LD2: Guidelines for workplaces that open up from 20th April

The Centre has issued a fresh set of guidelines for the Lockdown 2,0, which list a number of relaxations that will come into force post-April 20. The government has said that it will allow agriculture, construction, Information Technology, industrial units in the SEZs and rural areas to function if they follow lockdown guidelines to a tee.

Also read LD-02: List of activities that will be allowed from 20th April

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued an order on April 14, 2020, extending the lockdown in India till May 3, 2020. Further, MHA has issued another order on April 15, 2020, to allow select additional activities in areas not demarcated as containment zones by States/ UTs/ District Administrations.

Through its order, the MHA has also issued a few fresh guidelines for workplaces to follow. These guidelines are not just limited to services that will be opened from April 20, but to be adhered by every workplace post-May 3rd as well. These new guidelines are designed with an aim to emphasize standard operating procedures for social distancing.

Below are the fresh guidelines for workplaces that should be adhered by all offices, factories and other establishments:

• All areas in the premises including the following shall be disinfected completely using user-friendly disinfectant mediums:
  • Entrance Gate of building, office, etc.
  • Cafeteria and canteens.
  • Meeting room, Conference halls/ open areas available verandah/ entrance gate of the site, bunkers, portacabins, building, etc.
  • Equipment and lifts.
  • Washroom, toilet, sink; water points, etc.
  • Walls/ all other surfaces

• Wearing of face mask or face cover shall be compulsory in all public spaces and workplaces
• For workers coming from outside, special transportation facilities will be arranged without any dependency on the public transport system. These vehicles should be allowed to work only with 30-40% passenger capacity.
• All vehicles and machinery entering the premises should be disinfected by spray mandatorily.
• Mandatory thermal scanning of everyone entering and exiting the workplace to be done.
• Medical insurance for the workers to be made mandatory.
• Provision for hand wash & sanitizer preferably with a touch-free mechanism will be made at all entry and exit points and common areas.
• Sufficient quantities of all the items should be available.
• Workplaces shall have a gap of one hour between shifts and will stagger the lunch breaks of staff, to ensure social distancing.
• Large gatherings or meetings of 10 or more people to be discouraged.
• Seating at least six feet away from others on job sites and in gatherings, meetings and training sessions.
• Not more than 2/4 persons (depending on size) will be allowed to travel in lifts or hoists.
• The use of the staircase for climbing should be encouraged.
• There should be a strict ban on gutka, tobacco, etc. and spitting in public should be strictly prohibited.
• There should be a total ban of non-essential visitors at sites.
• Hospitals/clinics in the nearby areas, which are authorized to treat COVID-19 patients, should be identified and a list should be available at the workplace all the time.

MHA Notification – Please visit page number 9 and 10 for Workplace Guidelines.

Bibliography: Ministry of Home Affairs, HRnxt