Precautions to Ensure Safe Equipment Installation and Service Calls

We understand the COVID-19 pandemic has created an unusual office environment with numerous expectations to ensure a safe workplace for employees and visitors. We follow all relevant federal, state, municipal and client guidelines to protect our clients and employees.

For all deliveries, service and installations by Loffler, we will first confirm that you approve of a Loffler employee coming onsite. We understand this is a changing situation; we will work with you to determine the best time to go onsite, such as when your employees may not be present or during a low-traffic time. We will ask if there are any special procedures or guidelines we need to perform to meet your COVID-19 visitor guidelines.

We will review any manufacturer guidelines to sanitize client equipment we work on; many have published SAR/COV2/COVID-19 instructions on disinfecting their products. We will follow the instructions Loffler has established for cleansing a device before engaging in a repair.

For further reading on copier cleaning best practices, we also have a page detailing how to clean and disinfect your office copier and printer. 

Precautions to Ensure Safe Equipment Installation and Onsite Service Calls 

To help employers determine appropriate precautions, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has created guidelines for classifying worker exposure to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. They have divided job tasks into four risk exposure levels: very high, high, medium and lower risk. Following these OSHA guidelines, Loffler has created safety precautions for our employees to ensure safe equipment installations and service calls.

Loffler clients range from lower risk exposure to very high risk (those in the healthcare field) and takes the safety of our employees, their families, our clients and our community very seriously. Our COVID-19 Council has been monitoring the national, state and local governing bodies along with the economic impacts to determine the best course of action during this crisis. We aim to do everything we can to help all our clients succeed through this difficult time.

Note: When clients call Loffler for service, we may be able to offer assistance remotely, without needing to come onsite.

Our employees have been instructed not to go onsite until they have all the personal protective equipment (PPE) and sanitation products listed below available and are using/wearing the equipment. 

• Face mask, disposable or reusable, as they become available
• Gloves, latex or nitrile
• Hand sanitizer
• Sanitizing wipes or spray bottle with 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water
• Paper towels, microfiber or cloth to wipe down equipment

Loffler employees will follow the onsite precautions below during installations and service calls, in addition to those outlined by the client. We seek to spend minimal time onsite, to reduce exposure to our employees and clients. 

• We will put on gloves and a mask in our vehicle before entering the client's building.
• We will practice social distancing of at least six feet from anyone else.
• We will not put down mobile devices on un-sanitized surfaces unless they are in a new Ziplock bag (to allow for typing). If a Ziplock bag is used, then it will be disposed of when we leave. 
• We will not use a keyboard or mouse belonging to the client unless absolutely necessary. If these are used, they will be wiped down with sanitizing wipes or solution per manufacturer’s instructions before use.
• We will wipe down any equipment we touch to protect employees at client sites.
• We will discard gloves onsite before leaving the premises.
• We will wash our hands before leaving the location.
• We will not touch our face and we will use hand sanitizer as soon as possible after leaving; preferably before touching our vehicle's door handle.
• We will not remove our mask until our hands have been sanitized.
• We will wipe down the touch surfaces of our vehicles regularly (handles, steering wheel, dashboard, seatbelt buckle, etc.)
• We will wash our hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water frequently throughout the day.
• We will refrain from touching our faces, and if we do, will wash our hands or use sanitizer.
• We will not shake hands.
• We will NOT report to work if we have any COVID-19 symptoms or if we have a family member who does.
• We will be kind to one another. This is stressful for everyone!

Additional Notes for Copier and Printer Installation, Networking and Training

In addition to the health and safety precautions listed above:

Installation

• If we are bringing a machine into a client site, we will unwrap it, connect finisher if applicable, plug in, run a test copy and possibly enter the IP address for remote install (see Networking, below). 
• Where applicable, prep work for installing the equipment will be done offsite before delivery, and the device will be wiped down with disinfectant before transport to the client site.
• If we are not able to pick up the return device during the same visit, we will return on a different day/time for pickup. All devices picked up are disinfected and wrapped.
• We will request customers to sign a delivery and acceptance agreement upon installation of new equipment, utilizing their own pen to print their name and title.

Networking

• Whenever possible, we are networking devices remotely. The delivery driver may input the IP address for remote install upon delivery, or we can give the client instruction on how to input the IP address themselves. The network technician can then remote into a customer computer, utilizing a remote interface to finish and set up for printing and scanning.
• If networking is needed onsite, the network technician will follow the same onsite health and safety steps noted above to install and share print drivers and set up scanning. In order to reduce exposure, we will not touch customer workstations but will guide them to help get them up and running.

Training

• Whenever possible, training will be done remotely. We will utilize remote tools provided by most machine manufacturers.
• If training is needed onsite, trainers will follow the same onsite precautions listed above. Training groups will be kept to two to three users per session and will adhere to the 6-foot social distance rule. 

Is an Onsite Service Call Needed?

When a service call is placed, we will first attempt to fix the problem remotely by asking the client to help with the tasks we need to do. We use technology like remote desktop control, video conferencing and mobile devices to aid in completing a remote fix. If needed, we'll find or create documentation and send it to the client. When possible, we will offer to ship consumables and items replaceable by the end user to minimize client and employee exposure.