THE coronavirus pandemic and the havoc it has wreaked in terms of the huge loss of human lives and human suffering have become a major public crisis in almost every nation on earth, testing every nation's capacity to respond.
One key area in the fight against Covid-19 is the workplace where it is essential to protect the workers' physical and mental health and to prevent their exposure to the virus.
It is in this context that occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals can play important roles to help the government, companies and organisations to protect lives and to manage OSH issues to ensure business continuity and sustainability.
This is the time for the OSH fraternity to advise governments and employers to take measures to protect their workers, clients, consumers and communities from the virus, using the workplace to promote awareness about the spread of Covid-19, safe practices, use of PPEs and prevention of Covid-19.
The OSH professionals must guide and assist employers to protect all their employees and pay attention to those workers most at risk from Covid-19 due to factors such as health status, age or their exposure to the virus.
It is essential to protect workers' physical and mental health, prevent exposure to Covid-19, ensure access to the best treatment for workers who become infected and support those who are quarantined.
Occupational safety and health professionals are well-placed to provide advice and help during the outbreak of epidemics and pandemics like Covid-19.
They have the expertise to work with the government and the private sector to deal with this unprecedented public health threat.
Having worked to highlight public safety and health issues in companies and organisations of all types and sizes, OSH professionals have the knowledge and experience to provide the right type of advice to meet the specific challenges.
OSH professionals are able to coordinate with other leading agencies, both local and international, to provide relevant, timely and key information.
Given the possibility that it is unclear how long this threat will last, OSH professionals can also provide other help and advice as follows:
• Identifying solutions and design safety features in workplaces;• Planning for safety measures post-pandemic;
• Establishing adequate staffing levels, training and personal protective equipment:
• Promoting mental health literature;
• Providing appropriate return-to-work procedures;
• Ascertaining non-essential and essential activities; and,
• Helping with income support and employment protection for those affected.
Saving lives and protecting the health and welfare of the people are central to the way in which these professionals respond to pandemics.
It is imperative that organisations — both in the public and private sectors — show leadership by protecting workers, clients and their families.
The government needs to provide a safety net for all workers —including the self-employed, those in the gig economy and the migrant workers — so that they will not be a burden to the public health system or to themselves.
Very importantly, the government must support the healthcare workers and others on the frontline to ensure they are protected and cared for.
No doubt, saving lives and preventing the virus from spreading must be central to the concerns of employers and public policymakers.
Equally important is to ensure business continuity and sustainability for the sake of jobs and employment.
Those heading organisations must be proactive in ensuring a safe environment for their workers, clients, consumers and the community they serve.
They should use the workplaces to promote safe practices, introduce control strategies and generate and display safety and health messages at the workplaces.
TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE
Chairman, Alliance For Safe Community
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times