The ongoing spread of coronavirus has brought our lives to a standstill. For most of us, work from home has become the new normal. But with the relaxation in the COVID-19 lockdown, a few offices are returning back to basics.
However, it becomes extremely important to keep a few safety measures in mind for the well-being of all employees.
Here is a list of few pointers that should be kept in mind:
1. Avoid using public vehicle and transport for commuting. Until the situation return to normal, use a private vehicle or opt to work from home. Public transport might risk safety with contact transmission.
2. Use a mask and cover your hands to avoid getting in contact with unwanted particles. Even if you end up using public transport.
3. Don’t touch your face, mouth, nose and eyes while in public space, as this might increase the risk of contamination.
4. Each employee, as well as employer, should sanitize the hands and get their temperature checked before entering the premises.
5. Desks, washrooms, cafeteria and pantry should be properly sanitized before being in use. They should be sanitized at regular intervals, at least once every day.
6. Employees should avoid sharing office stationeries, such as desktops, pens, notepads and even chairs. If you are sharing your foods with colleagues, make sure the food is safe and cooked properly.
7. Avoid eating outside food. Try to have home-cooked food to stay away from food consumed and cooked in public places.
8. Employees should sanitize their hands every now and then. Whenever possible, wash your hands as per CDC guidelines to avoid any virus.
9. It becomes extremely necessary to regularly share guidelines with the employees and ensure their safety. The guidelines should be properly followed.
10. Other important measures include one-hour gaps between shifts and stagger lunch breaks. If possible, promote work from home culture till the situation comes back to normalcy.
The Indian Government has also issued advisories previously, which included guidelines like covering mouths and nose, sanitizing properly and availability of 33% workforce. As the third lockdown is nearing the conclusion on May 17, the national government might issue a fresh set of instructions.