Punjab health department issues detailed advisory for office work

ENCOURAGE WFH, NO HANDSHAKES, SET UP SANITIZING STATIONS, INSTALL THERMAL SCANNERS

HEALTH DEPARTMENT ISSUES DETAILED ADVISORY FOR OFFICE WORK

Chandigarh, April 21

       To regulate and guard the safety and well-being of frontline workers engaged in a war against COVID-19, the State Health Department today issued a detailed advisory for all state government offices asking them to install thermal scanners at the entry gates where ever feasible to screen any symptoms besides a direction to encourage WFH (Work from home) and mandating the use of hand sanitizers and masks as a must for all times.

        Disclosing this here today, an official spokesperson of the Health Department said that only such staff required in person for essential reasons should only be asked to attend the office. The comprehensive plan with regard to such staff who has been specifically called be drawn up which shall include the sitting arrangement by keeping a minimum distance of 1 meter amongst the employees, flexible timings of reporting for duty, flexible timing of leaving the office, flexible timings of lunch and tea breaks in between with an objective to avoid clustering and cluttering of the staff.

He divulged that the advisory further asks the departments to ensure availability of alcohol-based sanitizer (minimum 70% ethyl alcohol v/v) to be mounted at the entrance wall of the office for the staff to sanitize their hands before entering the premises besides mandating the wearing of cloth masks at all times immediately from leaving the house till the entry back into the house.

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       The Spokesperson added that in case of multi-storied offices where the elevators are to be used, sanitizers shall be mounted near the entry door of the elevator at each and every floor, the advisory reads adding hand sanitizing stations should be installed in office premises and near high contact surfaces.

Underlining the process to disinfect the office spaces, he said that it has been advised that indoor areas including conference rooms should be cleaned every evening after office hours or early in the morning before the rooms are occupied. If the contact surface is visibly dirty, it should be cleaned with soap and water prior to disinfection. Prior to cleaning, the cleaner should wear disposable rubber boots, gloves (heavy duty), and a cloth mask.

       He added that all indoor areas such as entrance lobbies, corridors, and staircases, escalators, elevators, security guard booths, office rooms, meeting rooms, cafeteria should be mopped with a disinfectant with 1% sodium hypochlorite or equivalent disinfectants. Urging the employees to scrupulously adhere to the health protocol, the advisory asks them to voluntarily report any symptom for early treatment besides exhorting to not indulge in gossip/rumors with regard to COVID-19 without verifying the facts.

       In case an employee is diagnosed as corona positive and such an employee has attended the office, the department shall immediately inform the Helpline No. 104/State Control Room No. 01722920074/+91-8872090029 along with all the facts about the employee and the contacts he/she might have during the attendance in the office he said adding that the employer shall, therefore, maintain a complete and proper record of all employees attending the office on any particular day.

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