Office of the Health Officer

HOO-Appendix-J-Reopening-Protocol-for-Music-Television-and-Film-Production
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER OF THE HEALTH OFFICER
Reopening Protocol for Music, Television and Film Production: Appendix J
Effective as of Friday, June 12, 2020
The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health is adopting a staged approach, supported by science and public health expertise, to allow Music, Television and Film production to resume. The requirements below are specific to the Music, Television and Film industries which are permitted to re-open following the Health Officer Order of June 11, 2020.
In addition to any conditions imposed on the Music, Television and Film industries by the State, and agreements among labor and management, these types of businesses must also be in compliance with the conditions listed in this Checklist for the Music, Television and Film Industry.
Additional protocols relevant to areas of Music, Television and Film Production must also be followed: · Restaurants and bars · Retail Operations · Office Spaces · Warehouse and Manufacturing · Construction
Please note: This document may be updated as additional information and resources become available so be sure to check the LA County website http://www.ph.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/ regularly for any updates to this document
This checklist covers: (1) Workplace policies and practices to protect employee health (2) Measures to ensure physical distancing (3) Measures to ensure infection control (4) Communication with employees and the public (5) Measures to ensure equitable access to critical services
These five key areas must be addressed as your facility develops any reopening protocols.
All businesses covered by this guidance must implement all applicable measures listed below and be prepared to explain why any measure that is not implemented is
not applicable to the business.
Business name:
Facility Address:
Date Posted:

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COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER OF THE HEALTH OFFICER
A. WORKPLACE POLICIES AND PRACTICES TO PROTECT EMPLOYEE HEALTH (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY TO THE FACILITY)
 Any employee who can carry out their work duties from home has been directed to do so.
 A workplace COVID-19 Compliance Officer (C19CO) or Officers has been designated. The C19CO is responsible for establishing and enforcing COVID-19 safety protocols, training staff on protocols, and monitoring compliance. If feasible experts with experience in infection control are consulted in creating and reviewing infection control protocols for new Music, Television and Film productions, to revise established protocols, and generally provide consultation for the C19CO. The C19CO maintains, secures, and protects the privacy of any records created during their work. The C19CO should be on site whenever possible when production work is being performed, particularly during on-site or onlocation filming. The C19CO supports:
o Employee, vendor and visitor health check processes upon arrival at the workplace. Records must be kept private and secure at all times
o Management of complaints and suggestions for improving COVID-19 related procedures
o Protocol and workflow assessment for all work to assure physical distancing, infection control, and disinfection.
o Procedures for an employee with signs compatible with COVID-19, and/or an employee who tests positive for COVID-19.
 Workplace provides all personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection prevention supplies needed on the job, including face coverings, hand sanitizer, disinfectants, and (when needed) gloves, mobile handwashing stations, and other equipment and supplies.
 All employees and visitors are required to wear cloth face coverings whenever they are in contact with others unless the production activity does not allow for the wearing of a face covering. These instances should be of short duration and with as much physical distancing as possible.
 Vulnerable staff (those above age 65, those with chronic health conditions) are assigned work that can be done from home whenever possible.
 All employees have been told not to come to work if they have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, have tested positive for COVID-19 or have been in contact with a case of COVID-19 and to follow DPH guidance for self-isolation or quarantine as applicable.
 Work processes are reconfigured to the extent possible to increase opportunities for employees to work from home.
 For Television and Film production there is regular, periodic testing of the cast and crew on a given production to mitigate the risk of the spread of COVID-19, especially for those cast and crew that are involved in high risk scenes requiring close contact without face coverings for extended periods of time. Where testing may not be feasible for one-time productions operating under a very short filming schedule (e.g. many commercials) or smaller music recording sessions, all work should be planned to eliminate close physical contact between cast, crew and performers as much as possible. Any and all testing programs are the responsibility of the employer and should benefit from the guidance of a medical professional.

