Publication date: 14.05.2024
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The Ministry of Labor announced how employers can prevent the coronavirus in the workplace
According to the State Labor Service, employers should implement preventive measures, even if there are no cases of COVID-19 in the city where they conduct their business.
1. Make sure that your employees' workplaces are clean and hygienic. Surfaces (eg tables and all work surfaces, telephones, keyboards, etc.) should be regularly wiped down with disinfectant.
2. It is necessary to promote regular and thorough hand washing by employees, contractors and customers (consumers). For this:
— place dispensers with disinfectants in all visible places (near workplaces) and refill them regularly;
— place posters in prominent places advertising hand washing;
— combine the above measures with other communication measures, such as the provision of recommendations (lectures) by occupational health specialists regarding the health of workers;
— make sure that staff, contractors and customers (customers) have access to places where they can access soapy water.
3. It is necessary to promote the availability of clean air at the workplace. Place posters promoting clean air at workplaces. Combine such measures with other communication measures (instructions, training) that promote occupational health and safety. Make sure that face masks, other fabric personal protective equipment are available in workplaces where there are clusters of people with runny nose (cough) at work. Special bins must be provided for the disposal of disposable masks (filters for masks).
4.Advise employees and contractors to obtain national (statewide) guidance on preventing the spread of COVID-19 before traveling on business.
5. Tell your employees, contractors and customers that COVID-19 may start to spread in their environment if there are people with a temperature of 37.3 oC.
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People with this temperature should stay at home (or work at home).
For people with a temperature higher than 37.3 oC, taking antipyretic drugs such as paracetamol/acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin can only mask the disease (infection).
Maintain constant communication with employees, issue proclamations to employees recommending to stay at home (in cases where employees have only mild symptoms of COVID-19).
6. Things to consider when you and your employees travel.
Based on current information, your organization should assess the benefits and risks associated with future business trips of your employees.
When traveling, encourage workers to wash their hands regularly and stay at least one meter away from people who are coughing or sneezing.
Make sure employees know what to do and who to contact if they feel unwell while traveling.
Employees who have returned from an area where COVID-19 is spreading must monitor symptoms for 14 days and have their temperature taken twice a day.
7. Preparing your business in the event that COVID-19 enters your workforce.
Consider how to identify persons who may be at risk and support them, do not allow cases of discrimination against persons working in your workplaces.
Tell your local health authority that you are developing a plan and ask for their involvement (support).
Promote regular work (communication) within your organization.
Develop an emergency plan and the possibility of business continuity in the event of an outbreak of COVID-19 in the areas (countries) where your business (company, enterprise) operates.
And earlier, the Ministry of Health provided temporary recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the USA for businesses and employers regarding the response to COVID-19:
— employees with symptoms of acute respiratory diseases should notify their supervisor and stay at home;
— if a person comes to work with an acute respiratory disease, they should be separated from other workers and sent home immediately;
— it is necessary to regularly clean the workplace: clean surfaces, countertops and doorknobs with appropriate cleaning agents;
— employees must treat their hands with disinfectants containing alcohol or wash their hands with soap for at least 20 seconds;
— when planning business trips, you should follow government recommendations.
