QTS is actively monitoring developments with respect to COVID-19.
Our priorities are the following: the safety and wellness of our customers and partners, the safety and wellness of our employees and providing resilient service. We have taken numerous actions in each of these areas based on existing corporate policies. This includes activation of long-standing, pre-established Business Continuity, Emergency Response and Pandemic Response plans that provide resilience against unpredictable events. These plans collectively address how QTS mitigates the spread of the illness and maintains business continuity across our Operations, IT, Security, Provisioning, Management, Monitoring, Supply Chain and general Business Support functions.
QTS Actions:
In accordance with our pre-positioned plans, we have taken various actions to protect against the potential spread of the virus and safeguard our ability to provide resilient service.
1. Customer Safety
- We have significantly increased cleaning/disinfecting high-traffic areas and placed hand sanitizer at public locations throughout our sites.
- We ask all customers to monitor their employees who may visit our sites for symptoms of COVID-19 and hold back any employee who shows symptoms.
- We ask all customers to limit their employees visiting our sites to those who serve critical business needs. If you are visiting our site, please be aware that we have implemented a screening and social distancing process for all visitors.
- QTS’ software-defined Service Delivery Platform provides additional flexibility for online monitoring, ordering, provisioning and predictive services for additional power and connectivity without the need to visit our sites.
2. Employee Safety
- We have implemented a remote work policy for all non-essential data center employees. This policy will run to April 1 and may be amended as events warrant.
- We have eliminated all non-essential travel globally.
- Our staff is monitored daily for symptoms. To date we have no employees showing symptoms. If a data center essential employee shows symptoms in the future, he/she will seek immediate diagnosis and subsequent medical care if needed or simply stay at home until the symptoms pass. Non-essential data center employees are already working from home and will follow the same process.
- We have canceled or postponed all events at our sites through April 2020 - this may continue beyond April 2020 as events warrant.
- We will continue to host tours and sales meetings at our sites. For these meetings, we will limit QTS attendance to the crucial staff needed for the agenda and ask that our customers do the same.
3. Business Continuity
- We are following pre-established Business Continuity, Emergency Response and Pandemic Response plans to ensure continuity of business operations and service resilience.
- We have processes in place for internal employees (Facilities and Data Center Operations) that include backfilling roles on short notice if required.
- We are in close contact with all third-party suppliers to ensure continuity of their operations and are satisfied with the action plans given by each.
- We are confident in our ability to provide comprehensive 24/7 support and engineering services. This includes the ability to provide both mission-critical on-site engineers, as well as Remote Hands services.
We remain committed to providing the services and ongoing support that you have come to expect from QTS.
4. FAQS
1. What precautions are being taken?
QTS is executing our Business Continuity, Emergency Response and Pandemic Response Plans which were developed in accordance with recognized industry standards. We have significantly ramped cleaning/disinfecting and placed hand sanitizer in high traffic areas. We have eliminated non-essential travel and expanded remote work for non-critical operations staff. Additionally, we are monitoring our staff closely for symptoms (with heightened focus on areas to have known cases, per the CDC). We have found no affected employees and will continue to monitor daily. If any employee displays symptoms, he or she will immediately seek a medical diagnosis and subsequent care or work from home until the symptoms pass.
2. Will there be staffing changes at any of the sites?
We are staffed at normal levels in all data centers and do not foresee any staffing risks at this time. Staff not part of critical site operations have transitioned to remote work to promote the health and safety of our customers and critical site staff. If you are reducing your on-site staff presence, our critical operations staff are standing by to assist. If you have scheduled activities that you can give advanced notice for support, it will help us to schedule/balance resources in order to meet your needs as well as the needs of others taking similar measures. We understand that not all efforts can be scheduled in advance, so we will continue to work with you through our ticketing process and OSC support teams to help you manage your environment during this time.
3. Will you notify customers if there is a confirmed case at a site by either employee or customer/vendor that visits the site?
QTS is closely monitoring our staff and will notify our customers if we become aware of a confirmed COVID-19 case at any of our sites.
4. As a customer, what steps need to be taken prior arriving at a QTS facility?
- Customers will continue to have access to their environments as usual. We encourage customers to follow the same safety protocols as recommended by the CDC.
