To ensure safety and well-being of factory workers, Punjab Health Department on Sunday issued detailed advisory for proper maintenance of hygiene and sanitation at the work place to control spread of Covid-19.
In a communication, the Department stated that employer should devise a comprehensive work plan that no more than 50 percent of staff or labour is working at a particular time; devise staggered shift start timetables for all employees keeping in mind no employee should work for more than eight hours.
All workers should be advised to strictly adhere to social distancing norms like washing hands regularly, wearing masks, and maintaining minimum distance of one meter amongst themselves at all times.
Markings at all crowded places like entry gates, water coolers and canteens should be done to facilitate social distancing.
Masks should be worn in a manner that it snugly covers the nose as well as the mouth of the person. The cloth mask should be washed daily with soap and water after use.
As per the advisory, the employer have been asked to ensure availability of alcohol-based sanitizer, with minimum 70 percent ethyl alcohol v/v, to be mounted at the entrance wall of the factory for the staff to sanitize their hands before entering the premises.
In case of multi-storied factories, where the elevators are to be used, sanitizers shall be mounted near entry door of the elevator at each and every floor and staff must be advised to apply sanitizer on the hands immediately after pressing elevator's button before touching any other surface or body part.
The advisory also stated that hand sanitizing stations should be installed in office premises and near high contact surfaces as per footfall assessment.
Regarding disinfecting office spaces, it has been advised that indoor areas including conference rooms should be cleaned every evening after office hours or early in the morning before the rooms are occupied.
Urging the employees to scrupulously adhere to health protocol, they have been advised to voluntarily report any symptom for early treatment besides exhorting to not indulge in gossip or rumors regarding Covid-19 without verifying facts besides asking them to voluntarily report any health symptom like cough or fever.
For manufacturing and other industrial establishments with access control in Special Economic Zones (SEZ) and Export Oriented Units (EoUs) industrial estates, and industrial townships, a special arrangement for stay of workers within their premises, as far as possible, should be made.
The employer shall also ensure that staff or workers, staying at factory, do not wander or move out of premises after duty hours for any purpose, including food.