BACK TO WORK : Rethink Re-evaluate Retrofit for Safer Workplaces by The Blank Slate

“A large part of our world’s workforce has been forced to work from within the confines of their home. Globally, lockdowns will soon end to reboot the world economy, but we will have to learn to live and work with the virus for a while. The biggest challenge workplaces are going to face, is how they can adapt modern open office layouts for physical distancing and prevent offices from becoming virus petri dishes. Through this book, we aim to ease the process of transitioning to the ‘New Normal’ and present design strategies to help our workforce to return to their desks.”

To the warriors... This book is proudly and affectionately dedicated to Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coronavirus warriors and their families. Thank you to every courageous front-line worker, doctor, nurse, paramedic, police officer and government official who put us before their lives and families and continued to show up to work every day. We owe each one of you tremendous debt.

Disclaimer No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means; electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be permitted, in writing, by The Blank Slate. The data/guidelines in this document comprise the views of TBS, they do not constitute legal or other professional advice. TBS is not liable for any damages, transmission of virus, arising from the use of or inability to use this document or material contained in it, or from any action or decision taken as a result of using these guidelines. It is recommended that you consult a professional advisor for the customized application of these guidelines in your premises for utmost precaution. ÂŠ 2020, The Blank Slate. All rights reserved.

CONTENTS

02 Getting Back to Work

About the Handbook

03 Retrofitting Offices Post-Lockdown

Access and Circulation

Workstations

Conference Room

Executive cabins

Pantry and Dining

Breakout Lounges

Restrooms

HVAC

05 General Solutions

Using Technology for Workplace Safety

07 Office and Bathroom Hygiene Protocols

Work From Home and Stay Safe

Equipping your workftorce

o1. About the Handbook

The Invisible Enemy - Covid-19 The global pandemic we are in the midst of, has brought the world to its knees; representatives around the world face the challenge of balancing the economy along with people’s safety. While we mitigate the impacts of the virus on our wellbeing, we must also begin to mitigate the economic repercussions, before we have lost more livelihoods than lives. At the front of this mitigation program, comes every workplace. While the government generates the best and most effective policies to resume our work forces, we need to upgrade and retrofit our built environment, to fight this battle as efficiently as possible by applying focused, quick and cost effective solutions.

Who can use this Handbook? This handbook aims to benefit offices of all possible scales, cultures and formats. The interventions mentioned here are malleable and can be stretched and fit into other spatial scenarios like homes, hospitality spaces and recreational areas. The intangible and behavioural solutions mentioned here can also be applied to daily functions.

What is this Handbook?

This handbook is a cheat sheet of easy-to-execute and cost-effective design solutions that can go a long way in improving workplace safety. We identified the key areas within a workspace that can be pathogenic hotspots - Entryways, Lobbies, Workstations, Meeting Spaces, Cabins, Dining, Breakout Areas, Restrooms & HVAC Systems. Keeping these spaces in mind, we designed novel interventions for each of them, hence working towards redefining existing standards while ensuring current health protocols are maintained.

Understanding the Corona Virus This handbook realizes the urgent need for offices to adapt to the ‘New Normal’. Prevention, wherever possible, is better than a cure! The invisible enemy Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus has so far proven to be lethal in ~7% of the people that had contracted it. The virus can lead to complications like Pneumonia, viral sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, kidney failure and cytokine release syndrome. 10

The Back To Work Handbook

Fever

Cough

Difficulty in Breathing

Contact with infected objects, surfaces and people

Headache

How can I use this handbook?

Productivity is directly proportional to employee safety and morale. The solutions mentioned here revolve around the following axes and can be applied easily to your existing workplace: ˜˜ Incorporate Solutions for Social Distancing ˜˜ Take Inspiration for Hi-Tech upgrades to curb contact ˜˜ Adapt to the strategies mentioned to plan circulation and de-densify the office space ˜˜ Retrofit furniture to create a safe environment

Key Challenges in Getting Back To Work Post Lockdown Geographical Extents ˜˜ People come to workspaces from various economical and geographical areas. This leads to high proximity and transmission of the virus Travel Hazards: ˜˜ Public transport usually faces the problem of overcrowding and most of the country’s workforce relies on it to commute to their workplaces. Because of this overcrowding, physical distancing is nearly impossible to achieve, making the workforce a carrier of the disease Dense Workplaces ˜˜ The high density work places, shared collaborative spaces and the culture of hot desks; expose their workforce to large amount of shared direct and indirect contact points; such as bathrooms, entry log points, security check points Excessive Interactions ˜˜ Interaction amongst employees and with visitors is integral to efficiency, it puts people’s safety at stake as a person could unknowingly be a carrier Courier Sourcing: ˜˜ Maintaining a supply chain is an integral part of a business, yet the surfaces of these commodities can act as breeding ground for microbial contaminants

Way forward Understanding the challenges posed by the coronavirus and creating a comprehensive set of guidelines for your entire workforce, could be the first step in the journey against this pandemic. Various national, international and local authorities have been taking the effort to spread the information and create a comprehensive set of action plans that can help us occupy our work spaces again. In this handbook, we have identified a researched set of solutions and created an easily accessible set of tools and design strategies that can help workplaces rethink, reevaluate and retrofit their workplaces to allow a safe return of their employees.

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o2.

Getting Back to Work

Back-To-Office Essential: Social Distancing Social distancing, is an infection prevention and control intervention implemented to avoid/ decrease contact between those infected with a disease causing pathogen, so as to slow down the rate and extent of disease transmission in a community.

Without social distancing, the probability of infection increases

Social Distancing limits the spread of disease

At a Personal Level Within the context of a workplace, the most likely way of contracting COVID-19 is when an infected individual coughs or sneezes, and their droplets are passed to other people through their mouth, nose, or eyes. By maintaining a distance of 6 ft, the risk of contagion is minimized. However, it is important to wash hands thoroughly and regularly as droplets are also likely to be found on surfaces like desks, switches, shared stationery, and in collaborative spaces such as conference rooms, etc.

At a Community Level Social distancing when going out about the activities of a day, slows down the spread of virus within the workplace. The probability of an infected person coming in contact with a healthy person reduces drastically when a space isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t crowded. The rate of contagion falls within the workplace when distancing is practiced by taking steps such as maintaining adequate space between workstations, reduced workforce or staggered shifts. 14

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Personal interaction and collaboration with physical distancing Not all work assigned to a person can happen from home. For those who will return to their desks, changes in workplace processes and design, will facilitate social distancing in order to ensure safety. But, discrete measures are needed to reduce interactions between people and keep physical distance between them within the workplace. The measures that can be applied are as follows:

Workplace Design ˜˜ Overall reworking of furniture arrangements, materials, sanitation and other physical changes in the office to keep the spread of the virus at bay. This handbook deals tangible solutions further in detail

Task Pooling ˜˜ Employees with similar tasks can be pooled together to ensure efficiency and the functioning work force can be divided in shifts subsequently ˜˜ Same can also apply to individual project timelines with tasks that can be worked on from home are clubbed together, reducing the time spent in an office ˜˜ Working hours can be made flexible in order to avoid peak commute times ˜˜ Employees can alternate between on-site and work from home shifts in order to reduce the workforce present in office

Virtual Meetings ˜˜ Provision for laptops with video conferencing facilities for all employees to ensure virtual meetings can replace in-person conferences

Social Customs ˜˜ Avoid visitors. Allow only authorized employees to enter the premises ˜˜ Specific spots can be reserved outside the office for food and other deliveries ˜˜ Greet without physical contact ˜˜ Increase awareness about the six-foot-rule of social distancing

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o3. Retrofitting Offices Post-Lockdown

The Back To Work Handbook

“Now is the time to rethink workspace standards especially the revolutionary and now widely prevalent open-plan office format. Social distancing guidelines in the office are the same as elsewhere. Employees need to re-evaluate their offices and alter them if necessary so health guidelines can be followed to avoid unnecessary closeness and facilitate employees to always remain 6’ apart. This section explores various means by which this can be achieved at workstations, in meeting rooms, communal lounges and dining areas. It is imperative that offices are de-densified and altered to make them ‘antiviral’ for the safe return of our workforce”

Social Distancing measures taken across an office The Blank Slate

Workplace Space andDesign Post-Lockdown

Productivity is directly proportional to employee safety and morale. It will be crucial for employers to instill a sense of safety among employees once the lock down ends and they return to their desks. Every employee is going to expect their employer to guarantee a certain level of safety before they are comfortable stepping back in the office. It’s imperative for employers to re-evaluate the office with the factor of safety in mind, and chart of how they can intervene to make the space safer. ˜˜ New Reduced Capacity: The first step to creating a safe environment for your employees to return, is to determine the new reduced capacity of the workspace to comply with social distancing measures. Workspaces may have to reduce occupancy by 20% or even 50% depending on their layout and existing furniture. In most cases a 45-65% capacity may be achievable. However, some spaces such as dining areas or meeting rooms can be converted into temporary work areas to increase capacity. ˜˜ Route Markers: Circulation and movement in the office needs to be controlled by route markers to allow a safe passage from coworkers at desks. Pinch points in the office need to be analyzed. ˜˜ Collaboration while physically distancing: While adopting safe distancing, offices will need to find ways to still maintain a collaborative and comfortable environment. Creative office solutions can be employed that allow collaboration while restricting physical proximity. ˜˜ Signages for wayfinding and behavioural modification : Strategically placed behavioral and wayfinding signage can guide occupants to form new habits and transition to the New Normal as we continue to learn how to live and work with the virus around us. ˜˜ Space Management Applications: As large scale workplaces begin to phase in more employees, Space Management Applications like Accruent and Skedda can generate many scenarios with the floor plan and identify the most optimized plan for a variety of physical distancing conditions.

