In the event of a positive COVID-19 case on site, complete project stoppage for deep cleaning has become a hot topic in the industry. This issue was raised during a recent meeting with relevant industry stakeholders.

This article provides guidelines for dealing with a positive case, and outlines requirements for all parties involved to disinfect and reopen the site.

The Department of Health, Client Agents, Department of Employment & Labour and the Principal Contractor may need to evaluate whether there is a need to close the worksite temporarily due to the public health risk posed by remaining open.

This will be done in consultation with the relevant parties and will depend upon several factors.

The workplace or a section of the workplace may need to be temporarily closed depending on the following factors:

• If the number of employees who have symptoms is considerably large, due to the time needed to investigate, trace and determine if they should be tested for coronavirus infection or not.
• If the number of employees who were in contact with the employee/s with coronavirus is large, due to the time needed to investigate, trace and determine if quarantine is necessary.
• If the area in the worksite and the volume of items to be disinfected is large, due to the time required to disinfect.
• If the number of employees diagnosed with coronavirus needing to be isolated is large, since there may be insufficient employees for the worksite to continue its operations.
• If the staff complement that is identified as contacts of the infected employee and needs to be quarantined is large, since this may result in insufficient employees for the worksite to continue its operations safely.
• The definition of 'large’ will be business nature and space-specific and should be discussed in conjunction with the Department of Health team.

Note that should a company refuse to close a workplace voluntarily upon advice to do so, inspectors from the Department of Employment and Labour are empowered to close the premises.

In order for the worksite to be re-opened, the following minimum requirements should be in place:

• An assessment of the circumstances which resulted in the exposure of the employee/s to the coronavirus.
• A description of steps that will be taken to remedy any shortcomings in prevention activities uncovered during the assessment.
• Full training (and refresher training) of employees on coronavirus prevention activities has been achieved.
• Cleaning and disinfection of all surfaces and objects that have been contaminated concluded.
• The assessment and description of any steps taken should be compiled into a report and kept on record, as well as made available to the Department of Health and the Department of Employment and Labour.
• Procedures are in place to implement all prevention activities listed above.
• If a workplace was closed upon instructions from an inspector of the Department of Employment and Labour, formal compliance needs to be demonstrated before it will be permitted to re-open.

Cleaning of the contaminated area

• Clean and disinfect all surfaces/objects that the infected person/s may have come into contact with.
• Specific PPE must be worn during cleaning and disinfecting process, in addition, all cleaning and disinfecting staff are to be trained on the task, all cleaning and disinfecting staff must wash their hands thoroughly before and after cleaning.
• The following PPE should be worn during cleaning:
  • Heavy-duty rubber gloves
  • Face mask
  • Visor or goggles
  • Apron
  • Closed shoes
• The following materials should be used for cleaning and disinfecting:
  • Green household soap should be used to clean all equipment and environmental surfaces that can tolerate it (e.g. walls, floors, blinds, surfaces) prior to disinfecting.
  • Disinfectant (6 teaspoons i.e. 30ml of bleach per litre of water) should be used after cleaning to disinfect all equipment and surfaces.
  • If the area/surface cannot be cleaned with soap and water, wipe down with a 70% alcohol solution.
  • Monitors and touch screens typically have anti-glare coatings that can be damaged by harsh cleaners. Use a touch-screen compatible cleaner for these and check with the manufacturer for other cleaning recommendations.

In conclusion, to prevent lengthy worksite closure, consider the following:

• Rapidly cleaning and disinfecting the surfaces and items that were contaminated.
• Employees working in specific sectional areas of the site, thus reducing cross contamination.
• Operational activites done in different shifts.
• Completing the screening of other unaffected employees timeously.
• Once decontamination is completed, seconding staff from other projects to replace those placed in isolation and quarantine. Avoid staff working at multiple projects in the short-term i.e. the seconded employees would only work at one project at a time for the medium term.
• Temporarily employing suitably skilled staff to replace those placed in isolation and quarantine.
• Preventing infection of employees with coronavirus by following the prudent steps outlined in the first section of this document.
• Training employees on preventative measures on coronavirus infection.

For more information or assistance, contact the Association.

Neil Enslin | Occupational Health and Safety Manager