How to protect employees from coronavirus in the workplace

The novel coronavirus has had an unprecedented impact on everything from the world economy to how we shop for groceries. South African businesses are having to explore work from home options, if possible, or employ protection measures onsite if not. Here are some ways you can ensure the health and safety of your employees during this period.

According to the National Employers’ Association of South Africa (NEASA): ‘In terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, an employer is obligated to take any reasonable action to ensure a safe and healthy working environment. These steps include elimination or mitigation of any hazard or potential hazard, providing instructions, information, training and supervision as well as the enforcement of such measures as may be required in the interest of health and safety.’

HYGIENE IN THE WORKPLACE

NEASA has developed a generic policy for dealing with COVID-19 in the workplace. It highlights the following points for enforcing hygiene in the workplace:

• Employees must ensure that they make use of the hand soap and hand sanitisers available, when they enter the workplace and after teatime, lunch time or use of toilet facilities.

• Use a tissue or a bent elbow when you have to sneeze or cough and immediately wash your hands thereafter for 20 seconds.

• Do not shake hands or give hugs, limit physical contact and maintain a distance of 2m as much as reasonably possible, and immediately wash your hands should it be unavoidable.

• Keep a clean and sanitary work environment i.e. wipe your workstation, phone, door handles and taps regularly on a daily basis.

• Refrain from touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

PROTECT YOUR EMPLOYEES

Medical professional and allergy specialist Aneta Ivanova gives the following tips for protecting employees from the virus in the workplace:

• Provide protective wear at work to prepare for worst case scenario.

• Encourage regular handwashing and sanitiser – reinforce this with signs placed around the building and especially in public areas.

• Comply with national infection control standards.

• Ensure that your company has a contingency plan in place to help minimise the spread of coronavirus – considering each individual employee and their role.

• Minimise or, if possible, totally avoid the use of aircon which is known to spread viruses.

• Cancel or postpone any nonurgent overseas business trips, large conferences or large meetings (especially to heavily affected areas).

• Give time off to any employees who are displaying even the slightest symptoms of coronavirus.

• Brief staff and encourage them to be vigilant about symptoms – considering whether they have been in contact with somebody who may have the virus (especially if recently returning from a holiday).

• Discourage staff from using public transport if the situation worsens – business owners could organise alternative transport methods for staff or arrange remote working where possible.

• Regularly disinfect door handles/surfaces as these are known to be a way of spreading the virus.

• Minimise employee contact with any objects on which coronavirus could survive – including things like bank notes (take card payments where possible).

IMPACT ON BUSINESS

One thing’s for sure, the global spread of COVID-19 is having a huge impact on business. We have to take proactive steps to ensure the stability of business in times of crisis both now and in the future.