Hazard Control to ensure the

Organization Safety against SARS-CoV-2

SARS–CoV–2, the new coronavirus (COVID-19) is a severe and fatal respiratory infected virus.
Transmission of the virus is mainly through direct and indirect contact from infected individuals
and by depositing virus droplets on disinfectants or any surface. The entry routes of the virus into
people through the oral cavity, nasal cavity, and eyes. The symptoms such as cold, sore throat,
cough and fever are common and for severely infected patients, breathing difficulties, pneumonia,
respiratory malfunctions which even cause death. (Anon n.d.)
Effective drug therapies have not been successful enough to make a change. Therefore, vaccine and
self-protecting capabilities limiting the spread of the virus. Global shutdown or shutdown
countrywide/citywide is not a practical solution for this epidemic. Hence, the organizational
measure should have established to ensure the prevention and protection of the organizational
environment. In order to continue the prevention procedures, it is a must to consider the hazard
control techniques and hierarchy of control at the organizational level.
Controlling hazards and risks for the organization from the highest level of control and then
continue for smaller levels/risks is the hierarchy of control.
Step 1. Elimination of hazards and risks Step 2. Engineering Controls
Step 3. Administrative Controls Step 4. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The first step is the highest protective well effective controllable step which totally eliminates
organizational exposure to the virus. Elimination methods that can be used in the organization are,
use the strategy “Work from home”, and avoiding public areas for employees. This will reduce the
use of share equipment and direct contacts. The use of conferencing applications and virtual
systems for communication is one of the effective methods. Even though eliminating hazard is
cheaper and more practical, if it is unable to make/deliver the final product or service organization
should go for a method which must eliminate as many of the risks of the hazard. (Anon n.d., Anon
n.d.)
Step two is the engineering control, which reduces the risks through substitution, process control
and ventilation. As there is no substitution process for the virus, the other methods which can be
used in the organization are, promote getting vaccinated in the organizational level, ensure the
following of EPA registered Disinfectants list in the premises (disinfection procedures for facilities,
shared equipment and spaces, work area, and personal electronics). Barriers, partitions, glass
screens can be used to separate each employee to prevent direct contacts. Use of hand-free
equipment such as automatic doors and promote usage of sanitizes in every touch or physical

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contact with every point/person in the premises. Organization can equip with isolation spaces for
employees with immune deficiencies. The use of a ventilation system on the regular basis (daily or
weekly) is an acceptable process for the organization to minimize the presence of the virus on the
premises. (Anon n.d., Anon n.d.)
Administrative Controls limits employee exposure to the virus in the working environment. They
are not practically easy to implement and maintain, but the continuing of working processes can be
done by procedures such as scheduling shorter work times, use of job rotation schedules, and
limiting the tasks to competent/qualified workers. Administrative controls can be implemented
further by making rules for social distance requirements (minimum 6ft), wearing approved masks
(KN95, N95, surgical masks), and making floor/table/seating markings to promote distance.
Monitoring the employee health and immunity status is essential in the organization to restrict the
infected population and possibilities. Giving guidance to employees who are not well, in sick, have
had direct contact with an infected person or waiting for checking test reports to stay away from the
premises and allowing a quarantine period by implementing employee health protection procedure
in the organization. Promoting shift change procedures and giving employee rights in the pandemic
period is appropriate in this situation. Usage signages and directions in the preemies to remind the
safety precautions and actions such as cough and sneeze etiquette procedures, hand hygiene and
control procedures, disinfection procedures and promote social distance procedures. (Anon n.d.,
Anon n.d.)
The fourth step can be used to promote the use of protection devices and procedures to minimize
the hazard at the employee level. Items such as approved respirators, gloves, shields, footwear,
which make a barrier between the wearer and the virus. As administrative control and PPE are
dependent on human behavior it is not a very effective way of minimizing the virus, but it can
control the virus exposure as much as possible. Hence it is a must to maintain and monitor all these
steps are continuing correctly and effective enough to ensure employee protection against the
hazard.(Anon n.d., Anon n.d.)

Reference
 Anon. n.d. “Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): Health and Safety in the Workplace.” Retrieved
May 22, 2021a (https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-health-
and-safety-in-the-workplace).
 Anon. n.d. “The Hierarchy of Control - WorkSafe.” Retrieved May 22, 2021b
(https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/hierarchy-control).

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