Covid-19: Firms must implement snap work-from-home regime if infected employee had been to workplace within past 7 days

SINGAPORE — From Wednesday (Sept 8), employers must activate an immediate work-from-home plan for all of its employees able to do so, when one of them tests positive for Covid-19 and had been to the workplace in the past seven days.

During this 14-day work-from-home period, employees are urged to conduct self-swab tests every two to three days. They must inform their employers if they test positive for Covid-19.

These were the updated safe management measures at the workplace, in a new advisory issued on Tuesday by the Ministry of Manpower, the Singapore National Employers Federation and the National Trades Union Congress.

They said: "Employers should implement the snap 14-day work-from-home regime as soon as possible, and no later than one day after the positive test result."

The advisory served to elaborate more on infection control measures announced the day before by Finance Minister Lawrence Wong, co-chair of the national Covid-19 task force, to stem the exponential growth of coronavirus infections.

On Tuesday, Singapore recorded its highest number of Covid-19 cases in over a year, with 328 locally transmitted cases and four imported ones. The number included a record 185 cases with no known sources of infection

Besides the snap work-from-home regime, MOM said that employers must immediately vacate and cordon off the section of the workplace where the confirmed infected person worked.

They must also conduct a thorough cleaning, disinfecting “all relevant on-site areas and assets that were exposed to confirmed cases”, as stipulated under the National Environmental Agency guidelines on disinfection.

“There is no need to vacate the building or the whole floor if there had been no sustained and close contact with the confirmed case,” the advisory stated.

Business could be suspended on public health grounds for worksites with confirmed cases.

Other infection control measures listed in the advisory include:

• Social gatherings at the workplace are not allowed and employees at the workplace should have their meal breaks individually

• Where possible, employers should consider improving the working environment for staff members to enable them to sustain wearing their masks for long periods at work

• Employers must use the SafeEntry visitor management and contact-tracing system to record the entry of all personnel (including employees and visitors) entering the workplace

• All employees and visitors should check in and check out of workplaces using SafeEntry, and personnel who appear unwell should be refused entry to the workplace

• Employers should advise workers who are unwell to stay home and see a doctor rather than going to the workplace

• They should require these employees on medical leave (issued a medical certificate) to closely monitor their health before returning to the workplace

“Effective implementation of these measures will help to avoid having to impose tighter measures,” the three agencies said.

The advisory applies to general workplace settings. Specific workplaces such as construction worksites and shipyards may have to fulfil other requirements, they added.