1]Institute work from home policy, wherever its possible. Organisations have to tackle immediate issues like the safety of employees and ensure optimal utilization of staff using all safety precautions.
2]Educate employees about hand hygiene, wearing masks, cough etiquettes, physical distancing, avoid handshake, avoid spitting, use of gutka and tobacco. Education about all precautions can be done by the CEO and HRs of the office using videos, bulletin, etc , which can have more impact.
3]Ensure physical distancing during meetings or implement online meetings if the crowd is large.
4]Minimize visitors in office/workplaces.
5]Lunch breaks/Tea breaks in the cafeteria should be planned to shift wise or implement 6 feet distancing.
6] Relocate staff and workstations to avoid crowding in cubicles.
7] Use thermal guns to screen temperature at the entrance of the office or factories.
8]All indoor areas such as entrance lobbies, corridors, staircases, elevators, office rooms, meeting rooms, etc, should be mopped with 1% sodium hypochlorite solution or phenolic disinfectants.
7]High contact surfaces such as elevator buttons, public counters, system, handrails, handles, telephones, printers, scanners, and other office machines should be cleaned twice daily, with a linen/absorbable cloth soaked in 1% sodium hypochlorite solution. Frequently touched areas like tabletops, chairs, handles, pens, dairies, keyboards, mouse, etc, should be cleaned.
8]For metallic surfaces like door handles, knobs, security keys, etc, 70% of alcohol disinfectant can be used, where bleach is not suitable. Touch screens on our devices could be a source of microbes that can be brought into our personal space. Mobile touch screens can be Cleaned using 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes or Clorox disinfecting wipes.
1% sodium hypochlorite solution and 70% alcohol disinfectants are available in pharmacy stores.
9]Make sanitizers/ sterillium freely available at the workplace.
Reference: Guidelines on the disinfection of common places issued by Govt. of INDIA.
Author: Dr. Arathi Darshan MD (Gen. Med.), FICP
Consultant Physician, KLES Dr Prabhakar Kore Hospital & MRC Professor & Head, Department of Medicine, JNMC, Belagavi
