What to do When an Employee Tests Positive For COVID-19

•  They will be instructed not to report for work.

• If an employee does not pass the initial screening, they must be taken to a separate screening area where a further for COVID-19 signs and symptoms needs to be done.

• If the person is already at the workplace, isolate them immediately and provide them with an FFP1 surgical mask and arrange for the worker to be transported in a manner that does not place other workers or members of the public at risk either to be self- isolated or for a medical examination or testing.

• The employee will be required to leave the premises and self-isolate for 14 days.

• If they are using public transport, this must not place the public at risk!

• Follow-up frequently with the infected employee or visitor, record their progress and refer them to the hospital if required.

• Keep a register of employees presenting with symptoms and who are referred for isolation.

• Assess the risk of transmission to other staff or visitors and refer those at risk for screening and suggest self-isolation as a precautionary measure.

• Disinfect the work area and exposed workstations.

• Staff who test positive or show symptoms must be referred to a health professional for assessment and further diagnosis. Testing is not routinely done unless testing is indicated by a health professional therefore staff would need to be assessed by a medical practitioner in order to qualify for testing.

• At no point may there be any discrimination against an employee or visitor in this case.

• If a staff member contracted the virus as a result of occupational exposure, and there is sufficient evidence, a claim will be lodged for compensation in terms of the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act.

• All incidents must be reported to the Department of Health and the Department of Labour. 24-Hour COVID-19 Hotline: 08000299990

• Investigate the cause including any control failure and review its risk assessment to ensure that the necessary controls and PPE requirements are in place.

• The employer must place its employee on paid sick leave in terms of section 22 of the BCEA or if the employee’s sick leave entitlement under the section is exhausted, make an application for an illness benefit in terms of clause 4 of the Directive issued on 25 March 2020 on the COVID-19 Temporary Employer Relief Scheme under regulation 10(8) of the Regulations promulgated in terms of section 27(2) of the Disaster Management Act.

SEESA has developed a simple guide to assist employers in complying with the most basic COVID-19 OHS requirements. Please note that the OHS Basic Guide will be available on the ProFile Dashboard for all SEESA clients. The guide includes How to Complete a Basic Health Risk Assessment as well as all basic templates for your business from visitor screening questionnaires to awareness posters.

Go to ProFile

profile.seesa.co.za

More OHS Tips in The Workplace

Below are some of the tips required to implement in the workplace, to make sure your business is COVID-19 ready.

• The OHSA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) requires employers to review and update risk assessments on a regular basis.
• If the employers employ more than 500 employees, that employer must submit a record of its assessment together with a written policy concerning the protection of the health and safety of its employees from COVID-19.
• The employer must notify its employees if they are sick or have symptoms associated with COVID-19 that they must not come to work and to take paid sick leave in terms of section 22 of the BCEA (Basic Conditions of Employment Act).
• It must appoint a manager to address employee or workplace representative concerns and to keep them informed and in any workplace.
• It must ensure, as far practicable, minimize the number of workers in at the workplace at any given time through the rotation, staggered working hours, shift systems, remote working arrangements.
• It must take measures to minimize contact between workers as well as between workers and members of the public.  
• It must provide workers with information that raises awareness in any form or manner, including where reasonably practicable leaflets and notices placed in conspicuous places in the workplace informing workers of the dangers of the virus, the manner of its transmission, the measures to prevent transmission such as personal hygiene, social distancing, use of masks, cough etiquette and where to go for screening or testing if presenting the symptoms.

Social distancing measures

• Every employer must arrange the workplace to ensure minimal contact between workers and as far as practicable ensure that there is a minimum of one and a half meters between workers while they are working.

Health and safety measures

Every employer must implement the following health and safety measures:

• Screen any worker, at the time that they report for work, to ascertain whether they have any of the observable symptoms associated with COVID-19.
• Require every worker to report whether they suffer from any of the following additional symptoms: body aches, loss of smell or loss of taste, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fatigue, weakness of tiredness
• Require workers to immediately inform the employers of they experience any of the symptoms. 

Sanitizers, disinfectants and other measures

Every employer must, free of charge, ensure that –

• There are sufficient quantities of hand sanitizer based on the number of workers of other persons who access the workplace at the entrance of, and in, the workplace which the workers or other persons are required to use
• If a worker interacts with the public, the employer must provide the worker with sufficient supplies of hand-sanitizer at that worker’s workstation for both the worker and the person with whom the working is interacting.
• All work surfaces and equipment are disinfected before word begins, regularly during the working period and after work ends
• All areas such as toilets, common areas, door handles, shared electronic equipment are regularly cleaned and disinfected
• Disable biometric systems or make them COVID-19 proof.
• There are adequate facilities for the washing of hands with soap and clean water.
• Only paper towels are provided to dry hands after washing – the use of fabric towelling is prohibited.
• The workers are required to wash their hands and sanitize their hands regularly while at work

Cloth masks

• Every employer must –
• Provide each of its employees, free of charge, with a minimum of two cloth mask.
• Require any other worker to wear masks in the workplace
• Every employer must ensure that workers are informed, instructed, trained and instructed as to the correct use of cloth masks.
• An employer must make appropriate arrangements for the washing, drying and ironing of cloth masks.

Measures in respect of workplaces to which have public access

Depending on what is reasonably practicable given the nature of the workplace, every employer must-

• Arrange the workplace to ensure that there is a distance of at least one and a half meters between workers and members of the public or between members of the public
• Put in place a physical barrier or provide workers with face shields or visors.
• Require members of the public, including suppliers, to wear masks when inside their premises

About the Author

Otto Bronkhorst is the National Manager for Training and Research at SEESA. He was admitted as an attorney in September 1991 and has 19 years of experience in Labour Law.