Health Advice on Prevention of COVID-19 in the Workplace

As people seek greater clarity on the risks they can expect to face and how to best minimize them.  Here are some guidelines on preventive measures that may be taken in the workplace:

Before an outbreak

• Disinfecting the workplace regularly.
• Maintaining good indoor ventilation.
• Making sure that employees, suppliers and customers are aware of the employer’s plans in the event of an outbreak.
• Ensuring sufficient supplies of appropriate masks, alcohol wipes, gloves, paper towels, thermometers, disinfectants, etc.
• If employees are required to travel to areas known to have the virus, whether such travel is necessary.

During an outbreak

• The steps the employer will take to ensure the safety of employees while at work during a novel coronavirus outbreak including how an employer will identify risks of employees becoming infected and how to minimize such risks. The employer may also wish to seek advice from the CHP as to what steps need to be taken, e.g. quarantine requirements.
• Communication strategies such as how and what information will be communicated to employees, suppliers and customers.
• Where employees will work, e.g., home, in the office or in alternative temporary offices.
• At what stage will the workplace be closed and who will decide that.
• How to deal with infection of colleagues, e.g., counselling.
• A mechanism for determining whether employees, suppliers and customers will be allowed access to the workplace, especially if they show symptoms of being infected by the novel coronavirus.
• What to do with high risk/exposure staff (e.g. key employees and employees who travel)

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html
https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/recommendations/35/index.html?f=486