safety Driving practices – It is not only safe, but vehicles last longer when the speed limit is observed and driven gently. If a staff member is cited for speeding or any other moving violation, privileges will be revoked. To be succinct, these vehicles are to be driven as though they are limousines with clients on board, at all times. Failure to comply with these driving practices and procedures will result in a documented warning. Further compliance failures will result in revocation of driving privileges which will adversely affect how frequently you are scheduled to work. Smoking, vaping, or chewing tobacco is not allowed at any time. At no time are the vehicles to be driven through any sort of drive through. These are very long SUV’s, and “curbing” a tire, or scratching a rim can happen very easily. Replacing either is very costly. Five-point inspection – For your protection, and release of liability, it is important that an inspection take place before driving company vehicles. This inspection takes approximately 30 seconds. 1. Tires (visibly low on air) 2. Dents/Scratches 3. Glass (chips/cracks) 4. Interior condition 5. Fuel level and gauge alerts (oil, tire pressure, etc.) When the vehicle is returned, you must do a walk around for exterior damage that may have taken place by no fault of your own (parking lot incidents). Every employee will be required to participate in a “drive around” before they operate any Apex vehicle, moving forward. You will be required to send me a calendar invite to schedule a time for you to be signed off on after this training. Residence Amenity Care Grandview Pool – The residential checklist will add a skimming task to the pool due to the season. At no time are clients allowed to operate the powerplant for the pool, which in turn operate the waterfalls. To operate this feature you will flip the override switch which will turn the pump on, wait 30 seconds, and turn the black valve handles out. This feature is not to be run for more than an hour at a time but may be turned on a couple times during the day to promote a soothing therapeutic atmosphere on the patio and pool deck. Nabal Pool – This pool has an advanced set of controls that a checklist which includes images must be followed when operating the jacuzzi. This is the only function that staff are permitted to operate. Clients are not to manipulate/adjust/manually operate any part of the system, at any time. Most importantly, when clients have finished using the jacuzzi, you must shut it down immediately. When NOC shift arrives, checking to ensure the jacuzzi is off will be added to the residential checklist. RING Security and Surveillance – Grandview is equipped with two RING doorbells. One at the front door, and one at the back gate. These are equipped with motion detectors and will start recording for a set amount of time when they are activated. Nabal has a surveillance system that captures video upon motion detection as well. Both systems have been set up so that we are able to train staff to utilize the app after they download it. Please see either myself, Robert, or Ethan if you’d like to have access to these devices and be trained appropriately. Codes and Keys – To protect our clients and staff, touch pads with codes are utilized at Grandview, and soon to be at Nabal. For Grandview, the code to the back gate is #7007#, and the code to the front is simply 7007. After entering the code on the front door, you must operate both door handles to gain access. There will be an extra set of keys cut for both residences stored in the garage safe before July 6th. At no time are any keys to be duplicated. It is our goal in the next few months to do away with keys altogether, where possible. Lawn , patio, and pool seating – These are to be cleaned twice a week (Monday and Thursday). This includes the glass table and chairs at Nabal. Seating must also be arraigned in an orderly fashion that encourages discussion between the clients, and client and staff engagement. The firepit located at Grandview has become an ashtray for our clients that smoke. This will also be removed, and an appropriate table will be in its place, which will also be on the same cleaning schedule. The front patio furniture at Grandview will now be on the morning shift checklist tasks immediately after client care (meds/vitals). Chain of Command Communication At Apex our CEO Dr. Bruhin consistently states that Residential Technician, and resident staff as a whole are the most important part of our organization. When we communicate it needs to be succinct whenever possible, but if it needs further explanation/detail, I invite you to reply only to the person you need to have this discussion with. Often, we use “reply all”, which can lead to miscommunication, and misinterpretations. It also convolutes the original message because the thread has grown and moved in different directions. Moving forward, it is important that you understand the chain of command at Apex. Please contact our HR Director, Alex. He will provide you with the Apex organization chart. The fine line between overcommunicating and not communicating enough – An effective measure to distinguish between the two is to determine “need to know”. For example, Robert would likely leave me out of an email that discussed scheduling, until the final schedule came out. “PLEASE READ” – If you are being given a directive, or your reply is needed to ensure you are properly informed, simply reply with “read and understood”. I implore you to be absolutely certain that you read from start to finish if you are replying the aforementioned affirmation. We are counting on the fact that you are informed, and in the loop. When communication breaks down, the organization becomes disorganized and risk escalates on many levels. General rule of thumb for communicating with me is it’s better to be safe than sorry. You may be communicating a need for something that I can expedite, even though it’s not under my direct umbrella. There are obvious exceptions, all of which can be ascertained by, “need to know’. Supply and Resource Inventory Awareness In the coming weeks, Ethan will be handling most of the residential maintenance/cleaning supply responsibilities. It is imperative that you follow my simple policy regarding inventory…..if there’s half of something left until empty, it’s already gone, and needs to be refilled as soon as possible. Supply and resource inventory – You will find an inventory for cleaning supplies and OTC’s in the tall white cabinet in the garage. I can also share that document with you. You may be tasked with taking an inventory when you’re not tending to client care. If so, please provide Ethan with that inventory. Food and dining supply – This will go through Ethan for Grandview, and Rebecca for Nabal. A breakfast bar is provided for days where no hot breakfast is served. Please be sure to take proper inventory and communicate needs BEFORE it runs out. Nabal – At the detox level of care it is extremely important that there is overstock of water and vitamin water, as well as fruit. Please take inventory of those items twice daily. Team Continuity Training – This training that is being facilitated is the first, and perhaps most important part of establishing continuity with our team. Collaboration – When any team buys into the fact that one person cannot do it all, but that same person must do his/her job for the team, that team is on its way to being highly successful. Respect – Teams that can count on each other do so because they have respect for each other. This takes time. This also takes willingness to embrace what that team member does well and collaborate with them in a way that guarantees success. Communication – Advocate for yourself, just as you would advise a client to do for themselves. Teams that communicate needs, problems, and praise are winners. Visible and accessible leadership/management – Teams that buy into the procedures, practices, and philosophies developed by management are all on the same page. That team is job description aware and utilizes management and peers to grow in the system/organization. The Apex DNA is one that provides an open door to management, encourages staff to work towards moving up in the organization, and is focused on being the premier residential recovery company in California. You are the asset that we count on in achieving that goal and sustaining it.
