Guidelines for maintaining the

Workplace safety to prevent

transmission of COVID-19
(Draft)

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PREFACE

Guidelines for maintaining safety at the workplace to prevent transmission of COVID-19 is

intended for industries in upgrading/updating their workplace for safely resuming the work
amidst the corona virus pandemic. The purpose is to provide advice and guidance in responding
to workplace safety and risk minimization. The document has tried to present the simplest and
practicable ways to address the safety issues in the workplace during the COVID-19.

The guideline is organized into topics related to COVID-19 and step by step guidanceelines
helpful to prevent the spread of corona virus. It explains do’s and don’ts if someone is
suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 including the major responsibility of the ,
employers’ and employees.

The response to this pandemic should beis in line with several key principles and considerations.
As more new information about virus becomes available, the guideline may need to be
updated depending on the condition.

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 Table of Contents

PREFACE......................................................................................................................................23

1. Introduction................................................................................................................................45

2. Actions to be Taken for Resuming Work Amid the Corona Virus Pandemic...........................45
2.1 Preparatory Work for Resuming Work................................................................................45
2.2.1 Safety at Entrance to Industry.....................................................................................56
2.2.2 Waste Management Practices................................................................67
2.2.3 Management of Clients and Visitors........................................................67

3. Responsibility of Employer and Employees..............................................................................67

PREFACE.......................................................................................................................................2

1. Introduction.........................................................................................................................4

2. How to respond to Corona virus pandemic and resume work............................................4

2.1 Preparatory Actions before Resuming Work amid the Corona Virus Pandemic................5

2.2 Ensure Safety at Entrance to workplace and Employees’ Attendance System...................5

2.3 Scientific Management of Waste and Sanitary Wastewater...............................................6

2.4 Management of Clients and Visitors...................................................................................6

3. Responsibility of Employer and Employees.......................................................................6

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1. Introduction
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2
virus. On 11th  March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus
COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic. Infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes
COVID-19, can cause illness ranging from mild to severe and, in some cases, can be fatal.
Symptoms typically include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Some people infected
with the virus have reportedly experienceding other non-respiratory symptoms too. Spread
of COVID-19 is most likely to happen when there is close contact (2 meters or less) with an
infected person. Droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes containing
the virus are the main means of transmission.

Besides the health issue implication of the covidCOVID-19, it also has also a big impact on
the livelihood of the workers, survival of the business, and the national economy. As the
work on finding solution for covidCOVID-19 is in progress, the operation ofg businesses is
needed critical to its survivale and contributione to the national economy. Regarding the
related legal provisions in Nepal, Tthe Labour Act 2074 has provisions on the prevention of
communicable diseases which states that the employer must make necessary arrangements
to prevent communicable diseases in the workplace and any worker suffering from any
communicable disease may be prohibited from attending the work during the period of
medical treatment. Furthermore, the Occupational Safety and Health Convention (No. 155)
and Recommendation (No. 164) of ILO also have defined the role and responsibility of the
employer to prevent/control risk and hazards at the workplace. For employers, now it is their
duty under legislation to control and minimize the risk associated, as far as is reasonably
practical. The employer should ensure the safety of the workplace and provide the
employees with enough courage to resume their work. For this, the guideline is developed to
help industries resume their work amid the pandemic situation and to be able prepared to
respond to the present pandemic situation and to any other future community disease
outbreak.

In this context, with this guideline is developed in consultation with the business/ industries
association, this guideline is developed to to help industries resume their work in safe
manner and be prepared to respond to any community disease outbreak today and in future.
amid the pandemic situation and to be able to respond to the present pandemic situation and
to any other future community disease outbreak. This guidance is advisory in nature and
informational in content. It is not a standard or a regulation, and it neither creates new legal
obligations nor alters existing obligations created by the Labour Act.

2. Actions to be Ttaken for RResuming WWork Aamid the CCorona VVirus

PPandemic
It is necessary for industries to introduce crucial safety measures, rearrange workplace ,
change behavior, and comply with the safety norms stringently. In the immediate run, this
may be thought of as an extra cost, but in the long run , it is an actually investment for
enhancing the productivity of workers and the profitability of the business. For the resuming
of business, following preparatory work and operational activities should be addressed and
implemented:

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2.1 Preparatory WWork for Resuming Work
1. Make workplace safe and free from the corona virus by cleaning of waste and
disinfecting entire workplacedisinfecting by using 1% sodium hypochlorite solution
2. Mark social distancing circles in 1 1-meter distance at the main entrance and train a
person to get registration by maintaining 2 2-meter social distancing
3. Clean and disinfect parking area in the premises
4. Ensure safe and healthy cafeteria where social distancing can be maintained
5. Ensure availability of clean and disinfected washrooms
6. Availability of sufficient quantity of mask, gloves, face shield and other required
Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs)
7. Ensure Pprovision of clean and healthy drinking water
8. Adopt scientific management of waste (Solid and Liquid) and sanitary water from
washrooms
9. Prepare plan for visitor and clients and visitor visiting to the workplace
10. Prepare Emergency preparedness Preparedness and Response Plan