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Recommended Social Distancing Measures

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Distancing Scenarios With Tables Of Varying Dimensions Circular Table Diameter 7’

Diameter 5’

Diameter 3’ 6”

Rectangular Table Dimensions 8’ x 3’ 6”

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Dimensions 5’ x 3’

Dimensions 3’ 6” x 3’ 6”

Reception Style Diameter 7’

Cabaret Style Diameter 7’

Boat-Shaped Table Dimensions 8’ x 3’ 6”

Dimensions 6’ x 4’ 3”

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Programmatic Solutions Reduced Occupancy: Limiting visitors and restriction in the number of people using elevators and staircases at a time.

Routine Disinfection: Frequent sanitization of high-contact surfaces and high traffic areas.

Making use of disposable accessories: Gloves, shoe covers, table and chair covers that are biodegradable and disposable ensure hygiene.

Virtual Collaboration: Various apps and devices can be used to collaborate over video conferences, screen sharing apps and virtual white boards.

Staggered timings:

Testing Employees:

Limiting the number of people entering a cafeteria by applying staggered timings.

Routine health check-up and even more frequent testing of employees for ailments.

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Design Solutions Reconsider workstation density:

Sanitization Booths: Creating sanitizing stations at all access points in the building.

Rotational shifts and staggered seating among present employees facing other.

Technology and Automation:

Modularity in layout: Office furniture needs to be modular to provide flexibility to an office layout.

Basic automation of doors, office equipment to smart phone integration to reduce contact with these surfaces.

Mobile Furniture:

Contact-less experience:

Furniture needs to be movable, which will be essential to create distance between employees.

Operating existing office technology using gestures, facial recognition or smart phones.

Recirculated Air:

Materiality:

HVAC system be restructured to avoid recirculated air or air filters can be provided to sanitize the air being recirculated.

Materials with low porosity are easy to clean and sanitize. Also, antibacterial materials like copper can be used for high-contact surfaces.

Upgrade to easy-tosanitize equipment: Equipment with antibacterial finishes should be used. Methods like UV sanitization must be implemented. The Blank Slate

Workplace Nudging Tools We aim at using visual aids to nudge people towards a behavioural change to ensure they make safer choices in menial everyday activities . To stay efficient, our brains rely on these mental shortcuts to help us make fast decisions with little information and hence with the help of these signages we can ensure the application of quick and efficient safety measures.

Tape demarcating each employeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s zone

Since employees have a habit driven behaviour pattern as an involuntary response to their office space, these signages will behave like quick alerts or reminders. Small interventions like these will go a long way in terms of magnitude of change they can bring about.

The Back To Work Handbook

Tape demarcations showing directions and path of movement

Floor stickers urging people to follow social distancing

Colour-coded layout of the space

Use Navigation Signage

Displaying the layout of the office makes navigation through the space an easy task.

Indicators displaying the directions in which different spaces lie, supports the layout display in helping a user navigate a space.

Walk along floor stickers

Close Toilet Lid prior to flushing

Stand only on the marked

Close toilet lids after use as open lids lead to spread of toilet plumes or faecal aerosols.

Stand on the position markers placed 6ft apart when standing in a queue. Follow the rules of social distancing.

Make sure to walk along the path and direction as shown by the footstep-shaped floor stickers.

Wash Hands for minimum 20 seconds Washing hands thoroughly with soap for minimum 20 seconds effectively removes contaminants from your hand.

area

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Who must refer to this? ˜˜

˜˜

Smaller offices with constricted entry points Offices with multiple entries Large office buildings with complex vertical and horizontal circulation patterns

Access and Circulation

Protecting the Frontline of Defence The entry is the first point of contact in a building, and hence its the first layer of protection. It is the most important space to fortify against pathogenic risks as that prevents a contaminant from spreading within the building.

Risks involved in circulation spaces: ˜˜ Touch-dependent security features like biometric devices force its users to touch a possibly infected surface ˜˜ Shoes can carry pathogens that aren’t easy to filter out ˜˜ People entering the building may have come in contact with a contaminated surface, that further compromises the safety of the building ˜˜ Higher risk of an undiagnosed infected symptomatic or asymptotic infected person entering the premises

Building Entrances ˜˜ Building Entrances can enable social distancing by making use of position markers (made in tape or paint) to mark spots 6’ away from each other. ˜˜ These markers serve as queue regulators for people standing on them, and help them keep a safe physical distance from each other. ˜˜ If buildings currently check baggage, bins must be provided for use to place personal belongings on xray machines which can be frequently sanitized

Bins for baggage security

Sanitizer Dispenser Sanitization Booth Position Markers

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Thermal Scanners Temperature Guns help screen probable sick individuals by detecting body temperatures.

Foot Operated Sanitizer Dispenser

Operating a sanitizer dispenser using foot reduces the risk of touching an infected surface

Body Virus Buster Body Virus Busters make use of mild chemicals in sanitizing the body of any viruses.

Face Mask Dispenser

Alternate Footwear

Shoe Cover Dispensers

Face masks are vital in preventing contraction of any airborne diseases, hence need to be readily available through dispensers.

Outdoor footwear should be separated from footwear to be worn intside the office. Outdoor footwear must be left at the entrance in shoe rack is possible

In case of visitors without office footwear, disposable shoe covers can be used to prevent contamination

Facial Recognition Locks

Automatic Doors

Wi-Fi Smart Lock

Locks that require facial biometrics to unlock eliminate the need for contact.

Automatic doors with proximity sensors do not require handles to be opened, making it a contactless operation

Wi-Fi Smart Locks enable unlocking a door using a smartphone, making it contactless.

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Lobbies and Receptions Lobbies are congregational spaces with a high foot traffic, a common space with a varied user types with reception desk being zones of highest contact.

Risks involved in circulation spaces: Lobbies are the most visited spaces in a building. The high-contact areas are: ˜˜ Doors and Door Handles ˜˜ Reception Desk ˜˜ Office Furniture like chairs, tables and sofas ˜˜ Varied visitor entry can increase the probability of contamination ˜˜ Difficult to socially distance because of lack of regulation in circulation ˜˜ The number of high-contact surfaces is high, so is the risk of contagion Location of key offices indicated Limit Guest access and use operable windows to provide information Mask Dispenser and Automatic Hand Sanitizer Dispenser

Eliminate Alternate Seats Sneeze Guard Demarcation of off limit Area

Small Office Lobbies

Safety in small office lobbies ˜˜ Door handles can be made in brass which is an anti-bacterial material ˜˜ Kick plates can be installed on the door to make opening contactless ˜˜ Positioning the reception desk near windows so that interaction with visitors can happen through a window ˜˜ Making use of wall-hung sanitizer, hand glove and mask dispensers ˜˜ Demarcating seats that cannot be used using tape ˜˜ 6’ radius around the reception to be demarcated as a no-entry zone and consultation should be done beyond it with the help of floor markers ˜˜ Wall signage to indicate room locations on the floor 32

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Signage to reduce Interaction / talk through window

Safety in lobbies

small-scale

office

˜˜ Position markers 6’ apart, indicating distance to be maintained to reduce contagion risk. ˜˜ Shoe racks for outdoor footwear. ˜˜ Door Matts to further clean feet of dust particles. Shoe rack to remove outside shoes Foot Sanitizing Matt

Outisde Lobbies Hand Glove and Mask Dispenser and Automatic Hand Sanitizer Dispenser

