Is your workplace ready for COVID-19? This IISc tool will help you!

By Qamar ZJ

While a number of white collar jobs are working with skeletal staff due to COVID-19, the manufacturing sector is using fewer employees to drive its business. It is here that this sector needs the ‘workplace readiness tool’ developed by the Centre for Networked Intelligence, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority.

Although this handy online website was launched in June this year, everybody we spoke to were unaware of its existence. As COVID-19 is still a looming threat to many businesses, the organisations would do well to use this free utility and ensure that they comply by the standards set by the World Health Organisation and the standard operating procedures set by the Karnataka government and the Government of India. 

The tool itself is quite straightforward and anybody can simply answer the questions and get to their readiness score. Beginning with the kind of sector a business is into, the questionaire moves on to the existing infrastructure, such as the number of biometric devices, RFID tag doors, number of floors and cabins, percentage of the premises with air-conditioning, and the temperature setting. It also accounts for the number of lifts and stairways, their disinfection frequency, the employee strength, shifts, and age groups, and the epidemic-related precautions taken up by the firm, such as face covers, temperature screening, sealing smoking zones, warning sign boards, and so on. 

There is one section on the measures followed for sick employees, and the provision of designated zones for their immediate quarantine, among other things. Importantly, the tool also asks firms if there is a person designated with just the job of championing hygiene, epidemic awareness and safety. Another section dwells on the employees travel history, such as the time taken to reach the office, their mode and frequency of travel, and the availability of temperature screening and sanitisers. 

The questionnaire also places much importance to how the organisation handles visitors and practices safety measures. Special focus is also laid on the canteen, pantry, and kitchen utilities, such as staggered meal times, shareable utensils, and the use of disuse of an air-conditioner, among others. In the last assessment, information is gathered on the number of toilet facilities, and their maintenance by the housekeeping staff. While it might take a good 30 minutes to an hour to answer this questionnaire, the effort will be worth it. 

According to the IISc, the tool not only offers a quantitative readiness score but also specific and general suggestions on measures that the organisations can take to relaunch their activities in a safe and compliant manner. The organisations and workplaces will need to be more vigilant about health and improve their standards on safety, according to the IISc researchers. The companies will need to bring in improved products and services that adhere to rigorous health and safety conditions, and should be able to show or explain them to their employees, customers and authorities. Importantly, the firms can also compare how they are faring with their COVID-19 preparedness against their competitors. The researchers believe that such a comparison may prompt the organisations to be proactive and take better steps at mitigating the pandemic.