HEALTH & SAFETY
Black Star Farms takes the health and safety of our employees and guests seriously. We are all living through COVID-19 and want you to know that Black Star Farms is committed to reducing the risk of exposure to the virus, and we are ready to provide a healthy and safe workplace for our employees and guests.
Our protocols that have been put in place are founded on information and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). Because information related to COVID-19 changes frequently, the need for modifications may occur based on further guidance provided by the CDC, OSHA, and other public officials at the state or local levels.
Our employees are all required to complete specialized training on new protocols and job duties and sign our Star Pledge commitment to safety before returning to work. Our sanitation practices will be vigilant. You will notice that all Black Star Farms team members are wearing masks, and we require our visitors to do so as well. We thank you in advance for your support of Black Star Farms and your cooperation with our policies.
When visiting Black Star Farms, you will find the following commitments to health and safety throughout our property.
Physical Distancing
- Visual cues like floor markings are set at appropriate intervals where queuing may take place.
- Furniture is positioned to allow for appropriate social distancing.
Personal Protection Equipment
- Staff and guests are required to wear face masks in all enclosed public spaces at all times. Guests must wear masks on public patios at the Tasting Room, Inn, and Hearth & Vine Café and until seated and/or order has been placed.
- Plexiglass shields are placed at all registers.
- Health and hygiene reminders are placed in high-traffic areas in which the usage of masks is recommended by the CDC and/or other local health authorities.
Hand Sanitation
- Hand sanitation stations can be found at every main entrance/exit.
- Signage is present in all public bathrooms with proper handwashing instructions.
- More frequent and detailed cleaning on common touchpoints defined by the CDC, such as tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
Staff Wellness Monitoring
- Staff is required to participate in health screening documentation before their shift.
- Any staff member reporting symptoms of COVID-19 will be instructed not to report to work.
- All staff screening data will be maintained confidentially in a digital format for any necessary reference.
Staff Safety
- All staff members have access to personal protection equipment, including masks and disposable gloves.
- CDC guidelines govern all employees’ duty to engage in frequent hand washing and use of hand sanitizer. Washing hands with soap and water is the preferred method. However, in situations where soap/water is not available, alcohol-based sanitizer is provided.
- Handwashing stations and access to hand sanitizer is convenient and highly visible.
- Staff is trained on new safety procedures or altered duties as well as position-specific health and safety information.
- All common equipment and high touch areas are cleaned and disinfected per CDC guidelines.
- Physical distancing among all employees shall be practiced in employee dining rooms, uniform control areas, training classrooms, shared office spaces, and other high-density areas.
- Signage is placed at all staff stations with instructions regarding properly using personal protection equipment and all CDC best practices.
Sanitation Products
- All surface sanitation products have been verified as EPA-registered disinfectants and meet CDC requirements for use and effectiveness against viruses, bacteria, and other airborne and bloodborne pathogens.
Guest Safety and Experience
Tasting Rooms
- Signage is present at entrance areas with specific information regarding occupancy restrictions and guest entry management for social distancing effectiveness.
- A host will direct guests to their designated seating area.
- Guests are required to wear face coverings until they are at their designated seating area.
- All staff is required to wear masks and maintain proper physical distance during service and communication.
- Extra attention is given to avoid cross-contamination between bottles and glasses.
- Tasting menus are discarded, and writing utensils are sanitized after every use.
- Guest seating and counter spaces are sanitized after every guest.
- All work surfaces are sterilized hourly at a minimum, including bar tops, phones, keyboard and touchscreen, shopping carts, and plexiglass shields.
Inn
Checking In and Out
- Technology resources are in place to reduce direct contact with guests, including virtual check-in practices.
- Contactless payment processing is used whenever possible, and when not available, minimal contact is made.
- Room keys are sanitized between every guest’s stay.
Public Spaces
- Cleaning and disinfecting are done repeatedly throughout the day, emphasizing frequent contact surfaces including, but not limited to, front desk check-in counters and equipment, door handles, public bathrooms, ice machines, room keys and locks, stair handrails, and all seating areas.
Guest Rooms
- Guest rooms are cleaned to our highest standards with extra attention to touchpoints, including television remote controls, door and furniture handles, water faucet handles, nightstands, telephones, in-room control panels, light switches, temperature control panels, alarm clocks, and luggage racks.
- Additional post-cleaning sanitation protocol is in place to guarantee no contact has been made before guest arrivals.
Housekeeping
- The housekeeping staff does not enter a guest room during a stay unless specifically requested or approved by the guest.
- Dirty linens are bagged by guests when possible to eliminate excessive contact.
- Bed linens and laundry are washed at a high temperature and per CDC guidelines.
Food Service
- Guests are assigned a designated time and table in the dining room for breakfast service but are welcome to take their meal to an alternative area. Room service is available upon request.
- Hospitality wine and hors d’oeuvres are prepared for each room and served in a take-away format.
- No public beverage stations will be stocked. Individual coffee, tea, juice, and wine will be available for breakfast and hospitality service.
Food Service
Hearth & Vine Café
- Hand sanitizer stations are placed at the café entrance and on the patio.
- Indoor and outdoor tables and seating is spaced to provide distancing of at least 6 feet.
- Menus are discarded/cleaned after every use.
- Staff is required to wash their hands before delivery of items to a table.
- Any wrapping and packaging of food deliveries are done so that contamination of the food is prevented.
- Designated vendor delivery pick-up zones are established with strict adherence.
- High contact areas are cleaned frequently based on FDA and CDC guidelines. Additional attention is given to surfaces including chairs, highchairs/ booster seats, hostess stands, phones, tablets, POS systems, and credit card swipers.
- Food contact surfaces and equipment are washed, rinsed, and sanitized after every use.
Response to Confirmed Cases of COVID-19
- If an employee is confirmed to have COVID-19 infection, Black Star Farms will inform fellow employees of their possible exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace but maintain confidentiality as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The employee shall also inform Human Resources and the local health department of infection. BSF will instruct fellow employees about how to proceed based on the CDC Public Health Recommendations for Community-Related Exposure. BSF will require a doctor’s note release for returning to work if an employee has laboratory-confirmed COVID-19.
- If a worker is confirmed to be infected with COVID-19, their supervisor should immediately notify the local public health authority and Human Resources and Managing Owner, who will do the following.
- Inform fellow employees of their possible exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace but maintain confidentiality as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
- A supervisor will determine what areas of the property were visited, used, or impacted by the infected worker (the “Impacted Areas”).
- A supervisor will assess whether the worker’s role put them within six feet of other workers or patrons, including whether their duties create specific transmission risks such as food handling or wine tasting.
- BSF will work with the local health department to determine which other workers had close contact with the infected worker (the “Impacted Workers”).
- BSF will notify the Impacted Workers that they may have had contact with an infected worker and encourage them to monitor their health and report any concerns to their healthcare provider.
- Any worker who tests positive for COVID-19 should remain in home isolation for not less than 14 days after symptoms begin. BSF will instruct fellow employees about how to proceed based on the CDC Public Health Recommendations for Community-Related Exposure.
- Impacted Workers who are determined to have been in close contact with a person who tests positive but are not presently symptomatic or suffering a fever greater than 100.4 F/38.0 C should not come to work for 14 days after their last close contact and quarantine themselves. During quarantine, they should watch for symptoms of COVID-19.
Primary Protocol References: CDC, AHLA, Leelanau County Department of Health, WHO, US Travel Association, State of Michigan, Small Business Administration of Michigan, Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association, California Wine Institute, Event Safety Alliance, Michigan