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COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER OF THE HEALTH OFFICER
 Upon being informed that one or more employees test positive for, or has symptoms consistent with COVID-19 (case), the employer shall have a plan for response, following guidance required by Los Angeles County, to include:
o Send the sick employee home immediately. If they have symptoms of serious illness such as trouble breathing, pressure or pain in the chest, bluish lips or they appear confused, call 911. They should speak with their physician about their symptoms and determine the need for testing for COVID-19.
 The employee is not allowed to return until their fever has resolved for at least three (3) full days and their respiratory symptoms are improving, with a minimum absence of ten (10) days from the start of their symptoms.
 An employee that tests positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus but is not showing any symptoms, is not allowed to return until 10 days have passed starting from the date that the testing sample was collected.
 Consider alternative work options like teleworking or other arrangements to work remotely if the employee can do so.
 Perform a cleaning and disinfection of all areas touched by the ill or infected employee.
 Identify any cast, crew or others that had close contact with the ill employee. See the quarantine guide (http://ph.lacounty.gov/covidquarantine) for definitions of close contacts and what they must do. The name of the ill employee must not be disclosed, and medical privacy must be maintained.
 The employer's plan should consider a protocol for all quarantined employees to have access to or be tested for COVID-19 in order to determine whether there have been additional workplace exposures, which may require additional COVID-19 control measures. Note that a negative PCR test (test for genetic material on nasal/throat/saliva sample) only shows that there was no virus in the sample at the time of the test. Individuals that test negative must still complete their full 14 days of quarantine.
 If the producer, director, showrunner, owner, manager, or operator knows of three (3) or more cases of COVID-19 within the workplace within a span of 14 days the employer must report this cluster to the Department of Public Health at (888) 397-3993 or (213) 240-7821, and assist Public Health in the investigation and take steps required by Public Health to control the outbreak.
 Symptom checks are conducted before employees may enter the workspace. Checks must include a check-in concerning cough, shortness of breath or fever and any other symptoms compatible with COVID-19 that the employee may be experiencing. These checks can be done remotely or in person upon the employees' arrival. A temperature check should also be done at the worksite if feasible. Information must be kept private and stored in a safe and secure manner.
 All employees who have contact with the public or other employees during their shift (s) are offered, at no cost, a cloth face covering. The covering is always to be worn by the employee during the workday when in contact or likely to come into contact with others. Employees need not wear a cloth face covering when the employee is alone in a private office or a walled cubicle.
 Employees are instructed to wash their face coverings daily.
 All workstations are separated by at least six feet.

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COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER OF THE HEALTH OFFICER

 Break rooms, restrooms, and other common areas are disinfected frequently, on the following schedule:

o Distribution area

____________________________________________

o Make up/ Hair and Costume areas ____________________________________________

o Cast Green Rooms or trailers

____________________________________________

o Break rooms

____________________________________________

o Restrooms

____________________________________________

o Other

____________________________________________

 Breaks are staggered to ensure that six (6) feet between employees can be maintained in break rooms or other common areas such as background cast members' waiting rooms at all times.

 Employees are prohibited from eating or drinking anywhere other than in designated areas to assure that masks are worn consistently and correctly. Cast and crew must eat and drink at designated set areas with staggered schedules.

 Disinfectant and related supplies are available to employees at the following location(s):

_________________________________________________________________________________

 Hand sanitizer effective against COVID-19 is available to all employees at the following location(s):

_________________________________________________________________________________

 Employees are allowed frequent breaks to wash their hands.

 A copy of this protocol has been distributed to each employee.

 Each worker is assigned their own tools, equipment and defined workspace as much as possible. Sharing held items is minimized or eliminated.

 All shared equipment, microphones, and tools must be disinfected after each use.

 All shared clothing must be cleaned after each use.

 All wigs or other shared prosthetics must be disinfected after each use.

 All policies described in this checklist other than those related to terms of employment are applied to staff of delivery and any other companies who may be on the premises as third parties.

 Training sessions on COVID-19 are provided and documented for all employees ­ including information about the virus and all required safety measures.

 Workers hired to serve as audience members are required to adhere to all other employee requirements.

 The date, time and participants in all production sessions should be recorded for later reference, in case anyone involved in the production becomes ill with signs of COVID-19 and/or tests positive.