Sanitizer Dispenser at Entrance

Sneeze Guard Position Markers Block adjacent seats, to make it single oocupant

Lobbies with Waiting Areas

Safety in lobbies with waiting areas ˜˜ Floor stickers to indicate the direction of movement. Unidirectional movement is advisable ˜˜ Automatic Doors with proximity sensors ˜˜ Security Guard at lobby to manually enforce distancing ˜˜ Making use of wall-hung sanitizer, hand glove and mask dispensers at entry ˜˜ Alternate seats on sofas and alternate chairs need to be demarcated as unusable to maintain distance ˜˜ Installing a sneeze-guard for the receptionist made in 4mm-6mm frosted glass or acrylic ˜˜ Position markers 6’ apart, indicating distance to be maintained to reduce contagion risk Can be Used

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Kick Plates on doors Direction signages on floor Demarcation of waiting area

Sneeze Guard

Position Markers in Alternate lines Block adjacent seats, to reduce occupancy Sanitizer Dispensers

High-Traffic Reception Lobbies

Safety in High Traffic Reception Lobbies ˜˜ Facial recognition-enabled Security at entrance ˜˜ Security guard with temperature gun to screen probable sick people at the gate ˜˜ For buildings with multiple entries, only a certain number of entries must remain open to ease the screening process ˜˜ Turnstiles at entry to regulate the entry of people into the lobby ˜˜ Queue Dividers to maintain a queue at the entrance ˜˜ Entry and Exit must happen from different doors ˜˜ Electronic/ Smart Phone Entry of Visitor’s data at the entry gate. QR Code scanning process through Smart Phones ˜˜ Alternate seats on sofas and alternate chairs need to be demarcated as unusable to maintain distance

Vertical Circulation Elevators Elevators are high-density spaces that tend to be crowded most of the times. It can prove to be a high-risk situation if crowding inside elevators is kept unchecked.

The Back To Work Handbook

Safety risks with usage of elevators: ˜˜ The risk associated with elevator usage in terms of space crunch in elevators makes it easier for communicable diseases to spread. ˜˜ Elevator buttons are high-contact surfaces that pose a high risk of contamination ˜˜ Probable contact between users alighting and boarding the elevator.

Arrow Signages on floor to mark position and direction of the occupant

Alternate access check-points Position Markers in Alternate lines Toothpicks to avoid contact with controls

Elevator Lobbies

Programmatic Solutions: ˜˜ Reducing the exsiting capacity of the elevator by half, corresponding to the markers placed on the floor ˜˜ Making users board only after all occupants have come out from the elevator ˜˜ Users should always wear masks while being inside the elevator ˜˜ Allotted time of arrival to all employees to avoid congestion in the elevator ˜˜ Elevators to be stopped on unoccupied floors with doors opens and be aired every few hours with disinfected at regular intervals throughout the day

Design Solutions: ˜˜ Use of queue dividers outside the elevator to separate people boarding and alighting the elevator ˜˜ Position markers outside the elevator with 6’ between them to direct the queue to maintain distance ˜˜ Making use of multipurpose copper keychain to use lift buttons; Toothpicks can be used to avoid contact with controls ˜˜ Inside the elevator, position markers placed in corners of lift car to indicate where to stand ˜˜ Place a sanitizer at every level for use before and after touching controls

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Escalators and Staircases Escalators and staircases are vital to bridge a vertical distance, and are a high-movement area. Risks associated with staircases and elevators: ˜˜ Probable contact between users ascending and descending using the staircase owing to a lack of area demarcation ˜˜ Railings are high-contact surfaces and have a high risk of transmission ˜˜ Staircases and esclators are high traffic and dense areas that require user regulation Staircase use guidelines

5 step distance between individuals

Markers at 5 steps apart Sanitizer Dispensers Position Markers to wait for your turn

Social distancing on staircases and escalators

Keep windows open if possible

Segregate direction of traffic

Programmatic Solutions: ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜

Avoid using elevators as far as possible Walk in demarcated lanes Higher frequency of sanitization of railings Fire/ emergency staircases and service lifts can also be used to decrease the load on the elevators

Design Solutions for Staircases: ˜˜ Divide the staircase width into two for ascent and descent, and demarcate the same using tape or paint. ˜˜ Signages reminding users to use the staircase in a queue with a distance of 5 steps between them. ˜˜ Making use of copper tapes on railings ˜˜ Position markers placed 6’ apart on staircase landings to direct the queue

Design Solutions for Escalators: ˜˜ Position markers placed 6’ apart at escalator landings to direct the queue formation ˜˜ Position markers placed 5 steps apart on the escalator treads 36

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Creation of Delivery and Pickup Sanitization Booths

Glove Dispenser

Position Markers Parcel rack

˜˜ Designated delivery zones in the building concentrate the delivery and dispatch of mail and packages to a single area, limiting the probable transmission to one spot ˜˜ Social Distancing can be enabled by the use of position markers ˜˜ Mask ,glove and disinfecting supplies must be placed at the station ˜˜ The deliverd goods should be sanitized at delivery zone by respective employees ˜˜ Employees can pick up packages, tiffins and food delivery from the stations after personally sanitizing any bags and envelopes

Can be Used

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Creation of Sanitization and Thermal Screening Station at the Entrance

Position Markers

Thermal screening station and visitor log book Mask and Glove Dispenser Trash Bin

˜˜ Entrances of individual organizations in a building must install a glove, face mask and sanitizer dispensing station right at the entrance ˜˜ A desk must be provided at the entry, with position markers in place, to check and sanitize baggage ˜˜ Screen employees and visitors

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Sanitization Booth

Position and direction marker in elevator

Automatic Proximity Sensor Door

Security Check

Position Markers at 5 steps apart

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Who must refer to this? ˜˜

˜˜

Offices that have large layouts of workstations Work desk and cubicle formats Offices with private work stations Offices with a variety of desk options like hot desks, designated desks, cabins,etc.

Work Stations

Enabling Productivity along with Social Distancing Risks involved in work stations : ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜

Employees sitting within 6ft of each other are at a high risk of contagion from each other Shared desks are high-contact surfaces owing the nature of their use Chairs come in contact with the body, and may act as breeding ground for virus Chairs are often swapped when cleaning, and may be shared unintentionally Shared equipment, stationery and storage can increase the probability of contagion Visitors at workstations can increase risk of contagion

Chairs with Name Tags Each Chair should be reserved by a single person, by labelling them with initials to maintain identity

Chair covers should be used before sitting and disposed off after use/ washed on a daily basis

Remote Collaboration

Declutter Desk

Make use of email, video conferencing and other collaboration applications instead of interacting in-person

Chairs with Flaps

Chairs with a collapsible writing table should be used for chairs with multiple users, instead of desks 42

Chair Covers

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Clear desks daily, even the ones unoccupied, in order for them to be sanitized effeciently

Keyboard Cover Washable silicon keyboard covers can be used over keyboards

Alternate Shifts Segregating employees into teams based on daily tasks & alternating shifts to limit office density

Open Floor Plan

Alternate Occupation of Seats ˜˜ Alternate removal of seating in workstation ˜˜ Maintaining distance of minimum 6ft between two workstations ˜˜ Reducing the capacity by 30-50% ˜˜ Color coding workstations so that no workstation is used by 2 people ˜˜ Transition to unassigned desks to allow the employee to choose a desk which allows social distancing Chairs to be removed

Introduction of Screens and Floor finishes for Demarcation ˜˜ Installing a partial barrier made in 4mm6mm frosted glass or acrylicn to separate employee space. ˜˜ Introduction of a different surface like carpet or stickers to demarcate the workspace area. Circulation should be restricted beyond this area ˜˜ Stickers to ensure that any visitor is allowed up to that point only of the given desk/workspace for any communication. ˜˜ Ensuring one way circulation ˜˜ Use of personal sanitization products Partitions between personal desks

Demarcating circulation area

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Cluster Cubicles Introduction of Partitions ˜˜ Introducing a partial barrier made in 4mm-6mm frosted glass or acrylic that act as sneeze guards ˜˜ Ensuring one-way circulation by blocking paths with plants or objects ˜˜ Use of personal sanitization products ˜˜ Moving the furniture towards the wall enhances better circulation and privacy to workspace

Plants as path dividers

Partitions between personal desks

Alternate Occupation of Seats ˜˜ Alternate removal of seating in workstation ˜˜ Maintaining distance of minimum 6ft between two workstations ˜˜ Reducing the capacity by 30-50% ˜˜ Transition to unassigned desks to allow the employee to choose a desk which allows social distancing

