GUIDING PRINCIPLE
Health and Safety at Work Act of 2002
“It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practical, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees.”
This document is to provide recommendations to employers regarding best practices for maintaining the physical and mental health of their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. The guiding legislature is the Health and Safety at Work Act (2002), which requires employers to provide a hazard-free work zone, and substantially reduce risk of injury and death in the workplace setting. Other guiding documents were sourced from the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control, and the International Labour Organization.
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a public health emergency and pandemic. The Bahamas continues to be impacted in every sphere of society. The first case in The Bahamas was documented on 15th March, 2020.
The Bahamas has been responsive to the COVID-19 epidemic. Over time, a range of public health and social measures have been implemented, with demonstrable results. These including curfews, closure of schools and non-essential businesses, quarantine, and national and international travel restrictions. As the epidemiology of the disease changes locally, measures are adjusted.
Noting the need to balance the health and economy of the country, the Ministry of Health has crafted guidelines for businesses to re-open responsibly and remain diligent in the application of the public health measures. and should perform interim risk assessments and monitor for compliance. To reduce the impact of COVID-19 on workplaces should know there level of readiness and risk; and act to minimize possible exposure and transmission of COVID- 19.
COVID-19 is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, SARS- CoV-2 virus. Symptoms typically include flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Knowledge about the virus grows daily. It is now known that persons with COVID- 19 can have non-respiratory symptoms such a gastrointestinal, neurological, and dermatologic symptoms. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and, in some cases, can be fatal. The time from exposure to when symptoms can appear may range from 2 days to as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus. However, eighty (80) percent of persons with the disease have been noted to be asymptomatic. Those with certain co-morbidities tend to have a longer and more severe course of illness.