 Optional--Describe other measures:

_________________________________________________________________________________

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COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER OF THE HEALTH OFFICER
B. MEASURES TO ENSURE PHYSICAL DISTANCING
 All new or re-starting productions and group recording sessions must have a written protocol before work begins to ensure physical distancing of six (6) feet or more between people throughout the production. It must ensure that:
o Only essential cast and crew should be on or near the set at any time
o Production or editing meetings should be limited to essential staff only and should be held in areas where physical distancing can be maintained.
o Strategies may include breaking production participants into teams of the smallest size feasible, that access set or studio areas at different times with minimum overlap or intermingling
o All cast and musicians performing work in which they cannot wear a face covering (e.g. actors, wind and brass instrument players, singers) should strive for a minimum of 8 feet of social distancing during rehearsal or performance. Alternatively, wind and brass instrument musicians should be separated from others and from each other by plexiglass or other barriers.
o Essential staff may include paid employees that serve as an audience for a production. Audiences must be seated at least 6 feet from each other and wearing face coverings whenever feasible; audiences should be limited to 100 people or 25% of the maximum occupancy of the space, whichever is smaller. The same group of employees should serve as the audience throughout a production whenever feasible
 Where feasible, all workspaces shall have one directional traffic (separate entrances and exits) to prevent contact or crowding near doorways.
 Elevator capacity is limited to the number of people that can be accommodated while maintaining a six (6)-foot physical distance between riders; during peak building entry and exit times, this number can be adjusted to four (4) individuals or fewer at a time for any elevator that does not allow for six (6)-foot physical distance between riders. All riders are required to wear cloth face coverings. Consider elevator sizes, number of building floors, and daily number of employees and visitors to establish physical distancing guidelines appropriate for elevator riders.
 To ease elevator traffic, stairwells have been opened for "up" or "down" traffic with increased cleaning of stairwells.
 Furniture in lobbies and in employee break rooms, green rooms and trailers and other common areas is separated by at least six (6) feet to support physical distancing.
 All shop (props, costume, design, electrical equipment, etc.) and manufacturing locations on the lot work with clients on an appointment-only basis to prevent formation of lines or groups. Shopping is performed virtually as much as possible or is limited to one shopper at a time. Any printed catalogue of offerings should be single-use and assigned to the one client and not re-used. If a client must wait for an item, they should wait outside as much as possible,
 All staff, cast, crew, musicians, vendors, clients and other visitors have been instructed to maintain at least a six (6) feet distance from each other at all times, except when specific tasks require closer work.
 In offices, film and sound editing areas, employee workstations are separated by at least six (6) feet and common areas are configured to limit employee gatherings to ensure physical distancing of at least six (6) feet. A maximum capacity for each office, meeting room and floor should be established and posted.

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COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER OF THE HEALTH OFFICER
C. GENERAL MEASURES FOR INFECTION CONTROL
 HVAC systems in all buildings are in good working order; to the maximum extent possible, ventilation has been increased in all spaces, including offices, recording areas, meeting rooms, stages, green rooms and trailers, and on-lot shops. The status of the HVAC system is assessed by on-location scouting.
 All contracts, scripts, music sheets, and any other documents that are normally shared are either distributed digitally, or are printed and individually assigned to cast, crew and musicians to avoid sharing.
 Before and after filming or recording sessions, group editing, or other meetings, frequently touched objects (e.g., tables, doorknobs or handles, printers, props, common equipment) are disinfected using EPA approved disinfectants. Such surfaces should be cleaned at least three times a day.
 Sets, production spaces, and the entire facility are cleaned at least daily, with restrooms and frequently touched areas/objects cleaned more frequently.
 All staff, cast, crew, visitors, vendors, and clients are instructed that they must wear cloth face coverings at all times in the facility unless they are alone in a closed office. This applies to all adults and to children over the age of two (2). Only individuals with chronic respiratory conditions or other medical conditions that make use of a mask hazardous are exempted from this requirement.
 Cast that are minor children may be accompanied by up to two (2) adults such as a parent, guardian and/or educator. Children must stay with their parent or guardian and avoid touching any other person or any item that does not belong to them and remain masked, if age permits, when not on set.
 Hand sanitizer, tissues and trash cans are available to all cast, crew, musicians and staff at or near the entrance of the facility, throughout offices and recording studios, near a set and on location. Non touch trash receptacles are preferred.
 All payment portals, pens, and styluses are disinfected after each use by a different person.
 Props, costume and set materials that can be more easily disinfected are preferred.  All cast and crew must wear a facial covering and must wash or sanitize hands before touching props,
costumes, or set materials. During filming, cast may use these items without wearing a face covering.
 All props, costumes and set materials must be disinfected before first use on the set, and between uses by different actors.
 Where feasible, cast will bring their own props (e.g. cell phone) and costumes to avoid sharing.  All trucks and other vehicles must be disinfected after each use

