Healthcare Compliance Code for COVID-19

Preface

The Indian Textiles and Clothing (T&C) industry is the second largest employment
provider, next only to agriculture providing jobs to over 105 million people especially
the rural masses and women folk across the nation accounting 21% employment.
The industry also contributes to around 2.3% of India’s GDP, accounting 7%
industrial production,11.5% of total exports and earning 27% foreign exchange and
thus playing a key role in the inclusive growth of the nation. The business size of the
T&C industry was estimated at USD 169 Bn (around Rs.12 lakh crores) for the year
2018-19 by the Textiles Committee including around USD 39 Bn exports.

The COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented and considered to be a communicable

disease wherein the society in large is at stake. Social distancing and extraordinary
precautions are required to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.

In order to arrest the spreading of COVID-19, the Government of India from the very
inception has taken serious efforts by announcing a one day “Janata Curfew” on 22 nd
March followed by 21 days lockdown during 24 th March to 14th April 2020 by invoking
Section 144 Criminal Penal Code.

Considering the seriousness of the pandemic, which affects every section of the
society, it is very important for all the organizations to take utmost care even after
lifting the lockdown. It is important to note that Corona Virus cannot be eradicated
abruptly over a period of time. Like in the case of Tuberculosis, Corona virus is
going to be in existence continuously for which taking medication and other
preventive measures are the solutions. However, “Prevention is better than Cure”.

Once the textile operations resume, both the industries and employees have to
follow certain guidelines / codes, to prevent Corona Virus disease. Keeping this in
mind, the general guidelines have been prepared as a compendium covering all
aspects both for local workers and migrant workers including hostel facilities.
 Compliance Code / Guidelines for COVID-19
The present situation is unprecedented. Hence it is advisable for the management
to constitute an " Exigency Management Team" in every mills to prepare proper
guidelines, procedures to be adopted and monitor the same meticulously . This
team should validate the guidance as well as monitoring position periodically once in
six months.

The Exigency management should make sure of required resources including

manpower, material, shelter, food, medicine, transportation facilities, safety and
security measures. Further, to make double sure, it is advisable to do the audit by
the external international certified body for the due implementation of the same.

This code intends to address the following areas of concern in textile mills.

 During the entry point of the Mills

 At Work place

 Engineering Controls
 Common

 In the Hostel Accommodation

 Health related (Increase immunization)

1. During the entry point of the Mills
 Always Cover mouth and nose with a handkerchief / tissue or use face mask.

 Suspend the Bio Metric registration system for time being or until the normal
situation is restored.

 Face reading attendance system could be followed.

 All the employee and visitors should be tested for the temperature by thermal
temperature sensor and then alone should be allowed.

 Isolate the sick and refer them to the nearest public Health Centre’s /
Government Hospital

 Provide the required sanitizer at the entrance of the factory for the use of the
employees.

 Ensure that all workers are sanitized before they enter the premises /
workplace.

 Disinfectant zones / chambers can be installed at the entry and exit point.
  Employee should be thoroughly educated about the risk factor of Covid-19,
precautions, do’s and don’ts.

 Visitors should not be allowed to Dormintatory, Kitchen (or) dining hall.

 Advise the employees to minimize the hand touch and to maintain the social
distance of more than a metre in all areas.

 Drivers are requested to make sure that the vehicles are sanitized and
disinfected every day before and after the usage. (steering rings, gear rod
knobs, handles, doors, etc.,)

 Drivers must be daily checked of their health and follow up of hand washing
and sanitization.

 Company vehicles to be cleaned and sterilized and sanitizer made available

in all vehicles.

2. At Work place
Occupational safety and health professionals use a framework called the
“hierarchy of controls” to select ways of controlling workplace hazards. In other
words, the best way to control a hazard is to systematically remove it from the
workplace, rather than relying on workers to reduce their exposure.

During a COVID-19 outbreak, when it may not be possible to eliminate the

hazard, the most effective protection measures are listed below.

 Avoid shaking hands. Greeting with folded hands, is advisable

 Ensure that sufficient sanitizer / soaps are available in the restrooms /

bathrooms etc.,

 Avoid spitting in public or in any part of the premises, other than at the
specified places or wash basin.

 Advise the employees to minimize the hand touch and to maintain the social
distance of more than a metre.

 Discourage to the maximum entry of the visitors, erectors, suppliers etc.

 No outsider shall be permitted to enter the factory premises or residential
premises unless they are screened thoroughly to rule out the presence of
symptom of any decease / epidemic.

 Better avoid new recruitments for time being.

 If the migrant workers want to come back to join the Company, ask them to
overstay at their native until normalcy is restored.

 Clean the office floors with disinfectant (Lizo) solution.

 Conservancy workers should be immunized and provided with adequate

masks / gloves.

 Pregnant women employees must be permitted to be on leave during any

exigency.
 Child care centre inside the factory is not to be encouraged to function in the
interest of the children.

 Ensure proper and frequent cleaning of the workplace with sanitizer,

particularly the elevators, handrails and frequently touched surfaces.

 Meetings, gatherings should be avoided. If meetings could not be avoided, it

can be conducted through video conference.

 Physical communications of files / papers shall be avoided.

 All employees are requested to maintain self hygiene and to wash hands with
soap once in two or three hours.

 Always drink hot water and employee should be trained to drink water at
periodic interval.

 Use disposable tumblers. Avoid using common tumblers

 Avoid using A/c at low temperature.

 Computer keyboards to be used after cleaning it with sanitizer.

 A Senior Management Advisory Committee may be formed to monitor and to

prevent any spread of virus.

 Develop policies and procedure for prompt identification and isolation of

patients.

 Constantly encourage and motivate the patients even after recovery.

 For any further assistance or support, contact the concerned District

Collectors, Industries Department.

