As you know the world has been confronted with the corona-virus disease (COVID 19). In order to reduce the chance that people visiting ISTC or attending one of our courses either contract or transmit COVID-19, ISTC have implemented several control measures with immediate effect.
We have received many questions with regard to continuation of courses and measures that we have taken. Below please find the answers to the following questions:
- Are courses still being conducted?
- What measures have you taken?
- What is the view of industry organisations on the training delivery? (TM, OPITO, STCW, BV etc.)
Are the courses still being conducted?
- Yes. Courses which have a manageable risk are being conducted as much as possible. Some courses have been rescheduled to allow for quarantine periods to be completed.
- Should someone unknowingly carry the virus, we have taken certain measures to reduce the chance that this is transmitted to other delegates or our staff. Some
exercises have been adapted and the use of some equipment has been discontinued but courses continue as much as possible with safety of Delegates as our top priority.
What measures have you taken?
Since 13th March, ISTC has undertaken the following measures:
1 General awareness
- Raising awareness among trainees and staff regarding COVID-19 has been introduced by posting and discussing a set of instructions as part of the ISTC / daily safety and health introduction. A pre-course questionnaire has been specifically designed to identify COVID-19 risk among delegates.
2. Increased hygiene measures
- Hand sanitisation equipment is available, and its use encouraged all over the college.
- Additional disinfecting and cleaning of classroom surfaces, washrooms, toilets, and communal areas is being carried out on a more frequent basis.
- Surgical gloves are issued to delegates to wear under PPE gloves to reduce skin to PPE contact.
3 Equipment
- There is an increased focus on cleaning and risks related to the use of, especially, respiratory equipment (breathing apparatus, EBS, regulators).
- In cases where the cleaning possibilities, construction or material of the equipment seem insufficient to rule out transmitting the virus we have removed specific equipment from use for the foreseeable future.
4 Pre-course email
- Delegates receive an amended pre-course email, emphasizing the importance of assessing their personal condition prior to coming to the training centre. If someone appears to have symptoms of a Corona infection (fever, cough & difficulty breathing) we request the person to re-schedule the training. In line with Maltese law, all passengers arriving in Malta are to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days, regardless of country of origin.
5 Lunch-times
- Where needed, lunchtimes are reduced and staggered, limiting the number of people in the lunch area during peak hours. This measure creates more room for people to create some social distance during lunch hours. (Social distance is one of the important actions advised by the World Health Organization).
6 First Aid
- Practicing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation techniques on mannequins has been removed, in line with industry instructions from OPITO.
For further reference on best practices and global development related to COVID-19 please visit the website of the World Health Organisation.
See:
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/travel-advice
For update on OPITO information
See:
We will update industry organisations on any additional measures we deem necessary to ensure a safe training environment and will keep you up to date through our social media platforms.