At Petrichor Training Solutions (PTS) our commitment to health & safety practices is on the forefront of our minds when conducting life safety courses. We prioritize the health and wellbeing of our students and instructors by provide a safe and inclusive course regardless of your skills and abilities.

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As with any life-safety course there are risks we take when choosing to participate in a specific course such as CPR/AED, first aid, babysitter’s training, wilderness first aid, bloodborne pathogens, disaster preparedness, pet first aid and other similar courses. While these risks exist, PTS does our best to conduct our courses with the health and safety of our students, your families, the community and our instructors in mind. One of the newest risks is contracting COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus. While we are concerned with this there are risks cannot be 100% eliminated when conducting a health & safety course.

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CLASSROOM RISKS:

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• Physical proximity. While participating in the lecture portion, students will have an opportunity to maintain 6 feet between peers. However, during skill sessions, there may be physical contact and closeness between your peers and instructors.

• Potential of communicable and other infections illnesses can be contracted from insects, animals or humans. Some of these include, but are not limited to, diarrhea, respiratory illnesses (i.e. influenza or SARS/coronavirus- including COVID-19), or a common cold.

• Periodically, our courses may occur in remote or rural locations where access to immediate medical care is delayed. In these situations, transportation and telecommunications may be delayed and evacuation may be required. (This is an extremely rare circumstance for PTS courses because we prefer to operate in a classroom setting).

• The physical contact required in our wilderness first aid course is essential to learning the skills and techniques for the field.

• Decisions made by PTS, our instructors, our clients and students will be based on perceptions and evaluations, which may not be perfect to every circumstance and are subject to human errors in judgement.

 

PHYSICAL RISKS:

In addition to the risks mentioned above, there are also physical risks when taking any life-safety course where skills are required to be demonstrated for the purpose of the course. Here are a few physical risks to consider:

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• Performing skills on the floor

• Bending, lifting, squatting, kneeling, etc

• Giving breaths into a manikin (breathing difficulty for those with asthma)

• Demonstrating skills in a stress-induced environment or in front of your peers

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If you have a physical injury or disability that prevents you from the doing the aforementioned, please contact us to establish methods of reasonably accommodating your needs.

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RESOURCES PTS USES:

PTS seeks guidance for our health & safety protocols. We depend greatly on the following resources to assess the updated recommendations and requirements to providing safety and wellbeing for our students & instructors:

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1. Federal, state and local public health experts

2. Local government agencies

3. Fellow peer networks

4. In some cases, medical advisors

 

CONDITIONAL COURSE OPERATIONS:

As new recommendations and requirements emerge, PTS will make adjustments and determinations to keep our students safe and healthy. We will do this by seeking out the aforementioned agencies and using best judgement and practices, we will make appropriate changes (in some cases at the last minute).

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PREPARATION FOR UPCOMING COURSE:

While we do not and cannot enforce certain precautions prior to a course, we ask that you consider taking the following steps to limit your exposure to coronavirus for at least 14 days prior to your course.

• Practice social distancing (6 feet)

• Wash your hands, frequently

• Use hand sanitizing methods when washing is not possible

• Monitor your symptoms for COVID-19

• Avoid touching your face and hands

• Wear a mask when in public

• Cover your coughs and sneezes with your elbow

• Avoid indoor dining establishments

 

IMPORTATION CONSIDERATIONS:

To help minimize the risk of disease transmission, participants should follow some basic health precautions and guidelines for participating in training. Participants should take precautions if you have a condition that could put other participants or their instructors at risk of exposure to infections. We ask that students NOT attend our courses if you exhibit any of the following:

• An acute condition, such as a fever, chills, muscle aches, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, or a recent/sudden loss of smell or taste

• Please consider staying home if you have been in contact with someone having flu-like or covid-like symptoms or who has been confirmed ill within the last 14 hours.

 

For those who are considered to be high-risk of contracting COVID-19 as defined by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), we ask that you consider rescheduling or contact us to discuss safe alternatives (if any exist) to attend the course.

 

PTS currently is not requiring pre-payment for courses for this reason. Please contact us directly if you have any questions, comments or concerns regarding these considerations.

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HEALTH & SAFETY DURING CLASS:

It is the responsibility of the participant to maintain their safety in a course in partnership with their instructor. We ask that students who require special accommodation contact us prior to the class (even if it is moments prior) to discuss concerns, health conditions or physical restrictions that may prevent you from performing a skill. Your instructor should provide reasonable approaches to perform the skills required in your course.

 

Here are steps the instructor and participants should take to ensure your health & safety during the class:

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1. Daily Health Checks. You will be asked various questions regarding your personal interactions with persons outside of the course. We will be taking temperatures to ensure you are not feverish. We ask that those who are sick or ill consider rescheduling their course.

2. Participants & instructors are required to maintain 6-feet social distancing.

3. Participants & Instructors will be required to wear a mask when 6 feet social distancing cannot be maintained.

4. During skills and scenarios, participants are encouraged to wear personal eye protection and gloves (where necessary).

5. Participants will be given adequate breaks for hand-washing after practical skills and scenarios as well as after meals.

6. Participants are encouraged to bring their own hand-sanitizing methods. (Wipes, sprays, etc)

 

For these protective measures to be effective, we ask that participants and instructors commit to these safety protocols. Participants who, in our judgement, fail to comply with these expectations may be asked to leave the class. In other words, the participant will be expelled without a refund.

If a participant becomes ill during the course or is asked not to attend by the instructor based on a screening, they should stay home and seek medical advice. We recommend the participant reschedule for another day. PTS will evaluate the circumstances and work with the student to determine the next steps.

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Should you have any questions regarding these protocols please contact us directly. Thank you for your consideration.

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