Engineering Controls:
 Engineering controls involve isolating employees from work- related hazards. In
workplaces where they are appropriate, these types of controls reduce exposure
to hazards without relying on worker behaviour and can be the most cost-
effective solution to implement. Engineering controls for SARS-CoV-2 include:

■ Installing high-efficiency air filters.

■ Increasing ventilation rates in the work environment.

■ Installing physical barriers, such as clear plastic sneeze guards.

Common
 Create more awareness about Corona Virus among all the employees, in all
the shifts.

 Display corona virus awareness posters at all locations in the premises, in

languages, more spoken by the employees.

 Cover mouth and nose with a handkerchief / tissue or use face mask while
coughing or sneezing.

 Wash hands with soap immediately after coughing or sneezing

 Make sure that the adequate quantum of sanitizer / hand washer are
available.

 Avoid touching, face, mouth, nose or eyes.

 Dispose the used mask in the specified dustbins that have lids.
 Educate workers on the adverse effects it causes to others because of
spitting.
 Clean floors, surfaces, staircases by using sanitizer in all three shifts.

 Avoid visiting tourist places and mass gathering.

 Get the toilets sanitized after every use.

 Avoid travelling while sick and it is better to stay at home.

 Maintain more than one-meter social distance between yourself and

another person.
 Never spread rumors.
 Avoid using public transport, to the maximum possible extent.
 Wherever possible disinfect using bleaching powder or chlorine water or any
other good quality spray.
 Develop an infectual disease preparedness and response plan that can help
and guide for the protective action.
 Encourage respiratory etiquette including covering cough and sneeze.
 Discourage workers from using other workers phone (or) other work tools and
equipments wherever possible.
 All employees to be made aware of the full particulars of the exigency through
leaflets, notices, mails , sms, whatsapp, etc., and also to upload all such
details in the website of the establishment.
 Family members of the employees are also to be taken into account as part of
the team to be in the know of matters.
 All necessary and standard, prescribed PPE to be made available in sufficient
numbers to the employees and their families.
 Disinfect the employee vehicles every day depending upon the type of
exigency.
 Seating arrangements of vehicles used for employee transportation, shall be
in such a way that sufficient distancing is maintainable.
 Small group meetings shall be conducted with the help of Health Educators
and Psychologists to reinforce the confidence among employees and also to
foster in them the spirit to be sustained.
 Community support to be solicited and patronized.
 Pregnant women employees must be permitted to be on leave during any
exigency.
 Medical check-up by qualified medical professionals to be carried out
minimum one time a day and appropriate record to be maintained.
 Necessary secondary medical facilities and medicine to be kept in the factory
in sufficient quantity , to be administered by qualified personnel.
 Any instrument, tool, apparatus or surface and exterior shall be touched /
used only with suitable hand gloves.
 Maintain regular housekeeping practices and maintain the work places tidy
(properly adopting 5S practices)
 Develop policies and procedure for prompt identification and isolation of such
people, if appropriate.

 If possible, isolate people suspected of having Covid-19 separately from those

conformed cases of the viruses to prevent further transmission.
 Ensure that sick leave policies are flexible and consistent with public health
guidelines and that employee are aware of that policies.
 Treat the training hall and training kits are squarely secured and disinfected.
 Train employee to wash their clothes daily after their work.
 Dormintatory, kitchen, dining hall should be disinfected daily and appropriate
records to be maintained.
 No accumulation of waste / food waste at any part of the premises should be
disposed daily.
 Periodical audit is to be done for complying this guidelines by a competent
person preferably engaging international certified bodies.
 Ambulance with driver to be always kept ready and to tie up with nearby
hospitals in case of emergency.
 Sufficient communication facilities to be ensured enabling workers to contact
their parents.
 Mobile ATM to be arranged for cash disbursement of salary / wages to avoid
employees to move out for taking money.
 In case of community living, management may arrange to supply grocery,
vegetables and other materials in the residential places, keeping up the
protocol .
 Incoming curriers, postal letters, etc to be centralized for the establishment to
avoid personal contacts.

3. In the Hostel Accommodation

  Provide sanitizer to each hostel employees, if not; confirm that every room
has a sanitizer. Also educate the inmate of how to use it.

 Canteen workers should wash their hands with soap before and after
cooking.

 Always drink hot water.

 Consume well cooked food.

 All vegetables and outside materials purchased to be kept at a designated

disinfected place at least for 12 hours before take it for use.

 Use disposable tumblers. Avoid using common tumblers

 Canteen vessels, plates, tumblers etc; are to be washed thoroughly with hot
water or sterilizing machine.

 In case, any hostel worker is found to be sick, he /she shall be taken to

hospital for treatment and asked to take rest in the sick room till fully recover
from the disease.

 Hostel employees returning from the native should be checked for any
infection and if found so, he /she shall be admitted in the hospital and shall
not be allowed in the hostel.

 Hostel rooms should be fumigated, periodically.

 Hostel rooms path ways , hand rails are to be cleaned with disinfectant
solution (lizol) at least 3 times in a day. Encourage the hostel workers to
maintain social distance.

 Encourage hostel workers to wear the face mask where ever appropriate.
 Develop hygiene educator among the hostel workers to educate the
employees.

4. Health related (Increase immunization)

 Always drink hot water and use disposable tumblers

 Consume well cooked food.

  Health record of canteen workers could be maintained and make sure they
are not suffering with fever, cough, or sneezing while they coming for work.
 To increase the immunity level, lemon juice or papaya juice or Neelavembu
kasayam or jinger turmeric powder could be provided in a alternative days to
the employees.
 Stand in the sunlight at least for 10 minutes daily.

 If any exercise is prescribed or suggested by Health Experts, such exercises

can be permitted to be practiced before and after the shift