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COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER OF THE HEALTH OFFICER
D. MEASURES THAT COMMUNICATE TO STAFF, CAST, CREW, VISTORS, VENDORS AND CLIENTS
 A copy of this protocol is given to all people, in all roles, that enter the facility or the on-location set.  Signage is posted throughout the facility or set to convey the following information:
o People ill with signs of COVID-19, or that have tested positive for the virus, are not permitted to enter.
o People that are under quarantine after possible exposure to another person with possible or confirmed COVID-19, are not allowed to enter.
o Facial covering requirements. o Capacity limits for specific meeting rooms, break rooms, dining areas, recording rooms, film sets,
and vehicles, (posted on or just outside of the entrance to these locations). o procedures for symptoms checks, temperature checks. (posted in check-in areas) o Contact information for the on-set COVID-19 Compliance Officer (C19CO)

E. MEASURES THAT ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO CRITICAL SERVICES
 Measures are instituted to assure access for cast, crew and musicians who have mobility limitations and/or are at high risk in public spaces.

F. MUSIC PRODUCTION

In addition to complying with all other relevant sections of this protocol music production activities should also adhere to the list below:

 All sessions should be booked in advance with the expected number of participants recorded at

booking

to

ensure

that

physical

distancing

can

be

maintained.

A visitor log should be maintained with name and contact information of all participants.

 Individuals admitted to the studio at any particular time (including talent and crew) must be limited to essential personnel only. This includes artists, songwriters, photographers/videographers, and the people who can accompany them, must be strictly limited to essential personnel only.

 Sheet music and other paper materials should be passed out using gloves. Ideally, they should be for single use and not collected at the end of the session.

 Wherever feasible, everyone utilizing the studio should use their own equipment (including cameras, headsets, microphones, consoles), desks, phones, supplies, etc. If equipment must be shared, it should be sanitized between each use.

 Distance markers must be provided to indicate adequate social distancing. Microphones, consoles, and other equipment must be set up to facilitate social distancing.

 Those entering the studio must wear a cloth face covering whenever they are near others, especially in common areas including lounges, kitchens, bathrooms.

 All musicians and singers performing work in which they cannot wear a face covering (e.g. wind and brass instrument players, singers) should strive for a minimum of 8 feet of social distancing during rehearsal or performance. Alternatively, these individuals should be separated from others and from each other by plexiglass or other barriers.

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COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER OF THE HEALTH OFFICER
 Talent must arrive with hair and makeup done if needed.  Contractors should ideally accept tax forms and other collectively bargained forms (Cartage) digitally,
or via mail.  Copies of acknowledgement forms regarding studio policies and written notices will be placed, close
to entrances. o Forms should be sent electronically in advance to contingent workers and visitors for e-signature, if possible, to minimize physical contact at the studio.
 As much as feasible all financial transactions should be arranged in advance or following the session through contactless systems. Transactions or services that can be offered remotely should be moved on-line.
G. AUDITIONING SESSIONS
 Auditioning should be performed remotely, through tools such as videoconferencing, as much as possible.
 When in-person auditioning is used, the following are required: o Appointments must be used to prevent crowding. No open calls are allowed. o All attending the session are required to wear cloth face coverings; the person auditioning may remove their face covering for the audition if appropriate. o Single use printed scripts given to each participant, no sharing of scripts. o The individual auditioning must wait outdoors, and away from others for their appointment. o Multiple person auditions must maintain at least six (6) feet of distance between individuals.
H. SCENE RESTRICTIONS
 All cast shall wash or sanitize hands when beginning the filming of a scene and not touch their face during the filming session. Any crew that must interact with the set or cast must also wash or sanitize their hands at the beginning of filming and must wear a facial covering.
 Any work, including scenes, requiring cast or crew to be closer than six (6) feet must be as brief as possible and cast must be as silent as possible to avoid spreading droplets through talking. Scenes with direct prolonged physical contact between cast (intimate scenes, fight scenes) are discouraged at this time.
 Large crowd scenes should be avoided.  All on location filming must adhere to operating hours between 7am and 10pm whenever feasible.