Eliminate Opposite chairs to declutter people

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Cubicle Seating

Partitions in between Desks

Eliminate Adjacent chairs

Adjacent Removal of Chair ˜˜ The distance between adjacent chairs will decide the pattern to be followed in removal for minimum reduction ˜˜ For distance more than 6ft, chairs to be removed from the adjacent rows in a mirrored form ˜˜ For distance less than 6ft, chairs to be removed from the adjacent rows in a staggered form ˜˜ Introduction of barrier in between chairs if removal is not preferred. ˜˜ Reposition of storage cupboards so that they act as barriers at the end of a row to divide teams ˜˜ Desks facing each other should be divided by barriers ˜˜ Workstations adjacent to walls must be pushed and placed touching the walls to reduce contact surfaces ˜˜ Desks which can be dismantled or separated should be organized as per social distancing norms

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Shared Cabins :

Partitions between personal desks

Eliminate Adjacent chairs

Corner Seating Solution 2

Corner Seating Solution 1

Corner Seats ˜˜ Only one person can be allowed to work in case of corner seating ˜˜ Both corner seats cannot be used as it disobeys social distancing norms

Partitions between personal desks

Wall Aligned Seating Solution 1

Eliminate Opposite chairs

Wall Aligned Seating Solution 2

Wall-aligned Desk ˜˜ Removal of adjacent seats alternately ˜˜ Provision of partial barrier made in 4mm-6mm frosted glass or acrylic that act as sneeze guards

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Printing Kiosks :

PPE Supplies

Sanitization Supplies

Position Markers

Dustbins

Solutions ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜

Sanitization and PPE supply stations to be installed near the printing kiosk Avoid the use of printer as much as possible Ensure that printed documents as used by a single person only Sanitize equipment before and after use Make use of gloves to operate equipment or make use of sanitizer

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Solo Work Corners

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Personal Workdesks separated by screens

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Who must refer to this?

˜˜

Large offices with multiple meeting room typologies Smaller offices with informal meeting spaces

Conference Rooms

Enabling Safe Collaborations Conference room are areas in any office where the meetings are conducted. The meeting can be formal and informal, with the layout varying based on the scale of the organization. Small organization has small and usually open layout meeting areas. Medium and large firms have informal meeting areas as well as formal meeting zones.

Major risks associated with the conference area ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜

Shared use of stationery and electronics Seating arrangement doesn’t follow social distancing norms Physical contact with the table can lead to transmission Items brought by participants in the meeting can be infected Movement of staff bringing refreshments

Circular Conference Tables

Eliminate alternate chairs Disposable table matt

1.Capacity Reduction

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Add Partitions between chairs Eliminate alternate chairs

2. Provision of Partitions

Chairs at 1m Distance

3. Remove tables and place chairs 1m apart

Large Conference Tables 1.Capacity Reduction ˜˜ Alternate seating should be removed or marked as not to be used ˜˜ Use of newspaper pieces or plastic matts by every individual so there is no contact between the table and occupant ˜˜ Use of gloves while dealing with paper and stationery Eliminate alternate chairs Disposable table matt Circulation Path

2. Provision of Partitions ˜˜ Installing partitions made in 4mm-6mm frosted glass or acrylic

Partitions and eliminate alternate chairs Circulation Path

3. Remove tables and place chairs 1m apart ˜˜ Writing pads/ chairs with flaps to be used when tables are removed to ensure no contact

Partitions and eliminate alternate chairs

Can be Used

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Boardroom style Conference Rooms 1.Capacity Reduction ˜˜ Single seater sofa unit to be preferred, with an individual side table creating the mandatory distance ˜˜ Use of newspaper pieces or plastic matts by every individual on the table, so there is no contact between the table and the occupant ˜˜ Use of gloves while dealing with paper and stationery Eliminate alternate chairs Disposable Matts

2. Provision of Partitions ˜˜ Installing partitions made in 4mm-6mm frosted glass or acrylic ˜˜ Formal viewers desk to be changed with chairs with a writing flap

Tables replaced with flaps on chairs Partitions between chairs

3. Remove tables and place chairs 1m apart ˜˜ Writing pads/ chairs with flaps to be used when tables are removed to ensure no contact ˜˜ At least 1-meter distance to be marked from chairs by tape to avoid physical interaction

Chairs at 1m distance

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Converting large Conference Areas into Individual Virtual Meeting Booths Conference rooms can be converted to allow virtual meetings with team mates, consultants and clients.

Signages on Floor

Video Conferencing Booths

Temporay workstations for increased capacity

Safety in Conference Booths ˜˜ Conference area can be converted into small video conferencing booths ˜˜ Tags to be used to identify which booth is used how many times ˜˜ Regular cleaning of booths

Can be Used

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Informal Meeting Lounge Informal meeting areas can be of varied typologies, mainly consisting of: ˜˜ Small meeting area ˜˜ Sofa meeting area ˜˜ 6-seater meeting table

Partition between chairs + Eliminate alternate chairs

Block Adjacent seats

Remove chairs and encourge short standing meeting

˜˜ Remove chairs and encourge short standing meeting ˜˜ Use of newspaper pieces or plastic matts by every individual so there is no contact between the table and the occupant ˜˜ Use of single seater furniture. If 3-seater or 2-seater sofas are in use, it is safe to block alternate seats ˜˜ Remove coffee table to allow more circulation space ˜˜ Partitions to be incorporated when capacity cannot be reduced

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Serving Trays

Trolleys can be used to serve refreshments during a meeting with no contact between the receiver and server

One user in control

Fixed chair

Chairs can be fixed with a clear radius of 6ft around them

Protective sheet

Single seater sofa

Single-seater sofas offer flexibly in movement and hence must be used wherever possible

Digitalization

One person can be assigned to control the projector, screen caster, etc to limit contact with it

Cover desks with plastic/ newspaper/copper sheets before use

Prefer the use of virtual meeting environments over in-person meetings

Frequent cleaning

Keep Bags out

Dustbin

Immediate cleaning after every meeting

Separate racks to be provided for every individual in the meeting for storage of bags

Dustbins to be provided in every space that is cleared after every meeting

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Government Meeting adopting Social Distancing

Personal Phone Booths

58 The Back To Work Handbook

Personal Video Conferencing Booths

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Who must refer to this?

˜˜

Offices with executive cabins Offices with shared workcabins

Executive Cabins

Creating Safe Cabins Cabins meant for the top-tier executives and middle management, is a space with a frequent flow of visitors. While these are generally safer than open workstations, they do carry a risk of virus transmission due to incoming visitors and paperwork and files brought in by staff.

Major risks associated with executive cabins: ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜

Frequency of visitors is high Desks are high-contact surfaces Items bought by participants in the meeting can be contaminated Movement of support staff bringing refreshments.

Private Cabins Reduction of surface contact zones : ˜˜ Reducing the surface area by removing the chairs for visitors ˜˜ Covering the desk with newspapers/ copper mats/ dining matts and their routine disposal/sanitization ˜˜ Reliance on technology for communication instead of in-person meeting

Promote Virtual Meetings Eliminate Chairs

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Shared Cabins

Original Layout - work desks next to eachother

Partition between chairs

Alternate Placing of Desks

Proposed: Add glass panel seperating workdesks

Proposed: Rearrange work-desks on opposite ends

˜˜ Keep the door open in private offices ˜˜ Add partitions between desks if elimination of chair isn’t possible

˜˜ Maintain a clear radius of 6ft around the chairs ˜˜ Eliminate the chair if the radius cannot be maintained

Can be Used

The Blank Slate

˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜

Keep doors open in private cabins Use brass handles and foot kicks Use gloves to work with paper and stationery Use of plastic matts or newspaper sheet to avoid contact with the table Use trolley to serve anything or place water bottles prior to any meeting Make use of gloves while operating any shared equipment Make use of single-seater sofas separated by a table, if 3-seater or 2-seater sofas are in use, it is safe to block alternate seats ˜˜ Eliminate visitor chairs wherever possible ˜˜ Open window to allow circulation of natural air

Eliminate Alternate Chairs Keep windows open/ allow Natural Sunlight

Proposed: Add glass panel seperating workdesks

Eliminate Alternate Chairs

Add Partitions In between Sofas

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Proposed: Add glass panel seperating workdesks

1 m rug demarcating personal space and promoting virtual meetings instead of physical meetings

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Who must refer to this?

˜˜

Small Offices with dining areas and pantries Large offices with dining halls, pantries and canteens

Pantry and Dining

Enabling a Safe Break Time Pantry and Dining areas are interactive space where people spend time during breaks. It is a space with high foot-traffic with multiple activities taking place at the same time.

