Coronavirus: Manufacturing sector reopening guidelines

Dubai: In the phased opening of all work-related sectors, the Dubai Government has issued specific guidelines for the manufacturing sector.

This sector includes all indigenous manufacturers who have workshops and factories in Dubai. The dates for the opening will be announced later, but prior to that, the manufacturing sector will have to demonstrate complete compliance with cleanliness, sanitasation protocols for the manufacturing space as well as for the workers.

The guidelines have a four–step protocol that the owners and suppliers in manufacturing units will have to initiate and control, while the government will regulate these activities and consumers and factory workers have been asked to be in compliance with the protocol.

Eight–step protocol for opening of manufacturing sector

1. 24 -hour sanitisation of the factory premises:
a. Factories need to maintain a sanitisation routine every two-three hours especially in the common areas that include lunch rooms and common tables which will have to be wiped clean with disinfectants after every single use.
b. For accommodation camp, sanitisation needs to be performed by a third party professional company regularly to ensure work safety and reduce spread of contamination.
c. Government will extend help to small and medium companies that need help to afford constant sanitisation measures of their factories/companies.

2. Entrance health checks:
a. Temperature checks of all employees to be done twice a day.
b. Ill workers that are showing symptoms should not report to work.

3. Provisions of hand sanitisers and mask to all employers:
a. Providing gloves, masks and hand santisers is being done already at most factories and manufacturing units.

4. COVID 19 health and prevention staff education:
a. Need to develop inhouse company videos in all native languages.
b. Education on safety steps to take from entry to exit in the factory.
c. Measures to take even at personal level.

5. Quarantine measures for supplies and storage of goods:
a. Strerilise boxes after remove stretch wrapping brought into factory premises.
b. Isolate and sanitse finished goods as appropriate.
c. Not have crowded delivery posts at one time.
d. Delivery of goods in shifts.
e. The retail outlet must maintain responsibility for hygiene to schedule delivery and pick-up.

6. Physical distancing measures:
a. Increased transport buses for workers to and from factory to ensure one worker per row.

7. Working in shifts:
a. Most factories are working at 24 hours full production capacity – but divided into day and night shift, managerial staff work one shift while head office/ administrative staff at 30 per cent capacity.
b. Increased focus on production of essential items such as milk powder – any event of infection could reduce worker capacity and production.

8. Scenario plan on discovering a positive case:
a. Factories have prepared social accommodations to isolate workers if needed. HR has to help manage the whole process for individual, all travelling employees also to undergo 14-day quarantine.
b. Companies want advisory on a government-funded facility to rent inorder to house potentially affected staff temporarily during 14-day quarantine.
c. One central point of contact to report incidents.

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