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COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER OF THE HEALTH OFFICER
I. CRAFT SERVICES AND CATERING
 All actors and crew shall wash or sanitize hands before handling any food  No buffets allowed  No communal food or drink service (no coffee pot, no single service coffee maker)  All food and drink must be single serving only  Sit-down meals: either require eating in shifts, or seating areas large enough to allow for physical
distancing of six (6) feet or more  All additional Public Health Requirements related to food service must be followed.  Any food brought by individuals should be labeled and may not be shared.  Food and drinks may be consumed only in designated spaces to ensure that masks can be worn
consistently and correctly.  If water is served from water dispensers, then levers or buttons on the dispenser should be cleaned
after each use. It is preferable that beverages are served in single use containers.
J. WARDROBE, HAIR & MAKEUP
 Hands-on assistance with these services should be limited only to cast that require it and cannot do it themselves
 Actors and crew must wash or sanitize their hands before any hands-on styling or costume session, and wear cloth face coverings during sessions as much as possible. During the application of makeup, since a cloth face covering cannot be worn the actor should stay as silent as possible to avoid spreading droplets though talking.
 The date, time and crew in the session should be recorded for later reference, in case either the cast member or wardrobe/hair crew become ill with COVID-19.
K. LOCATION SCOUTING
 Scouting should be performed virtually or rely on existing site photographs where possible.  Locations must be completely secure to prevent access by the public. Locations should be remote,
fenced or otherwise well-secured from public access.  Locations must have enough space to allow for physical distancing for all cast and crew holding and
common areas, the video village, craft services/dining, and all other work areas  Location rental or access time must allow for the extra time needed for safe check-in to the site, and
extra time for hand hygiene and repeated disinfection of surfaces.  Outdoor or large open indoor spaces are inherently safer by virtue of the greater capacity to achieve
physical distancing and/or ventilation. Small closed indoor spaces without proper ventilation should not be used.

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COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER OF THE HEALTH OFFICER
L. ON LOCATION FILMING
 A workflow and COVID-19 safety protocol must be written before filming occurs and shared with all cast and crew on location.
 A listing of all cast and crew participating in the filming must be maintained in case there is a need to perform contact tracing in the event of an illness or positive viral test in cast or crew.
 Physical distancing of at least six (6) feet between people is required on all off-camera areas including the cast and crew holding and common areas, the video village, craft services/dining, and all other work areas. Provide additional areas, equipment (such as video village monitors) to allow for distancing.
 Only essential cast and crew should be on or near the set at any time and physical distancing must be maintained.
 If transportation is needed between filming sites, use a higher-capacity vehicle as much as possible to allow for six (6) feet of physical distancing as much as is feasible. Establish a passenger capacity number and post it on the side of the vehicle. If needed, provide more vehicle trips with fewer passengers per trip. Require facial coverings for all passengers (including cast) and driver, leave windows open, if possible, during the ride.
 All off-camera staff must wear facial covering throughout the workday.  All cast and crew should stay on location during the workday, including all breaks.  All on location filming must adhere to operating hours between 7am and 10pm whenever feasible.
M. FILM PERMITTING
 Productions that consist entirely of remote/virtual work and filming or recording, with no contact between cast, crew, and musicians, are safest and should be prioritized if possible.
 The production must meet all other requirements for ON LOCATION FILMING and SCENE RESTRICTONS in this checklist
Any additional measures not included above should be listed on separate pages, which the business should attach to this document.
You may contact the following person with any questions or comments about this protocol:
Business Contact Name: Phone number: Date Last Revised:

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