Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro ordered businesses, industries, and establishments in the city to implement new health and safety protocols as the National Capital Region (NCR) shifts to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) on June 1.
On Friday, Teodoro signed Executive Order (EO) No. 22, Series of 2020 or the Health and Safety Standards for Businesses, Industries, and Establishments in the city.
“Kailangang masunod nang maigi ang safety protocols under the ‘new normal'[Safety protocols should be strictly followed under the ‘new normal’],” the mayor added.
Marikina’s EO 22 provides general and specific health and safety standards to all business establishments that will become part of their new normal procedures in the conduct of their trade in the City of Marikina.
In order to sustain a healthy and safe workplace and protect the general public, the following protocols must be observed by all business establishment:
A. Mandatory Use of Face Masks- All persons in public places and in the workplace shall be required to wear face masks or any kind of covering for the mouth and nose, that could be suitable in mitigating the transmission of Covid-19;
B. Social Distancing- All establishments shall, to the extent feasible adopt arrangements to enable both workers and customers to maintain a distance of one meter from each other during their interaction.
C. Temperature Checking – All establishments shall ensure regular non-contact temperature of its employees and any person entering the establishment. Individuals with a temperature of 37.6 degrees celcius and above shall not be allowed to enter the establishment. The establishment shall coordinate with the nearest public health center (CHO/BHERT) for assistance.
D. Hand Sanitizing and Washing of Hands- Establishment must provide a hand sanitizing or washing station near its entrance , exits and any area accesible to all. The management shall ensure provisions such as alcohol, soap and water are available. Employees must engage in frequent hand washing or disinfections of hand.
E. Health Checks- Establishments must undertake regular health checks for their employees. Any person, while inside the workplace who is exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, such as fever, dry cough, difficulty of breathing and/or loss of taste and smell must be isolated and referred to a medical professional. Workers who are exhibiting those symptom shall not be allowed to report to work.
F. Disinfection of Establishment – All businesses are required to perform regular disinfection of their establishments, especially for most touched objects, such as door handles, railings, keypads, counters, tables, chairs and etc;
G. Posting of Information regarding Health and Safety Protocols- All business must post signages informing its employees to observe relevant health and safety protocols, such as social distancing, sanitizing and hand washing;
H. Hiring from the Local Community – All businesses are enjoined to hire from the local community in order to limit the movement of its workers inside the city and therefore curb the possible importation of Covid-19 from the localities;
He said that the government and the private sectors should work together to prepare for the “new normal” and primarily taking into consideration the health of employees in their workplace.
He also inspected the workplaces of Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. (PMFTC), Inc., Armscor Global Defense, Inc., and Ayala Malls Marikina Heights.
He observed that most of the establishments have already placed markings to strictly practice social distancing while some big companies even provided sleeping quarters for their employees so that they will have minimal exposure outside.
Meanwhile, he urged employees to work from home should their respective companies allow them to limit the number of persons in the workplace.
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