The Ministry of Public Health has intensified precautionary and preventive measures in workplaces in regard to COVID-19.
The Ministry has issued instructions to employers and employees in several languages to maintain a safe working environment.
Dr Asmaa Al Nuaimi, NHS National Lead for Healthy and Safe Employees, said that the guidelines specify for the employers what they must follow in order to prevent the spread of the virus inside the workplace, in addition to instructions for employees to act with caution and follow health and safety rules.
She clarified that the instructions are in line with the procedures and awareness campaigns that have been taken by the authorities in the country since the beginning of the virus outbreak, and came from the principle that safety is our common responsibility and by working together, we can take serious steps to prevent the transmission of the virus.
The guidelines include the responsibilities of employers, which encompasses identifying the symptoms of the virus, its transmission methods, and environmental cleaning of workplaces by installing hand sanitizers, disinfecting workplace and providing the required personal protection tools, in addition to measuring the temperature of employees using non-touch device, maintaining a safe distance, suspending the use of fingerprint scan, stop receiving visitors and canceling external meeting and using technological solutions.
The guidelines also include stopping the use of external companies to provide food and drink for workers and a recommendation to the Mental Health Service, by circulating to employees all facts related to coronavirus and work flexibility, as employers have to be flexible and enable individuals to work from home and abide by national directives that include guidelines and procedures that the employer must take in the event of an infection of one of the employees.
The Ministry also issued many important guidelines for employees to take precaution and follow health and safety rules.