Major risks associated with pantry and dining areas ˜˜ Serving counters, dining tables and kitchen equipment are high-contact surfaces ˜˜ Dining area and breakout spaces are interactive spaces. The high foot traffic makes social distancing difficult to achieve ˜˜ Circulation in these spaces is unregulated

Hand Sanitizer at Entrance Eliminate Alternate Chairs Circulation Zone

Small Communal Dining Table

Partitions on table and Eliminate Alternate Seats

Wall Facing Dining zones 68

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˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜

Two-door system for entry and exit to avoid two way circulation Hygiene hand tool to be used in case anyone wants to open the door of cabinet Cabinet at the entrance to keep newspapers and plastics to cover table Floor Markings to mark the area and direction of circulation Elimination of seats diagonally. Alternate elimination of seats can be used for larger tables Markings on table to demarcate individual eating area Tape Markings demarcating the tables that cannot be used Divider Panels made in 4mm-6mm frosted glass or acrylic Determine capacity of dining space Stagger dining timings Encourage eating at desk Hand sanitizer dispenser on the wall

Cabinet for storing tiffin box

Partitions on table and Eliminate Alternate Seats

Multiple Dining Tables

Staggered Arrangement of table

Can be Used

Staggered Layout for Individual Tables The Blank Slate

Office Canteen Seating near Serving Counters ˜˜ When waiting in queue, two individuals can use the serving counter at a time ˜˜ Position markers placed 6ft apart to direct the queue ˜˜ Table coverings to be provided with plates, which should be disposed later

Partitions Between tables and reduce table capacity

Position Markers at Counter and signages for Circulation

Pantry Pantry with Large Continuous Communal Tables ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜

Floor Markings to indicate direction and area of circulation Position markers placed 6ft apart to direct the queue Automated Hand Sanitiser to be provided at entries Add a signage board marking the location of various objects and appliances Segregated Dustbins for waste Pantry hygiene guidelines

Hygiene supplies rack

Single use cutlery, condiments

Separate dustbins for PPE and food waste

Position Markers for Circulation

Signage Board indicating hygiene regulations

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Single use dairy products

Sanitize Tiffin box The surface of the tiffin is to be sanitized and the tiffin box should be stored separately.

Plastic cover over tables

Cover the table with a sheet of plastic before use and replace after each use

Dishwasher Placing used utensils in dishwasher is an effective way to clean and disinfect them

Digital Display Board

Wash Food

Display Order number to avoid crowding of people at the counter

Disinfect raw produce by washing with salt water

Automatic Handwash Dispenser

Digitally Ordering food

Ensure sanitation without the risk of contagion

Mobile Apps can be used to place order without physically interacting with the server and risking them

Automatic Sensor Faucet

Forceps for rotatory functions

Digital Vending Machine

Eliminates the need of contact with a tap to get water

Eliminates the need for contact with equipment knobs

App-based operation of vending machines ensures that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surface remains uncontaminated.

The Blank Slate

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Glass panels allows visual interaction at dining tables

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Who must refer to this?

˜˜

Small offices with spill out or shared activity zones Medium and large sized offices with communal lounges and breakout spaces

Breakout Lounges

Take a pause! But with Safety Communal lounges, breakout zones and congregational areas are key to maintain social relations at a workspace. While adopting social distancing measures, it is imperative to allow for a collaborative environment where professional and interpersonal relations thrive. These spaces also act as de-stress zones and are now critical more than ever. These areas can be easily retrofitted to allow interaction while maintaining a safe distance and should be encouraged.

Break out zones ˜˜ Eliminate books, magazines and newspapers since viruses stays on paper for a longer period of time ˜˜ Placing furniture at optimum distance to facilitate interaction with physical distancing ˜˜ Create meditation zones to facilitate mental health ˜˜ All board games to be eliminated. Encourage use of virtual experinces and games that can be played from a distance ˜˜ Floor markings showing the direction and area of circulation to be indicated ˜˜ Eliminate seats and mark the ones that cannot be used

Allow Natural Ventilation where possible Meditation Zone for maintaining Mental Health

Block High contact Areas like Bookshelves Spatial Demarcation of zones to regulate circulation

Determine occupancy of spaces based on social distancing guidelines to avoid overcrowding and display Clear signage to reinforce modified capacity 76

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Block adjacent seats Eliminating excessive loose seating and block adjacent sofa seats

Partitions between Sofas

Eliminate Seating

Acrylic Partitions between seats

Common Congregational Areas ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜

Eliminate alternate seating wherever possible Mark areas on the sofa that shouldn’t be used In a 3-seater sofa, block the central seat with tape Install partitions made in acrylic or glass between sofa seats Sanitize the space at regular intervals or after every use Prohibit dining in this space

Projector for virtual games Eliminating excessive loose seating and block adjacent sofa seats

Add screens for virtual interaction and experiences Can be Used

Block adjacent sofa seats

Mark spots that cannot be used

The Blank Slate

Who must refer to this?

˜˜

Large offices with shared restrooms Offices with single user restrooms

Restrooms

Making Personal Hygiene Safer Washrooms are spaces that required frequent sanitization even before the pandemic, and are highly vulnerable to being infected because of the frequency of it’s use throughout the day.

Risks associated with the washrooms ˜˜ Accessories like door handles, faucets, soap dispensers, handrails, and health faucets have a high risk of transmission ˜˜ Hand Dryers only partially dry your hands but can facilitate the spread of viruses all around the room ˜˜ Toilet seats are high contact-surfaces

Single User Restrooms ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜

Make use of brass door handles Kick-plate can be installed on the door for contactless opening Install motion sensor toilet paper dispenser Eliminate use of Hand Dryers Install contactless sanitizer dispensers Disposable Toilet seat covers to be used by users and disposed off carefully Toilet W.C. lid to be closed and then flushed to avoid contamination by toilet plume (aerosol droplets of faecal matter) ˜˜ Maintain a frequent cleaning and disinfection schedule Hygiene Guideline Signage Signage to remind closing toilet lid prior to flushing

Personal Disposable Cover for Toilet Seat

80 The Back To Work Handbook

Block hand dryer

Foot Pull Plates to avoid hand contact and use a Brass/ copper finish handle

Multi-User Restrooms Block Alternate Urinal

Occupancy Tag to avoid crowding

Toilet Occupancy chart Block alternate washbasins Blocked WC

˜˜ Toilet doors to be installed with a metal kick plate to avoid touching while operating the door ˜˜ Alternate cubicles should be used at a time ˜˜ Cubicles not in use should be demarcated as such ˜˜ Alternate sinks to be used at a time ˜˜ Sinks not in used should be marked and taped alternately at intervals ˜˜ Place assigned hook tags to take while entering the toilet at entry point ˜˜ Hooks on toilet cubicle door to depict occupancy at a time ˜˜ Floor signage to show direction of movement ˜˜ Tissues to be used when operating the faucets or door handles

Hand Sanitizer

Occupancy Management

Kick Plate

Can be Used

Occupancy tag to be carried while going to the WC to know the number of people inside

˜˜ Reduce the capacity of the bathroom by restricing the number of people that can use the restroom at a given time ˜˜ Layout of toilet placed at entry point with occupancy tags, are to be taken while entering the toilet ˜˜ The occupancy tag will help understand which WC was last used for the purpose of sanitizing ˜˜ The occupancy tag will also cater to regulating the crowd within the restroom

The Blank Slate

Disposable Toilet Seat Cover

Glove Dispenser

Use a disposable toilet seat cover to avoid coming in contact with infected surfaces

Changing your gloves at regular intervals is neccesary, hence having a dispenser ensures adequate supply

Motion Sensor Faucets Automatic Sensor faucets will avoid multiple people touching a common surface

Portable Foot Operated Wash Basin

Restrict Use of Hand Dryers

Foot Operated Sink will ensure a hands free operation, thereby minimizing the chance of contracting the virus

Hand dryers can spread and contaminate air in the restrooms

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Foot Operated Portable Wash basins

Blocked Alternate Urinals

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Who must refer to this?

˜˜

Offices relying on artificial ventilation Small offices with no windows

H.V.A.C

Breathing Cleaner Air Systems that regulate air quality and temperature, known as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning or HVAC, can play a vital role in avoiding the further spread of the virus. Promoting the circulation of natural air in buildings may help to control the presence of the virus indoors, that may otherwise spread through the re-circulated air of the Air Conditioner, which one may breathe within the building environment.

Risks assoctiated with mechanical Systems ˜˜ The system circulates and recirculates air throughout the building. The recirculation of used air poses a risk for transmission ˜˜ It is important for the HVAC systems to be equipped with safety measures to avoid spread of the virus throughout the office

Buildings that employ HVAC systems for their ventilation solutions might be at a greater risk owing to the circulation and recirculation of the air. The microscopic virus, could travel through recirculated air that carry affected droplets aiding the spread of the virus. Hence these systems could pose a great danger on the safety of the occupants of the building.

