Ceylon Chamber highlights importance of implementing ‘Safe Return to Work’ roadmap

With curfew being lifted in most districts and phased efforts by the authorities to help employers and their employees return to work this week, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce is keen to emphasise vigilance in implementing a framework to promote a safer workplace. 

As the economy begins to restart and doors to traditional workplaces open, employers face challenges in reorganising and protecting their places of business.

Elaborating on the challenges presented to businesses, Chamber CEO Manjula de Silva said, “While welcoming the Government’s decision to enable all private sector entities to resume operations from Monday, 11 May, we urge all our member companies to exercise their discretion to request only a minimum number of staff to report to work at a given time. This is very important in order to maintain social distancing in our workplaces as well as to reduce the pressure on public transport facilities. We encourage companies to use a roster to determine who should report to work at a particular time and to allow those employees who can work productively from home to continue doing so.”

Additionally, as employers focus on preparations for the reopening of businesses in what will be a very different workplace, some fundamental adjustments and changes in operations are necessary. 

It is mandatory that the guidelines released by the Health Ministry on workplace hygiene are implemented for the safety of all employees. These include strict compliance in wearing and maintaining the face mask, encouraging the continuance of working from home, discouraging the use of shared public items such as phones, pens, desks, and other equipment, providing easy access to hand sanitisers for employees to use at regular intervals, and frequently disinfecting work areas.