Autoglass® COVID 19 Safety Policy

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Autoglass® are still providing a nationwide service, for those of you who need us.

The safety of our customers, our staff and the general public is of paramount importance to us and in order to continue to operate at this time in a way that mitigates the risks posed by COVID-19, we have enforced strict safety protocols across our entire organisation. These protocols are based on HSE and HSA guidelines, Government guidelines and VGRRR (Vehicle Glass Repair, Replacement and Re-calibration) COVID-19 safety protocols.

To allow our customers to understand the measures we are implementing at this time, we have put together this section detailing the Autoglass® COVID-19 safety protocols.

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Autoglass® staff

In accordance with guidelines provided by the HSE, HSA, Government and our Global VGRRR partners we have implemented new protocols and hygiene practices to help protect our customers and our staff at this time. These measures include:

Constant communication with our technicians, depot managers and depot staff, warehouse staff, head-office staff and 3rd party suppliers to ensure that they are in good health, display no symptoms of COVID-19 and are strictly adhering to the latest advice from the HSE, HSA, Government and our Global VGRRR partners.
In all of our nationwide locations, including our warehouse and head-office we follow social distancing practices. At all times staff members maintain a minimum of 2 metres distance between customers and fellow staff members.
Masks are worn by all staff members at all times when not in their own socially distanced work space.
Technicians carry out a mandatory service called Enhanced COVID 19 Touchpoint Cleaning (ECTC) before and after every vehicle glass repair, replacement or recalibration job. Click here for more details about ECTC.
Our technicians clean and sanitize their hands before, and after, every appointment. And staff members clean and sanitize their hands throughout the day.
We’ve increased the cleaning regime in our head office, warehouse and nationwide branches, particularly in commonly used areas in these buildings and for commonly used items and tools. A minimum of 2 meters distance is maintained at all times in our branches between customers and depot staff members.
Hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes have been provided to all staff members and staff must follow a strict work area cleaning regime before their working day commences. This regime is repeated at intervals throughout the day.
All staff are supplied with facemasks.
The majority of our head office staff and call-centre staff work remotely.

2. What to expect when making a booking

To maintain a contactless service, payment will be taken over the phone for your booking, if you opt the pay for our services yourself. If you claim for the work on your insurance policy and your insurer requires an excess, payment for this will also be taken over the phone.

To ensure our customer’s and staff members safety, before we complete your booking we will ask you a series of health-related questions to help manage your appointment. This will include:

Have you, or anyone in your residence or at the job location tested positive for COVID-19, or are awaiting test results?
Do you fall into a category where you should be self-isolating / cocooning for COVID-19? For example;
- you have a pre-existing health condition that would place you in a vulnerable category
- you have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19
- you have recently arrived back in Ireland from a high risk country (last 14 days)?
Do you, or anyone living with you, have any flu-like symptoms, a fever, dry cough, chills or shortness of breath?
Depending on your answers provided, we will work with you on the best way forward to support your needs. Including rearranging an appointment until after a self-isolation / quarantine period was ended.

If after making a booking, you begin to develop flu-like symptoms, a dry cough, fever or shortness of breath, please call us immediately on 01-4090900 so we can help to manage your booking.

If you opt for our mobile service, on the day of your appointment, you will be called by the technician carrying out the work on your vehicle, prior to their arrival. They will enquire again, if anyone at the job address displays symptoms of COVID 19 or has tested positive for COVID 19 in the past 14 days.

3. What to expect when visiting an Autoglass® branch

In addition to our staff hygiene, personal protection and safety protocols, if you’ve booked your vehicle into one of our nationwide branches, you can expect the following:

Before the customer presents their vehicle at the branch they must ensure that the interior is in reasonably clean condition and free of any discarded tissues, food or open drinks containers.
Our staff will maintain a minimum distance of 2 meters from the customer at all times.
The customer will be asked to park their car outside the branch and place their car key in a specified container or somewhere on the car itself. The technician will begin by disinfecting the car key and will then carry out ECTC. Click here for more details about ECTC.
The customer must either return at a later time to collect the vehicle or wait outside the branch until work is completed.
Technicians will carry out their work using fully disinfected tools, disposable plastic gloves and will also wear face protection.
Once the work is completed the technician will carry out ECTC again.
The car will be parked outside the depot for the customer and the car key will be fully sanitized and ready for collection.
No customer sign-off will be required and the customer’s receipt will be sent to them by email.

4. What to expect when an Autoglass® technician comes to your home or business

In addition to our staff hygiene, personal protection and safety protocols, if you’ve booked a mobile technician to carry out the job at your residence or workplace, you can expect the following:

On the day of your appointment, you will be called by the technician carrying out the work on your vehicle, prior to their arrival. They will enquire again, if anyone at the job address displays symptoms of COVID 19 or has tested positive for COVID 19 in the past 14 days.
Before the technician arrives at the job address, customers must ensure that the interior of their vehicle is in reasonably clean condition and free of any discarded tissues, food or open drinks containers.
Our technicians will be equipped with disposable gloves and will also wear face protection.
All tools they use will have been disinfected following the previous job.
You can either unlock your vehicle from inside your residence or workplace or leave the key for the technician to retrieve eg. on the door-step upon his arrival.
The technician will begin by disinfecting the car key and will then carry out ECTC. Click here for more details about ECTC.
Once the job is completed the technician will carry out ECTC again and will return your key to you fully sanitized.
No customer sign-off is required and the customer will receive their receipt by email.

