HomeMy WebLinkAbout02082021_Funaro Good Man_VaccinationsFrom:Amanda Funaro
To:jeffbocc; Board of Health
Subject:Sanitation Safety and COVID Vaccine
Date:Monday, February 8, 2021 12:00:43 PM
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Dear Board of County Commissioners and Board of Health Members,
This time of pandemic has created many challenges. None of which we ever wantedto face. I am grateful to live in a community that takes seriously the health andwellbeing of its friends and neighbors. However, I think we can agree that thesechallenging times have highlighted our weak spots and presented opportunities to dobetter.
As the CEO of Good Man Sanitation, our local portable restroom and septic pumpingbusiness, I want to raise a concern. But first, let me underscore that during the
pandemic we have provided necessary service throughout ALL sectors of ourcommunity. In the early days we conserved and reserved hand sanitizer for our
hospital staff and frontline workers. Good Man researched and located field hospitalsand portable shower trailers for EMS. (Thankfully, we never needed them!) We have
provided portable restrooms for downtown businesses, hand sinks for localsupermarkets, sinks and toilets for our homeless population, bathrooms to hospital
workers for the parking lot areas and many, many more. I think it is fair to say that wetoo are front line and emergency response workers. I do not outline our community
work for praise or accolade, but simply to illuminate that we are here working andhave never stopped throughout this crisis.
In addition to our toilets and sinks, Good Man arguably pumps the largest volume ofseptic waste across our county. On average we pump 8,000 gallons of septic wasteper day. Often, when we are called, someone has septic waste coming up throughthe pipes in their home or on occasion surfacing in their yard. If you have ever had todeal with this situation you probably know how crucial it is to have a septic pumper betimely and responsive.
We do our part to follow best practices and health guidelines in the field. Myemployees use the limited PPE that we can acquire. We physically distanceourselves from our customers when on jobsites as best as we can. Unfortunately, noteveryone always follows masking requirements on their own property.
Nonetheless, every single time my employees turn on a pump to empty a toilet, aseptic tank or a sink, there is a risk of vaporized particles from the material we arevacuum pumping being inhaled by my staff. Good Man Sanitation has a service areathat spans from the Hood Canal Bridge, down to Mason County, up to Joyce and allparts of Jefferson County’s east end. There is nary an area of the north peninsula thatwe do not cover. I am concerned for my employee’s health and safety AND that of myneighbors. I am concerned about the possibility of my staff creating a super spreadersituation, through no fault of their own.
Should one of my employees contract the COVID-19 virus. It would be necessary that
I quarantine my staff for at least 14 days. Despite working out in the field largelyindependently, and our office being closed to the public, our home office and shop area small space that we all share daily. We do our best to limit time and exposure toone another, but I would feel obligated to have us quarantine. I am concerned notonly for the financial implications to our business but to broader industry.
This would mean, that not one single portable toilet, sink or septic tank would bepumped by us during that time. My concern is not just for the health and safety of my
staff but that of our larger community. What would it mean to all the local contractorsto go without clean toilets and handwashing stations, would they keep working?
I have asked Dr. Locke for guidance as to where we fall in line for vaccination andhave been told to look to the state. Based on my understanding, it may be late springor summer before we are able to have our employees vaccinated. (Keep in mind, thatin spring we add 200 new stops to our route between Jefferson and ClallamCounties.) I understand the need to prioritize our elder and high-risk population. I amsimply concerned that by not prioritizing some of the service providers that keep us allsafe and healthy puts more of us at a higher risk of contraction. Especiallyconsidering the new COVID variant.
Should new guidelines for a vaccination schedules be developed, I would hope to be
contacted. Please feel free to reach out directly if you have questions or concerns.
Warmly,
Amanda Funaro
Principal Operations Officer
Good Man, Inc.2495 Cape George Rd.
Port Townsend, WA 98368
360-385-7155