Recommendations from Ashrae: ˜˜ Increase outdoor air ventilation (use caution in highly polluted areas); with a lower population in the building, this increases the effective dilution ventilation per person. ˜˜ Disable demand-controlled ventilation (DCV). ˜˜ Further open minimum outdoor air dampers, as high as 100%, thus eliminating recirculation ˜˜ Improve air filtration to the MERV-1311 or the highest compatible with the filter rack, and seal edges of the filter to limit bypass. ˜˜ Keep systems running longer hours, if possible 24/7, to enhance the two actions above. ˜˜ Consider portable room air cleaners with HEPA filters. ˜˜ Consider UVGI (ultraviolet germicidal irradiation), protecting occupants from radiation,13 particularly in high-risk spaces such as waiting rooms, common areas and circulation spaces

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Natural ventilation is a preferred method for air circulation in an indoor environment ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜

It ensures clean air is flowing throughout the building at all times. Ensure all windows are open, mosquito nets and bird nets are installed where necessary. Leave doors open where necessary to ensure cross ventilation Indoor vegetation screens and green walls can act as a natural air filter Supported by evidence, viruses including coronaviruses, find it difficult to survive in indoor temperatures and at a relative humidity of above 40 percent. Targeted in-room humidification could therefore be considered as a means for preventing COVID-19 ˜˜ Further research is needed to understand the impact of natural light on SARS-CoV-2 ; however, in the interim, daylight is a naturally occuring source of energy, largely available to everyone, with negligible side-effects to its exposure , while several reported health benefits

Allow Natural Ventilation into the room

Offices should open windows for a few hours each day in intervals to flush out any stale or contaminated air and allow clean air.

Solutions for existing systems ˜˜ Air filters consisting of UV Radiators and Air Filters can be retrofitted at the start of the distribution system in each room ˜˜ The air filters are constituted of a UV Lamp, Carbon filter, HEPA Filter and a removable Pre-filter ˜˜ Keeping air filters properly installed and maintained could help to minimize the spread of SARSCoV-2 according to the team, who stressed “it is important to understand that filters should not be assumed to eliminate airborne transmission risk.”

The Blank Slate

UV radiators

Rabbit Air

˜˜ UV light can be utilized for disinfection ˜˜ This is an effective process that is free of chemicals and can work efficiently to destroy virus. The light will ultimately inhibit the virus’s ability to reproduce and therefore stop the growth of virus. The light can be retrofitted in the existing HVAC system

˜˜ Rabbit Air filters are user friendly and can be used in spaces which have a small area coverage like small offices without a complex HVAC system ˜˜ Rabbit Air is an independent system that can be fitted anywhere, along with a screen control that allows the user to change the filters whenever necessary ˜˜ The filter is also Wi-Fi controlled and is app-friendly

UV Lamps

Carbon Filters HEPA Filters Removable Pre-filter

Eliminates germs, Viruses, Bacteria and Toxins from mold.

Eliminates Chemicals, VOCs, odors, Formaldehyde, Benzene and other Gases

Eliminates dust, Mites, Mold Spores, Pollen, Ragweed and other Allergens.

Captures large particles ( hair, large dust particles) to extend the life of air purifier filters.

U.V. Light

Air Filter

Cooling coil

Air Handling Unit Ducts Air Diffusers

Introduction of filters in existing HVAC systems 88 The Back To Work Handbook

Detachable filter on fans ˜˜ Indoor air can be filtered by making use of detachable filters on existing fans ˜˜ These filters can be made of Borosilicate Glass microfiber pleat sheets encased in stainless steel framework, which can be paired with activated carbon filters

HEPA Filter ˜˜ Acts as a sieve for air that filters out airborne pathogens. Typically, paired with UV light panels with anti-microbial coating to kill off live pathogens ˜˜ In order to fix HEPA in existing systems, the products need to be reviewed first. The products should allow the necessary air pressure since the sheet is a highly dense material and would require a higher amount of pressure to let the air pass through

Copper Elements in Air Conditioning ˜˜ The properties of copper ensure that the recirculated air is free of pathogenic contaminants ˜˜ The surface of the air conditioner must be sanitized regularly as it is a high-contact surface

Thermostat ˜˜ Smartphone-controlled thermostats eliminate the need for touch to control the heating, ventilation and airconditoning system

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o4. General Solutions

The following are a set of holistic solutions that can be applied to every space in an office. The types of solutions mentioned below of two types:

Personal Hygiene Tools Personal Napkins Using personal napkins to wipe hands as much as possible to limit the spread of virus

Face Mask Holder Personal pocket mask holders to store face masks when not in use such as in dining spaces

Wearing Face Masks Making use of face masks as protection from various airborne diseases and should be worn inside at all times

Paper Napkin Holder Paper Napkins need to be installed in all spaces to ensure personal hygiene

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Operational Fixes

Coloured Tapes

3D Printed door handles

Demarcation of direction of circulation or areas that cannot be used can be done using coloured tapes. Tapes of different colours can be used for different purposes

Making use of 3-D Printed door handles enables opening doors using the arm instead of hands

Kick Handles

Personalized hooks/keys/clips

Kick handles installed on a door enable opening it using foot instead of hands

Eliminating the need of touch to operate buttons or switches by using other objects

Hand Sanitizer Dispenser

Anti-Microbial Paint

Installation of contact-less hand sanitizer dispensers in every space

Bio-cidal paints are anti-viral polymers that can be applied like paint and could help reduce the spread of germs in public areas The Blank Slate

Anti-Bacterial Tools

Brass/ Copper Handle

Brass/ Copper Tape

Brass and Copper fixtures are antimicrobial in nature can be used in place of standard fixtures

Copper tapes enables its surface of application to have the antimicrobial properties of copper

Brass/ Copper Hygiene Key Hygiene Hand is a brass key designed for uses such as opening door, operating elevator buttons, use faucets, etc. It can be attached to keys.

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Operating an elevator button with a hygiene hand Opening a door using a kick pedal

3-D Printed Door-Opening Accessory

Storing face masks for reuse in a hygienic manner

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o5. Using Technology for Workplace Safety

Leverage technology for a Contact-less Experience An added measure to workplace safety is leveraging technology to make daily activities in a workplace a contact-less endeavour. Below are some technological measures that can be taken to eliminate infection risks that come with physical contact.

Smart Reception

Voice Assistant Voice-Activated Virtual Assistants like Google Home, Alexa, etc, can be used in case of queries

Security and Surveillance ˜˜ Thermal Imaging CCTV: For screening of potentially sick individuals at the entrance ˜˜ No-touch Biometric Scanner: Can make use of the facial biometric instead of fingerprints for security

Facial Recognition Facial-Recognition security systems can be used instead of fingerprint scanners or physical locks

Automated Reception ˜˜ Voice Activated Virtual Assistants ˜˜ Automated Reception: Combines CCTV, Wi-Fi and intercom to outsource the task of a receptionist to a remote team ˜˜ Smart office visitor management systems: Keeps a track of visitors and users of a building Thermal Imaging CCTV Monitoring sick building users is important to limit contamination within a building 98

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Smart Workspace Lights ˜˜ Smart Lights and Light Switches operable from smartphones ˜˜ Motion Sensing Lights: Detects motion in a room and switches on automatically

Smart Lights Motion-sensing and app-controlled lights eliminate the need for touching switches

Doors and Windows ˜˜ Automated blinds and curtains: Eliminate the need for touching curtains and blinds to operate them ˜˜ Proximity Sensing Automatic Doors: Opens automatically for a person standing in front of it without the need of a handle

Smart Switches App-controlled and gesture sensing switches can be used to avoid touching the switchboard

Sanitation ˜˜ Automated industrial Floor Cleaner

HVAC ˜˜ Voice Controlled Thermostat: HVAC can be controlled using a voice control instead of a keypad ˜˜ Voice and Smartphone controlled AC: Indoor temperatures can be controlled using a smartphone

Thermostat App-controlled thermostat can replace traditional thermostats and make temperature control contact-less

The Blank Slate

Smart Restrooms Automated Toilets ˜˜ Urinal Flush Sensors: Enables automatic flushing without touching the flush plate ˜˜ Touch-less Soap Dispensers: Eliminates the use of dispenser pump ˜˜ Sensor Faucets: Eliminates the need of touching a tap

Sanitation ˜˜ UV Toilet Seat Sterilizer: Sanitizes a toilet seat after each flush

Doors and Windows ˜˜ Proximity Sensing Automatic Doors: Eliminates the need for handles UV Toilet Seat Sanitizers

Automatic Toilet Sensor

Detects the presence of a user, and sanitizes the toilet seat using UV light after use.