Full Interior Steam Sanitization

Autoglass® now offer a stand alone service called Full Interior Steam Sanitization. Full Interior Steam Sanitization uses fine micronized aerosol mist comprised of water and antiviral disinfectant to deliver fast, thorough and efficient disinfection of all vehicle interior surfaces, including inside air ducts. The process takes approximately 10 minutes per vehicle and uses 95% less chemical consumption than traditional sanitization methods, making it a far more eco-friendly solution. Our Antiviral disinfectant was independently tested in February 2020 to European Standard BS EN 14476 and was shown to be effective against enveloped viruses, killing 99.9% of germs and viruses including COVID 19. Furthermore the non-bleach formula is safe to use on all car interior surfaces and will not cause any fading or discoloration. You can watch a video demonstration of Full Interior Steam Sanitization by clicking this link.

You can book a Full Interior Steam Sanitization service at anytime by calling 01-4090900.

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FAQs

How have Autoglass® ensured that all their staff members comply with the HSE, HSA and Government and VGRRR COVID-19 safety guidelines?

To ensure our staff are vigilant at this time and adhering strictly to our rigid COVID-19 safety protocols, we have taken the following steps:

Each staff member underwent intensive training at the outset of the crisis, covering all steps staff must take at an individual level, to protect themselves and others from the spread of COVID-19. Additional training was given to technicians, warehouse staff and depot staff.
A company COVID 19 Officer was appointed and underwent intensive training with the HSE.
Weekly briefings between managers and staff take place, to discuss the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic and whether the company is doing all it can to keep customers and staff safe.
In each department staff members’ health is monitored daily and the safety protocols are reiterated.
Weekly emails are sent to all staff members reiterating the importance of extreme vigilance at this time and the importance of strict adherence to the safety protocols.
Each staff member is supplied with their own face masks, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes.
Office staff must clean all work surfaces before commencing their shift and must repeat this process at intervals throughout the day.
Technicians and delivery drivers must fully sanitize their van door handles, car keys and van interiors before commencing their shifts.
Technicians must also fully sanitize their tools before and after every job they carry out.
Where possible staff have been encouraged to work remotely.
Staff must inform us immediately if they exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 or discover they have been exposed to anyone with COVID-19. In which case they would be asked to undergo testing and refrain from returning to work until after they receive their test results.
Staff conform strictly to the five basic rules:
- Social distancing
- Cough etiquette
- Frequent hand washing (30 second duration)
- No face touching
- Disinfection of frequently touched objects and surfaces

What happens if I make a booking but develop COVID-19 symptoms prior to my appointment date?

If you start to develop COVID-19 symptoms such as a dry cough, fever, chills or shortness of breath, the HSE advises that you should contact your GP immediately. If your GP advises that you should undergo testing, quarantine or self-isolation, our policy is to reschedule the booking to a later date. This is a necessary step to ensure your safety and the safety of our staff members. Simply call 01-4090900 prior to your appointment date and one of our customer care agents will assist you.

What happens if I think I’ve been exposed to COVID-19 prior to my appointment date?

If you discover you may have been exposed to COVID-19 and have a booking with Autoglass®, for your safety and the safety of our staff members our policy is to reschedule the booking to a later date. Simply call 01-4090900 prior to your appointment date and one of our customer care agents will assist you.

Are you still able to come to my home/business to complete the job?

Yes, Autoglass® are still operating a nationwide mobile service for those who need us. Our mobile technicians provide vehicle glass repair, replacement and re-calibration services. Our mobile technicians follow strict HSE, HSA, Government and VGRRR COVID-19 guidelines to ensure all work is carried out in the safest and most sanitary way possible. No interaction between the customer and technician is necessary, meaning social distancing is observed throughout.

Are your nationwide depots still open at this time?

Yes, our depots are still open at this time and providing a service for those who need us. All depot staff follow strict HSE, HSA, Government and VGRRR COVID-19 guidelines to ensure all work is carried out in the safest and most sanitary way possible. Measures are also in place to maintain a minimum of 2 meters distance between depot staff and customers, at all times.

Can I pay in cash for my job?

Unfortunately, customers cannot pay by cash. If you opt to pay for the work yourself rather than claim for it on your insurance policy, you must pay by card at time of booking. If you opt to claim for the work on your insurance policy, your insurer may require an excess, which must also be paid by card at time of booking.

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Thank you for your understanding and ongoing support.

Please rest assured that the well-being of our customers, our staff and the general public is our main priority. The measures listed above are all necessary to ensure that we can continue to offer a service to those who need us, in the safest and most conscientious way possible, amid the COVID-19 crisis.

We wish good health to all our customers and their loved ones. Stay safe.

The team @ Autoglass®.