Abu Dhabi issues new circular to retail, industrial units on Covid
ABU DHABI, May 16, 2020
Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) has issued a circular to owners and managers of licensed commercial, industrial and tourism facilities on the preventive health and safety guidelines in the workplace as part of the precautionary measures issued by the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority to curb the spread of Covid-19.
The circular focused on six main directives related to employees operating at companies, preventive measures for the wholesale and retail sales and marketing departments along with other measures for the transport sector, financial services, construction, manufacturing and utilities, as well as additional measures for the catering and hospitality sector.
It emphasises the extreme necessity to allow only those employees in the age group of 18 to 55 years - with good health conditions and free from all chronic diseases and disabilities - for duty.
Employees who suffer from chronic diseases who are over 55 years of age must not be allowed to go to the workplace, considering that these people are more subjected to the risk of being infected with the virus, stated the circular.
ADDED has also included additional measures in the circular pertaining to the transportation , financial services, construction, manufacturing, restaurants, and hospitality sectors as well as service facilities in the private sector.
These include installation of thermal cameras at the main parking entrances, wearing gloves and face masks at all times and reducing the company's vehicle capacity down to 50 per cent.
It also highlighted that passengers must leave a space between one another and avoid crowding and also sanitisers should be at hand at the entrances and inside all transportation vehicles, while drivers should be protected by installing a transparent barrier to separate them from the rest of the passengers.
For the wholesale and retail establishments, the circular said it was mandatory to install thermal cameras with advanced thermal detectors at entrances of all establishment that have 30 employees and above.
Employees should always put on face masks and gloves during their shifts and ensure that presenting products to clients should be done from behind the installed glass barriers, it stated.
Rashed Abdul Karim Al Balooshi, Undersecretary of ADDED, confirmed that the circular seeks to promote business continuity for private companies while ensuring the health and safety of their employees through the set of guidelines provided in the circular.
The move further aims to enhance companies’ productivity and continue their business and commercial activities in an appropriate and safe environment.-TradeArabia News Service