Toilet flush sensor can sense a user’s body heat to determine their presence, hence automatically flushing a toilet after use.

Touch-less Soap Dispenser

Sensor Faucets

Soap dispenser makes use of infrared light to sense the presence of a hand and dispenses soap.

Sensor faucets do not have knobs, but rely on infrared sensors to detect a hand.

100 The Back To Work Handbook

Smart Pantry

Kitchen Automation

Sanitation

Voice-controlled Smart Devices that can be operated using a smartphone ˜˜ Vacuum Cleaner ˜˜ Refrigerator ˜˜ Microwave ˜˜ Coffee Maker

˜˜ UV Food Sterilizers: Used to sterilize raw edibles like fruits and vegetables. ˜˜ UV Cleaning Robots: Mobile robot sanitizes the entirety of a space

˜˜ Automatic Faucets and Water Dispensers eliminate the need for touch. ˜˜ App-based food orders and vending machines facilitate queue reduction at the pantry Smart Vending Machines Orders can be placed on the vending machine using smartphones

Display screen showing orders Orders placed and ready can be displayed on a board to avoid crowding at serving areas

Motion-Sensing Dustbin

Smart Dishwashers

Dustbin Lids that sense proximity and open automatically eliminate the need of hand or foot contact

App-controlled dishwashers ease sanitization of utensils and make the process contact-less

The Blank Slate

o6. Office and Bathroom Hygiene Protocols

Personal Hygiene and Sanitization Responsibilities of Employees ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜

Making use of sanitizer before and after operating equipment Lay plastic sheets or newspapers on desks before using it and dispose of them after Plastic sheets can be disinfected and reused Using personal handkerchiefs Make use of face masks and gloves when indoors Sneeze or Cough into your elbows. Wash hands after sneezing or coughing Stay organized as cluttered work-desks make sanitation difficult

Identifying high-contact surfaces that need to be cleaned with a higher frequency ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜

Door Knobs, Door Handles Buttons (Eg. Lift, Microwave, Thermostat) ̃ Handrails Shared Stationery Shared electronics Faucets and Taps Toilet seat Desks Arms of a chair Dining Tables Storage Biometric Security

Safety Guidelines during disinfecting and sanitizing ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜ ˜˜

Wear disposable gloves when cleaning and disinfecting Gloves should be discarded after each use Clean hands immediately after gloves are removed Wear eye protection when there is a potential for splash or splatter to the face ̃ Gowns or aprons are recommended to protect personal clothing Store chemicals in labelled, closed containers. Keep them in a secure area away from children and food. Store them in a manner that prevents tipping or spilling Cleaning and Disinfecting Surfaces for all Indoor Areas Start cleaning from cleaner areas and proceed towards dirtier areas All indoor areas such as entrance lobbies, corridors and staircases, escalators, elevators, security guard booths, office rooms, meeting rooms, cafeteria should be mopped with a disinfectant with 1% sodium hypochlorite or phenolic disinfectants

104 The Back To Work Handbook

Janitorial staff are responsible for keeping a work environment clean and sanitized. Along with a protective kit provided to the work force, a special kit is required for the cleaning staff to ensure their safety. The janitorial staff in a building is its first line of defense, and have a high exposure to hazard. It becomes essential for them to protect themselves in order to safely return to work.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Apron N- 95 Masks Gloves Coverall Suits Protective Goggles

6. 7. 8. 9.

Disposable shoe cover. Face Shield Disposable Head Cover Biohazard Disposable bags

The Blank Slate

Safety Guidelines during disinfecting and sanitizing: ˜˜ High-contact surfaces should be cleaned twice daily by mopping with a linen/absorbent cloth soaked in 1% sodium hypochlorite ˜˜ For metallic surfaces like door handles, security locks, keys etc. 70% alcohol can be used to wipe down surfaces where the use of bleach is not suitable ˜˜ In a meeting/conference/office room, if someone is coughing, without following respiratory etiquettes or mask, the areas around his/her seat should be vacated and cleaned with 1% sodium hypochlorite ˜˜ Clean surfaces and objects that are visibly soiled first. If surfaces are dirty to sight or touch, they should be cleaned using a detergent or soap and water before disinfection ˜˜ Clean and disinfect surfaces as soon as possible in areas where a person with respiratory symptoms (e.g., coughing, sneezing) was present ˜˜ Consult manufacturer recommendations on cleaning products appropriate for electronics. If no guidance is available, consider the use of alcohol-based wipes or spray containing at least 70% alcohol. Whenever possible, consider using wipeable covers for electronics. Dry surfaces thoroughly to avoid pooling of liquids ˜˜ For soft (porous) surfaces such as carpeted floor, rugs, and curtains: • Remove visible contamination (if present) and clean with appropriate cleaners indicated for use on these surfaces. • After cleaning, launder items as appropriate. If possible, launder items using the warmest appropriate water setting for the items, and dry items completely. • If laundering is not possible, disinfectant.

Cleaning and Disinfecting Toilets ˜˜ Sanitary workers must use separate set of cleaning equipment for toilets (mops, nylon scrubber) and separate set for sink and commode ˜˜ Do not use disinfectants spray on potentially highly contaminated areas (such as toilet bowl or surrounding surfaces) as it may create splashes which can further spread the virus ˜˜ To prevent cross contamination, discard cleaning material made of cloth (mop and wiping cloth) in appropriate bags after cleaning and disinfecting. Wear new pair of gloves and fasten the bag ˜˜ Disinfect all cleaning equipment after use and before using in other area ˜˜ Disinfect buckets by soaking in bleach solution or rinse in hot water

Waste Disposal ˜˜ Make separate bins for biomedical waste apart from Dry and Wet Bins ˜˜ The items to be disposed off into the biomedical waste bins are: • Gloves • Face Masks • Newspaper Sheets used on desks • Paper towels used in bathroom • Napkins or cloth used for sanitization ˜˜ Avoid flushing toilet paper or paper napkins down the toilet. Use bins instead

106 The Back To Work Handbook

CLEANING PROTOCOLS FOR VARIOUS SURFACES IN A TOILET Areas

Agents

Procedure

Toilet Pot/Commode

Sodium Hypochlorite 1% / Detergent soap powder / long handle angular brush

˜˜ Inside of toilet pot: ˜˜ Scrub with the recommended agents and the long handle angular brush ˜˜ Outside: Clean with recommended agents; use a scrubber

Toilet Lid

Nylon scrubber and soap powder / 1% Sodium Hypochlorite

˜˜ Wet and scrub with soap powder and nylon scrubber inside and outside ˜˜ Wipe with 1% Sodium Hypochlorite

Toilet Floor

Soap Powder / Detergent and scrubbing brush / nylon broom 1% Sodium Hypochlorite

˜˜ Scrub floor with soap powder and the scrubbing brush ˜˜ Wash with water ˜˜ Use 1% Sodium Hypochlorite dilution

Sink

Soap Powder / Detergent and nylon scrubber / 1% Sodium Hypochlorite

˜˜ Scrub floor with nylon scrubber ˜˜ Use 1% Sodium Hypochlorite dilution

Shower Area/ Faucet and Fittings

Warm water detergent powder, Nylon Scrubber 1% Sodium Hypochlorite 70% alcohol

˜˜ Thoroughly scrub the floors/tiles with warm water and detergent ˜˜ Wipe over taps and fittings with a damp cloth and detergent ˜˜ Care should be taken to clean the underside of taps and fittings ˜˜ Wipe with 1% Sodium Hypochlorite or 70% alcohol

Soap Dispensers

Detergent and Water

˜˜ Should be cleaned daily with detergent and water and dried The Blank Slate

o7. Equipping your workforce

Arogya Setu App Arogya Setu is a COVID-19 tracking mobile application developed by the National Informatics Centre that comes under the Ministry of Electronics and IT, Government of India. Its India’s initiative to keep its people informed and alert through the crisis. The data is also tracked and dissipated by the government to ensure the passage of correct information and the control of false news spreading. With this easy-to-use app that pings you when you’re at risk, the government has employed its technological means to fight Covid-19.

