COMMOMWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
CITY OF NORTHAMPTON
BOARD OF HEALTH
COVID-19 MANDATORY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR ALL FARMERS’ MARKETS AND FARM STANDS IN NORTHAMPTON
Commencing on April 26, 2020, at 12:01 a.m., the following Policies and Procedures MUST be implemented at all times on all farmers’ markets in the City of Northampton.
Amended May 4, 2020
The term “farmers’ market” shall mean “a public market or public market place located in a city or town that operates or occurs more than once per year for the primary purpose for Massachusetts farmers, from more than one farm, to vend food, crops and other farm related items that they have produced directly to the public,” as set forth in 105 Mass. Code Regs. 590.001.
The term “Market Manager” shall mean an individual assigned with the responsibility of assuring compliance with the requirements of this Order. Prior to commencing a farmers’ market, the contact information for the market manager shall be filed with the Director of Public Health. The Market Manager must be present during the duration of the market.
The term “Vendor” shall mean collectively any farmer participating in the farmers’ market and their employees, agents, contractors, or any other worker assisting in the vending of Products at the farmers’ market.
FARMERS’ MARKET SAFETY STAND DOWN
Prior to initial opening of any farmers’ market, the Market Manager shall conduct a safety stand down with all Vendors to disseminate these Policies and Procedures to all Vendors and to inform Vendors of their obligations under this Order. All vendors must keep a copy of these Policies and Procedures posted at their individual sales area.
ZERO TOLERANCE FOR SICK VENDORS
Prior to starting a shift, each Vendor and each Market Manager employee or agent shall certify to the Market Manager that they are not exhibiting the following;
COVID-19 Typical Symptoms:
- Fever
- Cough
- Headache
- Shortness of Breath
- Sore Throat
- Diarrhea
- Nausea/Vomiting
- Stuffy Nose
- Anosmia (inability to smell and/or taste)
- Fever of 100.0 degrees or greater in the past 72 hours
- Cough or trouble breathing within the past 24 hours,
- Have not had “close contact” with an individual diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 14 days.
“Close contact” means living in the same household as a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, caring for a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, being within 6 feet of a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 for about 15 minutes (this includes riding in a vehicle with), or coming in direct contact with secretions (e.g., sharing utensils, being coughed on) from a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, while that person was symptomatic,
- Have not been asked to self-isolate or quarantine by their doctor or a local public health official in the past 14 days.
Any person on the farmers’ market site exhibiting symptoms or unable to self-certify must be directed to leave the farmers’ market site and seek medical attention and applicable testing by their health care provider. They are not to return to the site until cleared by a medical or public health professional.
GENERAL ON-THE-JOB PROCEDURES TO PREVENT EXPOSURE AND LIMIT THE TRANSMISSION OF THE VIRUS
Each Market Manager must submit a detailed Plan for review and approval of the Director of Public Health. The plan must include the following:
- A sketch of the market space showing entrance, exit, hand washing/sanitizing stations and vendors with appropriate distance.
- A narrative that describes how vendors will minimize the handling of products by staff, disallowing the touching of Products at vendor tables and sales points by customers.
- A narrative that describes how vendors will minimize cash transactions and to otherwise assure sanitary handling of the financial aspects of the transaction.
- If the farmers’ market offers on-line or phone orders for pick up at the market, the plan should include but not be limited to the type of products that can be ordered, the location of the pick-up and the pick-up procedure.
Each Market Manager shall ensure the following requirements are met:
- All farmers’ markets shall be subject to limited occupancy within the site, which shall be set by the Health Department upon review of the plan.
- The Market Manager or their designee shall monitor and assure safe social distancing of no less than six feet for all persons on site.
- All farmers’ markets shall have one entrance and one exit, both of which shall be monitored to assure compliance with occupancy limitations, and to assure that all customers are compliant with requirements of this Order.
- All farmers’ markets shall have a handwashing/sanitizing station at the entrance, which shall be shown on the Plan, and no person shall enter the site without washing or sanitizing their hands. The entrance monitor, as set forth immediately above, shall assure that all customers wash or sanitize their hands before entering the market. All farmers’ markets shall provide a one-way flow of customers, which shall be depicted on the Plan. The Market Manager shall assign an employee to assure one-way traffic flow in accordance with the Plan.
- All Vendor stations shall have a Plexiglass barrier between the Vendor and the customer.
- All Vendors shall wear masks or face coverings at all times within the site.
- All Vendors shall wear gloves at all times within the site, which shall be changed hourly. Before putting on a new pair of gloves, each Vendor shall wash or sanitize their hands.
- Vendors must sanitize point of sale stations between each customer use.
- No Vendor shall offer samples of Products, nor shall Vendors allow any customer to sample any Products.
- Vendors shall not use tablecloths. All table coverings shall be plastic or other non-porous material
- Vendors shall provide single use parchment/wax paper or barrier to pick up the product for which customers intend to purchase.
- All customers must wear a face covering; no Vendor shall serve a customer not wearing a face covering. Children under 2 and those with health conditions are exempt.
NO FARMERS’ MARKET MAY COMMENCE OPERATIONS UNTIL ALL OF THE FOREGOING REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH. NO VENDOR MAY PARTICIPATE IN A FARMERS’ MARKET WITHOUT FILING OF THE NARRATIVE STATEMENTS REQUIRED BY THIS ORDER IN A FORM SATISFACTORY TO THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
Effective 12:01 a.m. on April 26, 2020.
Amended 12:30 p.m. on July 6, 2020.
Merridith O’Leary
Health Director