How We’re Taking Care and Staying Safe
As a Licensed Insolvency Trustee, R. West and Associates, Inc. is considered an essential service. Consequently, we have been operating throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are following industry leading health and safety guidance to ensure the safety of our employees and the people requiring our services. Our health and safety measures include:
- Enhanced cleaning protocols, including frequently washing our hands and wiping down door handles and other high-touch surfaces.
- A minimum number of staff working in-house and observing social distancing guidelines.
- Asking parties that wish to meet with us questions about their job, health, etc., to better assess their potential level of exposure to COVID-19.
- Asking that any client who may be exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, has been in close contact with a confirmed case, or has travelled outside Canada in the past two weeks not come to our offices and instead take part in a virtual meeting.
- Minimizing the number of meetings in our physical offices and instead conducting phone and online (webcam) meetings to perform our duties and services.
- When an in-person meeting is necessary, asking all parties to wash their hands before and after the meeting, and limit their movements to the reception area and meeting room. We are not requiring visitors to wear a face mask, but we respect that some may wish to wear them.
At our Surrey head office
- Installing a new plexiglass shield at the front reception counter, which allows individuals to make deliveries, check in for appointments, etc., at a safe distance.
- Installing a plexiglass shield in the middle of the board room table, enabling us to exchange documents and conduct a face-to-face meeting at a safe distance.
At our Burnaby/Coquitlam satellite office
Because we occupy the meeting rooms at the Boss Business Centre facility in Burnaby on an as-needed basis, we don’t have a specific meeting room. Boss’s policy is as follows:
1. Cleaning
- Having an employee circulate around the building cleaning common touch points throughout the day – lobby door handles, escalator railings, elevator buttons, washroom doors, taps, etc.
- Several times a day, wiping down common touch points in the facility – kitchen and reception counters, door handles, reception chairs, microwave, coffee machine, fridge, etc.
- In both cases, using high grade anti-bacterial spray that kills virus on contact.
- Providing hand sanitizer on counters and the reception coffee table, and encouraging everyone entering the premises to apply generously to their hands, whether they are wearing gloves or not.
- Each night, having the janitorial service disinfect common areas and offices used during the day.
- Supplying disinfectant wipes and encouraging clients and guests to use them liberally to wipe down surfaces touched.
2. Distancing
- Asking everyone coming into the facility to strictly follow the 2 meter physical distancing requirement.
- Allowing only two people into the elevator at one time.
- Requiring that guests arrive no more than a few minutes before their appointment time – BOSS will politely turn them away if they are too early.
- No more than two people seated in the reception area at one time.
- Asking guests to not linger in the coffee area, and to maintain distance if someone else is using the space.
- Implementing a “one-way” walking designation for all hallways in the office.
We hope these guidelines and practices give you the confidence you need to feel safe when visiting our R. West & Associates offices.
If you have any questions or wish to make an appointment, we encourage you to call us at 604‑591‑7634.