As if the corona pandemic is not hard enough on all South African businesses, we are constantly faced with changing regulations, strict rules on making our businesses COVID-19 safe and to reduce the spread of the virus as conditions change.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on the 24th of May 2020 that South Africa will move to Level 3 from the 1st of June 2020, opening most sectors for trade with strict health protocols and social distancing rules. Employers will be required to develop a workplace plan before they reopen their operations. With this in mind, businesses are faced with the question of where does one start?
An important place to start is to plan and implement your Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in your business as it forms part of your health risk assessment.
As set out in the Department of Employment and Labour, employers are obligated to provide their workers with the PPE needed to keep them safe while performing their duties.
Each industry will have its own restrictions regarding the level of risk and protection they will need to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. We have provided a few tips and advice on how employers can protect their employees at the workplace.
- Face Mask:
The Department of Employment and Labour regulations stipulates clearly that employers should provide employees with a minimum of 2 cloth face masks. Masks must be worn in the workplace. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition sets out that the cloth facemasks must be breathable. It should also fit properly and be comfortable to wear. Face masks must be at least two layers of fabric, the cleaning thereof should be easy and face masks should not be shared with anyone.
- Face Shield:
Additional protection can be provided by the use of a face shield. The face shield protects one from touching the eyes, nose and mouth with a contaminated hand. The face shield also provides for direct protection against droplets.
- Gloves:
Gloves should only be worn when dealing directly with patient caregiving, cleaning contaminated surfaces or the preparation of food.
- Sanitiser:
Employers should provide hand sanitiser to employees with a minimum alcohol content of 70%. The hand sanitiser can be placed in a spray bottle or one can use a sanitise station also known as a sanitiser foot pump to avoid one from touching the bottle with your hand.
- Temperature Screening:
Employers must take measures to screen employees when they report to work to identify beforehand if the employee can enter the workplace. For temperature screening, employers can use a thermometer. Temperatures above 38 degrees Celsius should not be allowed in the workplace.
- Social Distancing:
Social distancing measures set out in the Occupational Health and Safety Directive must be adhered to. Employers must ensure minimal contact between workers as far as possible with a minimum of one and a half meters between them. Social distancing floor stickers can be used to guide employees and clients to keep a distance of at least 1.5 meters from each other.
Where social distancing at work is not possible, businesses must use physical barriers to prevent transmission. Desk or counter screens can be used as a solid barrier.
- COVID-19 Awareness:
Employers should raise awareness among employees in the workplace on the dangers of COVID-19. Posters and signage can be put up in your business to raise awareness on how the virus is transmitted and how one can prevent the spread thereof. Examples of these posters can be on how to wash and sanitise your hands, how to wear your face mask, social distancing advice, etc.
It is advised that all persons who are able to work from home must do so for as long as possible.
At this time, more than any other, we are reminded of Madiba’s words, “It is now in your hands.”
As a business owner, you are advised to keep yourself informed and updated with any changes and/or new regulations by visiting the following platforms regularly:
COVID-19 SA Resource Portal: https://sacoronavirus.co.za/
Department of Health: www.health.gov.za
National Institute for Communicable Diseases: https://www.nicd.ac.za/
National Institute for Occupational Health: http://www.nioh.ac.za/
About the author
Linda Erasmus obtained her bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Akademia. She joined SEESA in January 2008 and is currently the Public Relations Officer at the Pretoria office.
Sources
Statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa (24-Mei-2020)
Department of Employment and Labour: COVID-19 Occupational Health and Safety Measures in the Workplace (C19 OHS), 2020. No 43257
Department of Employment and Labour: Workplace Preparedness: COVID-19
Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC): Fabric Facemasks. 24 April 2020