- Monitor local information about COVID-19 in your community.
- Practice personal protective measures (e.g. hand washing, social distancing measures).
Customers should not come on site if:
- Currently experiencing any flu-like symptoms (including fever, body aches/pain, sore throat, cough, or shortness of breath).
- Have been in contact with a confirmed Novel Corona (COVID-19) patient in the past 14 days.
- Have traveled to, or been in physical contact with anyone who has traveled to, the following countries in the past 14 days: Asia (specifically Mainland China, Japan and South Korea), Italy, France or Iran.
5. Does QTS have specific plans to backfill employees that may fall ill?
Yes. In addition to our mitigation plans, we also have plans to provide coverage for any part of our business that may be affected.
6. What is the action plan if an employee falls ill with COVID-19?
Additional deep cleaning measures will be enacted in all areas where the employee was present.
7. How is QTS managing its Supply Chain and ensuring access to critical parts for both internal and customer use?
We are in regular contact with Primary and Secondary sources to ensure access to critical parts and receive updates on overall supply chain readiness. This regular contact is also extended to additional suppliers - construction firms, equipment manufacturers, permitting agencies, inspection agencies and other suppliers critical to our business.
8. When can we expect additional updates from you?
We are monitoring developments closely with information provided by the CDC as well as information from our healthcare partner, CIGNA. Should events or conditions warrant we will update this website and provide email updates to our customers.
9. Will QTS share its Business Continuity, Emergency Response or Pandemic Plans?
Our plans have been developed according to accepted industry standards and we have confidence in the content and execution of the plans. However, we do not share them outside of QTS.
10. Are QTS site services available?
Yes. Security, Shipping and Receiving, and Data Center Operations (DCO), including Remote Hands and Eyes services, are all available.
11. Is QTS screening visitors at the data centers?
Yes. We have implemented screening and social distance procedures for all visitors. We also continue to monitor all QTS employees for symptoms daily. Upon arrival, anyone who seeks access beyond the initial security checkpoint will be asked to answer the following questions:
1. Have you received a positive test result for COVID-19 in the last 10 days?
2. Are you currently experiencing (or in the last 10 days have experienced) any of the following symptoms not attributed to any other health condition?
a. Fever (100.4 degrees F or higher)
b. Shortness of breath
c. Chills
d. Sore throat
e. Muscle aches
f. Loss of taste/smell
Anyone answering in the affirmative to any question above will be denied access to the site.
12. As states announce various forms of stay-at-home orders and business restrictions, will QTS be affected?
QTS evaluates on a daily basis all of the various local, state and federal Shelter-In-Place orders in the jurisdictions in which we operate. We have concluded that in every jurisdiction, QTS is considered an Essential Business that may continue its operations in the ordinary course. QTS has taken measures to help protect the employees who are essential to the operation of our business by having employees who can effectively work remotely, to do so. We also have limited visitors to the site and enhanced screening. We have equipped our essential staff with documentation to carry on their person that establishes the basis for their exemption from the stay-at-home order, so that there is no issue with critical QTS staff making it to work.
13. What is QTS’ policy regarding face coverings?
In the Arizona, Georgia, Virginia, Illinois, Texas, California and Oregon areas there is a local ordinance mandating that visitors to essential businesses wear a cloth face covering. QTS endorses this action and ask that anyone visiting our data centers comply, and wear a face covering. Specifically, we ask that visitors wear face coverings in any common area and any area beyond that where social distancing may be impractical, as defined by 6 feet of separation at all times. If anyone visiting our sites is unwilling to wear a face covering in common areas or where social distancing cannot be maintained that person will be asked to leave the premises.
We will provide non-medical-grade face coverings for visitors who arrive at our sites without one where supplies allow, but due to limited supply we encourage visitors to bring their own face covering whenever possible. According to the CDC, a cloth face covering can include a scarf, bandana, or cloth that covers the nose and mouth. Cloth face coverings should fit snugly against the side of the face and be secured with ties or ear loops.
As a reminder we encourage all visitors to practice social distancing and wash hands often while at our sites.
COVID-19 Update as of 8/12/2020