2.2 Activities to be Followed for Business Operation

1. Encourage online meetings, where possible instead of face to face meetings
2. Rotation of employees in the workplace, where possible, to prevent gatherings
3. Rearrange the workstation for distancing (2 meters), if possible
4. Maintain a system of noting naming at the entrance by a particular designated person,
instead of an electronic signature or signing in registers
5. Availability of handwash basins with soap and sanitizers containing more than 70%
alcohol containing sanitizers
6. Make a provision to use a working dress for workers while working
7. Encourage use of normal surgical mask, gloves, face shield and process required
other PPEs and their proper disposal after use
8. Discourage employees from using other employees’ belongings/tools/equipment
9. Include routine cleaning of entire premises and disinfecting of surfaces by using 1%
sodium hypochlorite solution
10. Encourage employees to inform admin in case of any symptoms of covidCOVID-19
11. Awareness through sign boards, posters, and trainings
12.
13. Prepare an Emergency Response Plan
2.2.1 Ensure Safety at EEntrance to Industryto workplace and Employees’ Attendance
System
Entrance The entryance of employees in the morning
or during shift change is a high high-risk time. S to
maintain social distancing, so industries should
prepare make necessary preparation to ensure social
distancing at the time oftheir industry during the entry
and exit of employees. The following attention will
help the industry to prevent pandemic at the
workplace:

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1. Only allow entry to employees who are wearing mask
2. Compulsorily measure the body temperature at from hand or forehead area with a
thermal gun. Restrict to enterentry if temperature shows reads more than 99oF and
send it the person to the medical center or stay at home.
3. MMake a provision at the entrance of leg operated hand washing system with soap or
leg operated hand sanitizer (ensure 70% or more ethyl or isopropyl alcohol content),
at the entrance
4. Make a rule to maintain follow the social distancing and follow circle marking to get
entry
5. Note down the attendance at the entrance by onefrom the designated person.
6. Do notn’t spray disinfectant on the body of a person
7.

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 2.2.2 Waste Management Practices
Waste is the main source of contamination and spreading of viruses, so, scientific
management of the waste is the prime responsibility of the industry. Industry can follow the
following guide to manage waste:
1. Keep solid waste categorically in different dustbins with lids and manage on a daily
basisdaily
2. Solid waste can be treated in incinerator or autoclave or can be burnt at a higher
temperature
3. Properly dispose ofof the used masks/gloves/tissues in the appropriate dustbins
4. Sanitary wastewater should be passed in through closed drainage, passed into the septic
tanks and mixed into municipal drainage
5. High Excessive use of mask/gloves means more waste production and burden to the
environment that eventually will affect us
2.2.3 Management of Clients and Visitors
Industry should have the plan and procedures for the management of clients and visitors.
The following preventive steps will help to manage overcrowding:
1. Restrict the entry of unwanted clients and visitors and most of the clients can be
managed by online meetings and telephonic conversation
2. Only allow clients/visitors who are wearing a mask
3. Ensure clients/visitors wash their hand with soap water or sanitized byuse hand
sanitizer at entrance
4. Compulsorily measure the body temperature at from hand or forehead with a thermal
gun. Restrict to entryer if temperature shows more than 99oF.
5. Ensure to fill detailed information about clients/visitors before entry.
6. Provide information to the clients and visitors about limitation of visit arearestricted
areas within the premises, compulsory uily useing of mask and about, maintaining
social distancing

Encourage Nepali traditional greeting, saying Namaskar rather than hand shaking

3 Responsibility of Employer and Employees

Labour Act 2074 defines the responsibility of employers and employees to make a safe and
healthy workplace. The following responsibility should be bearborn to prevent the covid COVID

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19 pandemic spreads in the industry:

The employer must be:

1. Ensure safe attendance and employees entrance as suggested in guidelines
2. Plan work and involve only the required numbers of employees.
3. Ensure checking of body temperature for all persons who enter in the industry
4. Spray disinfectant daily in workstation and entire premises including the parking area,
washrooms after stoppage of work.
5. Keep availability of adequate and sufficient amount ofenough masks, gloves, face shield,
and required PPEs
6. Use the electronic payment system and discourage the handling of checks and cash.
7. Make sure availability of enough water in washrooms and hand washing place
8. Create awareness using sign boards and posters fromposters from the entrance gate to
different locations of the premises
9. Launch motivational/ awareness training program for employees on working amid the
pandemic

Employees must be:

1. Follow all the rules by the Government of Nepal and company
2. Inform admin in case of any symptoms of Covid- 19 suspect and go for PCR test and
remain isolated till result is received
3. Use mask, gloves, face shield and process required PPEs
4. Use tissue paper while sneezing/coughing and dispose safely in a dustbin. After disposing
use sanitizer to sanitize hand.
5. Change habit and do not touch face, nose, eyes and ear.
6. Maintain social distancing at 2 meters and use a mask while working/talking
7. Flush toilet after each use
8. Adapt regular yoga and exercise
9. Adapt to the working practice as guided in this guideline s for the prevention of the spread
of the corona virus

 Regularly wash hands and sanitizer

use
 Avoid touching your face area
 Cover your nose and mouth
while sneezing
 Regularly disinfect the touched
surface
 Avoid close contact and maintain
social distancing
 Use engineering and administrative
control in industry

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