Precautions and Safety Measures at Workplace During Pandemic

Pandemic is a worldwide disease outbreak, caused by varioustypes of agents for example influenza and coronaviruses.Recent pandemic has been the third outbreak of coronavirusCOVID-19 (Corona virus disease-19) declared by WorldHealth Organization (WHO), spread in more than 213continent including Pakistan.1 Transmission of disease duringpandemic expected in workplaces not only from patient tohealthcare personnel but also between the co-workers andpeople of general public and individuals from otherworkplaces.2 In Pakistan, total number of positive cases:302,424 of COVID-19 were reported and 6,389 deaths wereconfirmed till 15th September 2020.3 Unfortunately presentlythere is no vaccine available against COVID-19 to preventthis disease. The transmission and spreading of this virus indifferent countries is suppressed by testing and take care ofpatients, limiting travel, stopping huge gatherings such asconcert, schools, sports events and quarantine the infectedperson. 4 This pandemic placed a huge burden on all sectionof society including companies and employee workers bysuspending their working activities and implementing newmeasures and practices in very small period of time duringthis crisis. The European Union member’s countriesestablished numbers of procedures and measures for theprevention and spreading of pandemic in working places.5Major precautions and safety measures should be integratedin the workplace which covers all risks assessment byEuropean Union and National Occupational Health andSafety Regulation and are as follows. 6