Hit precaution button, not panic

With WHO declaring the global outbreak a pandemic, citing “alarming level of spread and inaction” and the total number of novel coronavirus cases in India touching 60, it is high time for start-ups and entrepreneurs to re-evaluate employee welfare and jump into taking immediate, necessary precautions to ensure safety of employees at the workplace. In addition to limiting the exposure of the employers to the new strain of the virus, the top brass and the entrepreneurs must ensure that the protecting guidelines are clearly reflected at the workplace.

Overcrowding, poor ventilation, bad quality hygiene and frequent movement can create a ‘perfect storm’ of disease transmission between employees.

1Restrict handshakes and practice ‘hello’ from a great distance.

2Ask your employees to practice sneezing and coughing etiquette —According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) considering how similar viruses spread, people infected with Covid-19 may be spreading the virus through respiratory secretions when they cough or sneeze. As per the agency, there is much more to learn and research about the process transmissibility, severity and other cascading features of coronavirus (Covid-19) as the investigation of the outbreak continues. Avoiding coughing or sneezing into your hands.

3Clean your workplace desk or workstation often - Appoint housekeeping staff to routinely clean all frequently touched surfaces in the workplace, such as keyboards, remote controls, desks, counter-tops and doorknobs. OK! The major question arises - Will regular cleaning products kill the bug? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) specified - coronaviruses are among “the easiest to kill with the appropriate disinfectant product.”

4Ask your employees to put on the face mask at the workplace - As the Coronavirus spreads at an alarming rate across the globe, many experts suggest that masks will keep them safe. If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with suspected infection. A suspected Covid-19 infection is linked to travel in areas where cases have been reported or close contact with someone who has travelled in these areas and has become ill.

5Promote hygienic washroom practice - Cleaning, washing and sanitizing the toilets of the workplace hourly can promote hygiene and cleanliness at workplace. Surfaces and objects of the toilet must be wiped with a disinfectant because contaminated surfaces are one of the main ways that the virus spread.

6Disseminating tissues, dustbin and pocket sanitizers to the employees – Alcohol-based hand sanitizers, dustbin and tissues must be kept at every workplace desk is one of the authentic ways to promote hygiene and tackling the virus.

7Hygienic office canteen - Train office boy, kitchen helpers or canteen managers to ensure high-degree of personal food hygiene and promote a strict cleanliness practice and wearing masks and hand gloves while distributing food. Avoid raw meat, eggs and fishes in the canteen and serve food which is hot and thoroughly cooked.

8Ask your employees to avoid “coranxiety”— Ask your employees to “catch the hope against hope and be prepared like a warrior”. The fear of coronavirus, medically now termed ‘coranxiety’, has become so huge that it has led to the spread of hoax news and fake resources, especially on social media platforms.

9Basics First - Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. Hands touch many outer surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can easily transfer the virus into your eyes, nose or mouth. Ask pregnant women to stay and work from home. In the worst case scenario, suggest your other employees to stay and work from home. — IANS

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