PUNJAB HEALTH DEPT ISSUES INDUSTRY ADVISORY 

Chandigarh: To ensure safety and well-being of factory workers, the Health Department has issued detailed advisory for proper maintenance of hygiene and sanitation at the work place, in larger aim to control spread of Covid-19. 
 
In a communication issued here today, the Health Department has said that the employer should devise a comprehensive work plan that no more than 50% of staff/labour is working at a particular time. The factory manager could devise staggered shift start timetables for all employees keeping in mind no employee should work for more than 8 hours. 
 
Disclosing further, the spokesperson of Health Department said all workers should be advised to strictly adhere to social distancing norms like washing hands regularly, wearing masks and maintain minimum distance of 1 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. 
 
The advisory further asks the employer  to ensure availability of  alcohol-based sanitizer (minimum 70% 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 the entry door of the elevator at each and every floor and the 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 reads 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. If the contact surface is visibly dirty, it should be cleaned with soap and water prior to disinfection. Prior to cleaning, the cleaner should wear disposable rubber boots, gloves (heavy duty), and a cloth mask.
 
All indoor areas such as entrance lobbies, corridors and staircases, escalators, elevators, security guard booths, office rooms, meeting rooms, cafeteria should be mopped with a disinfectant with 1% sodium hypochlorite or equivalent disinfectants, the advisory adds. 
 
Urging the employees to scrupulously adhere to the health protocol, the advisory asks them to voluntarily report any symptom for early treatment besides exhorting to not indulge in gossip/rumors with regard to COVID-19 without verifying the 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/workers staying at factory does not wander/move out of premises after duty hours for any purpose, including food.