Installation of this application has been mandated by the Government of India in their efforts to curb the spread of the virus. ˜˜ The app issues alerts to users if they come in proximity with an infected person. ˜˜ Arogya Setu informs citizens about best practices and relevant medical advisories to keep themselves safe. ˜˜ The app is privacy-first and supports iOS and Android. ˜˜ It is available in 11 languages. It has been made compulsory for the following citizens: ˜˜ Government, Public and Private sector employees ˜˜ Residents of the containment zones and the 130 districts identified as a ‘Red Zone’ 110 The Back To Work Handbook

Raises Community Awareness

Active COVID- Case Tracking

ICMR-Approved

Self-Assessment Tests

Doâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Dontâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of Lockdown

Mandatory for all employees

Through the use of the app the government as well companies can ensure the outreach of information. It will also allow you to track the health and wellbeing of your workforce. Enabled with geo locating and contact tracing the app becomes a fool proof efficient and digital platform for creating a health database and keeping the government in the loop of information as well. With features to report sick, the early patients can be identified and asked to stay home as precautions.

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Employee Back-To-Work Box Safety is a function of how well a person is equipped with tools to implement it. Other than detailed instructions and information we also suggest supplying the work force with a kit with COVID-19 protection gear. Ensuring that your team is equipped with gloves, sanitizers, keys and placement mats to name a few could be a good way to ensure the instructions are followed. Making these things available will also help maintain quality and adequate protection of all the working members.

112 The Back To Work Handbook

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Face Mask Storage Bag Gloves Sanitizer Aid Key

6. Placement Mat with Initials 7. Face Mask Holder 8. Name Tag for Chair 9. Disinfecting Wipes 10. Disposable Napkins The Blank Slate

o8. Work From Home And Stay Safe

Work From Home : Predominant tool against Covid-19 We urge people to still consider working from home - their first line of defense in tackling this disease. The interventions in this handbook may prevent COVID-19 from spreading within a workplace, but it doesn’t prevent its contraction outside it. Working from home has been on the rise for years in many workplaces, while it is a necessity in the context of a pandemic. Working from home can be advantageous in many ways- avoiding commute and saving time, maintaining a self-quarantine, flexibility in working hours and the ability to spend time with family. Working from home is also an exercise in discipline. Hence, it needs conscious effort from oneself to work efficiently. However, it is the easiest method to remain safe. Encourage your employees to work from home as much as possible.

Advantages of Working from home ˜˜ Would improve productivity and economic efficiency during these tough times ˜˜ Increased job satisfaction due to better work life balance ˜˜ Could lead to reduced operative costs ˜˜ Reduces the need for economic investment in adapted infrastructure ˜˜ Uninterrupted productivity during tough times ˜˜ Increases remote working opportunities ˜˜ Decreasing staff integration and distractions ˜˜ New employers could have a wider pool of applicants ˜˜ Absolutely ensuring physical distancing and cutting medical costs

116 The Back To Work Handbook

How to lead your team to work from home ?

˜˜ Identify and provide all necessary technological tools ˜˜ Set aside time for training before you begin projects to avoid technical glitches ˜˜ Set up employee teams to help problem solve in smaller groups.

˜˜ Use productivity tools to ensure and set clear goals ˜˜ Share plans and timelines with your team to create a better understanding of goals and subsequent work flow

˜˜ Integrate social time to make sure that the team continues to enjoy and work as one ˜˜ Foster interactive media to continue upholding team morale and spirit

˜˜ Create a cheat sheet that is available to employees at all times to avoid hindrances in work flow ˜˜ These sheets could also help reduce time required for doubt solving and dissemination of instructions

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Applications for efficient Work from Home

118 The Back The New To Work Normal Handbook Handbook

Use Tech that can make WFH a breeze !

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Work From Home Ground rules Daily routine ˜˜ Get moving, the first thing you do in the morning

Get dressed ˜˜ Get your clothes, makeup and hair ready ˜˜ Dress properly- Your attire affects your mood and attitude

Manage your time ˜˜ Make a daily checklist of tasks ˜˜ Use online tools ˜˜ Avoid mixing household chores into work hours

Schedule breaks ˜˜ Set work hours: Setting an end time will dictate expectations and regulate productivity ˜˜ Taking frequent short breaks for exercise

120 The Back To Work Handbook

Communicate ˜˜ Have a daily short meeting with your team ˜˜ Have more social interactions (virtual) with coworkers to beat isolation ˜˜ Do not over communicate as it hampers productivity

Workspace logistics ˜˜ Prepare a conducive workspace- Internet connection, reliable workstations and a comfortable, quiet space to operate them from ˜˜ Use ergonomic accessories and furniture for long hours of work

Stay focused ˜˜ Stay off social media ˜˜ Separate work zone from the relaxation zone ˜˜ Keep the television off. Prefer music without lyrics when working

“Me” time ˜˜ Plan your schedule in order to include family activities ˜˜ Get family support to look after things when you’re working

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COVID - 19 Preventions + Guidelines as per CDC, WHO and MHA

Know how it spreads ˜˜ There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ˜˜ The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus

Wash your hands often ˜˜ Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing ˜˜ If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry ˜˜ Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands

Avoid close contact ˜˜ Avoid close contact with people who are sick ˜˜ Stay home as much as possible ˜˜ Put distance between yourself and other people

122 The Back To Work Handbook

Cover your mouth and nose with a face mask when around others ˜˜ Everyone must wear a cloth face cover around others. It’s meant to protect other people in case you are infected. Face masks shouldn’t be placed on anyone unable to remove it without assistance ˜˜ Do NOT use a face mask meant for a healthcare worker ˜˜ The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing

Cover coughs and sneezes ˜˜ If you are in a private setting and do not have on your cloth face covering, remember to always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow ˜˜ Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol

Clean and disinfect ˜˜ Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily ˜˜ This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks

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The New Normal Handbook

Back to our work desks . . . The pandemic comes with new developments every day, and one cannot precisely predict the trajectory it takes. It will only be practical to be prepared to make quick decisions based on new developments. A workplace is where an individual spends a major part of their day, contributing to the success of a company. It is an employerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s responsibility to ensure the health and well-being of their employees, within and beyond the workplace. The protective measures mentioned in this handbook provide a quick and economically viable set of solutions that can be useful in preparing for the unknown course this pandemic might take. It is evident that systemic and programmatic changes in society are in order, and we must adapt to the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;New Normalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Our first line of defence lies in ourselves. The solution to safeguard ourselves from this virus is to equip ourselves with behavioural and environmental approaches towards safety and socially distance ourselves responsibly. Precautions and planning can make a big difference, as now is Thetime Newto Normal Handbook 125 the prepare for COVID-19. Remember, action now will go a long way in protecting your workforce!

About The Blank Slate The Blank Slate is a socially conscious collaborative design practice that focuses on Architecture, Interior and Urban Design. TBS strongly believes that architecture is a symphony of aesthetics, function and form. With each project, we strive to not just embrace but challenge traditional methodologies of design and building typologies. Our core methodology of design lies in reinterpreting traditional architecture and urbanism in the contemporary context of modern India. Our faith lies in indigenous climate-responsive and sustainable architecture that is functional, aesthetic and timeless. We believe in looking at a building not merely as an egoistic monument but rather as a place-making tool embedded in the urban fabric and responsive to the public realm. The firm has completed projects of various scales ranging from residential and corporate interiors to retail showrooms, private villas and master planning schemes. We try creating social change through our proposals. Our proposal for urban rejuvenation of Buckingham Canal in Chennai was presented at the International Conference on Climate Change ICCA 2019 in Heidelberg, Germany. This handbook is another attempt at creating positive change in our society.

126 The Back To Work Handbook

The Team Bina Bhatia

Pratik Daulat

Principal

Savnee Patharkar

Sneha Tiwari Project Architect

Project Architect

Shardul Saroj

Hiranya Ganatra

Jr. Architect

Anshika Srivastava

Himashree Barchamua

Jr. Architect

Intern

Niyoshi Sanghrajka

Shubhi Vaid Intern

Intern

Shrasthi Gupta

Divisha Singh

Intern

Intern The Blank Slate

Note of thanks This handbook is a result of meticulous research by a collaborative team of students and professionals in architecture who have come together in these testing times to contribute to the best of their abilities. We’d like to thank the World Health Organization (WHO), Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for researching and formulating health guidelines that form the base of this handbook. We’d like to thank Himashree Barchamua, Shubhi Vaid, Shrasthi Gupta, Niyoshi Sanghrajka and Divisha Singh for collaborating with us. There was a lot we learnt from young minds like yours. We’d like to thank UPlus Collaborative for the discussion and valuable insight on this subject that helped us shape this handbook. As a team, each of our members has contributed largely to the project and shown great efficiency and co-operation to push this project beyond its self-imposed limitations. With Bina Bhatia and Pratik Daulat as our guiding stars, our team comprises of Sneha Tiwari, Savnee Patharkar, Shardul Saroj, Hiranya Ganatra and Anshika Srivastava, each of whom has contributed their best in each of their unique ways. Last but not least we would also like to thank our families for the support shown in our endeavour of working from home.

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