Coronavirus and the Workplace: What Employers Need To Know
News that cases of the newly-identified 2019 Novel Coronavirus continue to spread have prompted employers to think about employee safety and ways to address disease prevention in the workplace. According to the federal government, Canadians should not be worried about their health and safety as long as we follow necessary precautions. Most Canadian workers (low-risk) are not at significant risk of infection at this time. However, the situation is evolving and it is never too early for employers to consider how they can address employee concerns, help prevent an outbreak, or address one if it occurs.
What is the Coronavirus and How Is It Transmitted?
At this point, relatively little is known about the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, more commonly known as the “Coronavirus.” According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the initial reports of the illness originated in Wuhan, China, where people likely contracted the virus from animals at a seafood and animal market with person-to-person spreading now occurring. Experts believe the virus is being transmitted when an infected person coughs or sneezes, like the spread of a cold or flu and similar to what was experienced during the SARS epidemic. However, it is still too early to know how easily the virus is transmitted between people.
What Are the Primary Symptoms of the Coronavirus?
In the confirmed cases of Coronavirus thus far, affected individuals have reported mild to severe respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties. In severe cases, the virus has led to pneumonia, kidney failure with the possibility of death. The CDC believes at this time that symptoms may appear within two to fourteen days after exposure. However, some infected individuals have shown little to no symptoms.
How Can Spread of the Coronavirus Be Prevented?
Because there is presently no Coronavirus vaccine available, the CDC is recommending standard precautions to avoid the spread of respiratory viruses including:
- Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds;
- Alternatively use hand sanitizer should soap and water be unavailable;
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick;
- Stay at home when you are sick;
- Disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.
You might want to consider restricting travel to affected areas as they are reported, particularly China, the province of Hubei and the city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus. Check travel advisories in advance of making travel arrangements. Consider alternatives to travel such as using technological tools like web conferencing to replace in-person meetings and presentations.
Provide Relevant Safety Information
Employers might also want to consider providing relevant safety information to employees as information becomes available including but not limited to how the Coronavirus is transmitted, its symptoms, and how to avoid exposure – utilizing trusted and reputable sources such as the CDC. Employers would be well advised to also provide these employees with resources and contact information for local health departments and the CDC.
What to do if in contact with someone with the Coronavirus
Presently the CDC states that individuals who may have been in close contact with someone with the Coronavirus may continue with their daily activities so long as they are not showing any symptoms. Employers should continue to monitor the CDC website for further developments.
Employers should make clear in their policies that employees who have symptoms of a potential contagious illness like the Coronavirus must not report to work while they are sick and begin by visiting a healthcare professional and self-isolating.
An employee who is experiencing a serious health condition or who requires time to care for a family member with such a condition should refer to employment laws like the Employment Standards Act to determine your rights.
Prevention
Following direction from the government and your industry’s protocols, as they apply, employers should be taking into consideration the general duty clause of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) as well as appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) as prescribed in the Act and Regulations. To that end, there are some readily achievable steps that employers can take to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus (and other contagious illnesses) within the workplace, such as:
- providing hand sanitizer to employees,
- ensuring that surfaces and eating areas are disinfected regularly,
- provide PPE, clothing and barriers to prevent exposure, and
- encouraging employees who are sick to stay home.
Employers also may start to consider certain policy changes they may wish to implement in response to the Coronavirus should the situation become more severe in Canada, such as allowing employees to work from home.
Employers are required to assess the workplace, determine if hazards are present, and if so, select and have employees use protective equipment. Employers whose employees may encounter individuals infected with the Coronavirus, such as those in the healthcare and travel industries, should begin to consider what protective equipment would be necessary to protect its workforce.
Employers should be reminded to keep a record of work-related illness and injuries for review. Normally, for colds and flu this would not be necessary, however, tracking workers affected by the Coronavirus in the workplace would be advisable. In the United States the OSHA has deemed the 2019 Novel Coronavirus is a recordable illness when a worker is infected on the job. Certain employers may be subject to reporting requirements under other laws if they have a reasonable belief that a significant disease is present in the workplace. For instance, reporting to Public Health.
Please note that information about the Coronavirus is constantly developing, so employers should continue to refer to organizations such as the local Public Health department, CDC, WHO, and similar government resources and media outlets for the latest on appropriate precautions in the workplace.
Helpful Resources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html
World Health Organization
Sources: Proskauer Rose LLP, Jan 20 2020, CDC, WHO