As we commemorate the World Day for Safety and Health at Work today, amidst the prevailing pandemic it is pertinent to bring to light obligations upon employers in ensuring safe and healthy workplaces.
Let us take a look at the responsibilities cast upon an employer to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus @ workplace.
Preventive measures to be ensured by employers to contain spread of COVID-19 in workplaces:
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Employees to install & use Arogya Setu App
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All officers and staff / visitors to be allowed entry only if they use face cover/masks
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Face cover/mask must always be worn inside the office premises
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Manage crowd in parking lots and outside premises.
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Posters/AV media on preventive measures about COVID-19 to be displayed prominently
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Canteens within the work premises must follow physical distancing norms and hygiene
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Ensure regular supply of hand sanitizers, soap and running water in the washrooms
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Proper cleaning and frequent sanitization (at-least twice a day) of the workplace must be ensured
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Air-conditioning /ventilation setting to be in the range of 24-30 degree Celsius
What needs to be done if an employee has been in close contact with a COVID + employee?
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Place the ill person in a room or area where they are isolated from others at the workplace
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Provide a mask/face cover till such time he/she is examined by a doctor
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Inform the nearest medical facility or call the state or district helpline immediately
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Adhere to the advice of the designated public health authority for management of case, contacts and need for disinfection
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Management of contacts to be done as per the existing Guidelines for Contact Tracing of COVID-19 Cases in Community Settings
Additional Directives for Workplaces, issued by Ministry of Home Affairs:
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Work from home (WFH) as far as possible must be implemented.
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Follow staggering of work / business hours in offices, workplaces and industrial & commercial establishments.
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Frequent sanitization of entire workplace, common facilities and all points which come into human contact e.g., door handles etc., to be ensured, including between shifts.
Penalty- Any person violating these measures will be liable to be proceeded against as per the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, besides legal action under the Indian Penal Code, 1860
What you need to keep in mind for conducting vaccination drives in your workplaces?
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Workplaces having 100 eligible and willing beneficiaries can organise a COVID-19 vaccination session at their own workplace.
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Only employees of workplace within the permitted 45 years or more age limit will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination at Workplace.
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No outsiders including eligible family members will be allowed for such vaccination.
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All such workplace vaccination centres to be registered in the Co-WIN Portal as Private COVID-19 Vaccination Centre (CVC) at Workplace.
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Designate one senior staff to work as “Nodal Officer” to coordinate with district health authorities/ private CVCs and support vaccination activities.
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Provide adequate rooms / space for vaccination (waiting room, vaccination room & observation room).
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Maintain adequate physical distancing in waiting and observation rooms.
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The waiting room must have facility for hand washing/ sanitization and display IEC materials on COVID appropriate behaviour.
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The observation room should have sufficient space for 30-minute waiting and observation of adverse event following immunization.
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One type of vaccine to be provided. This is necessary to avoid mixing of vaccine types in 1st and 2nd dose of a beneficiary.
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All vaccination must be recorded real time through the Co-WIN Vaccinator Module on the same day.
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The digital vaccination certificate of the beneficiary will be generated through Co-WIN and the Workplace CVC Nodal Person will be responsible for providing a printed copy of the vaccination certificate, both after 1st and 2nd doses, to the beneficiary, on site after vaccination.
