7 Steps to prevent COVID-19 at workplace

While some of the factories and officers have already started operation even during the curfew period, as per the government instruction by the 11th May, most of the companies/factories/offices even on the high risks zones. Though this is a welcome note to both employer and the employee, there are health measures that need to be taken very seriously to make sure the country will not need to go into another lockdown again and control this pandemic.

These are some steps that can be taken in most common industries.

Source: Directorate of Environmental Health, Occupational Health, and Food Safety, Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services – Guidelines on COVID-19 preparedness for workplaces

Factories

1. Always need to have a sanitizing cubicle and the entrance of the factory itself. (The numbers and the size of the cubicles will change as per the number of heads)
2. Separate changing rooms with required masks and gloves or even PPE’s (Personal Protective Equipment)
3. Mark one meter gaps on the production floors and all commonly used areas
4. Sanitizer bottles at doors and all access areas and enforcing them to be used by the employees
5. Roster based working environments so the number of employees attending at a single time can be restricted
6. Put posters and other health awareness campaigns at all times
7. Educate the line managers to enforce strict health maintenance at all times

Offices

1. Use work from the home method as much as possible
2. Use remote task monitoring methods by line managers and daily/weekly evaluation processors.
3. Have sanitizer bottles at all entrances, doors / common rooms and enforce the employees to use them 
4. Mark work stations considering the one-meter gap
5. Use virtual training platforms and encourage/educate employees to use them as much as possible
6. Use roster base break times to use areas such as canteens and any other common areas
7. Advice employees to bring their own food, water bottles, and cups or provide them to the employees for individual use.

Construction

1. If there are employees at present who are already under self-quarantined at sites, best advised to use them.
2. Instruct employees to wear PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) at all times.
3. If employees who are coming from outside, better get a health check done and instruct the employees to remain at the site if lodging facilities can be provided.
4. Disinfect the work site / construction area if possible 
5. Disinfect all tools that are used by the employees before and after working times
6. Have roster based break times
7. Educate employees on health factors and enforce the employees are using masks and gloves at all times.

General guidelines that can be used in all industries

• Check all employees temperature before coming into the office/work station/factory
• If any symptoms of cough or fever are shown, send the employee back home before entering the office/worksite
• Educate the line managers and enforce the health guidance by the HR and Admin teams
• Use work from home as much as possible using technology that is available with digital remote monitoring methods
• Restrict common rooms such as canteens, recreational rooms, and restrooms as much as possible

It’s always better to take precautions at these difficult times. If we can be safe, we are not just saving ourselves but saving our families and our nation.