WORKPLACE HIV/AIDS POLICY AND

T&D Cleaners Limited PROCEDURE

Asset: Revision No.: Approval Date: Revision Date:

Document No.:
001 06th/05/2022 06th/05/2023
TD-HSE-POL-0008

HIV/AIDS POLICY

Namutosi Damalie
Responsible Responsible Eng. Tayebwa Daniel
Author: HSE Officer Author: Managing Director

Required Review
Effective Date: 06th/05/2022 06th/05/2023
Date:

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 WORKPLACE HIV/AIDS POLICY AND
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TD-HSE-POL-0008

Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………4
2. PURPOSE………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………….…...4
3. GENERAL
POLICY…………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………….4
4. OBJECTIVES……………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………….4
5. JUSTIFICATION OF THE
POLICY………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………5
6. COMPANY
STRATEGY……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………..6
7. MEDICAL
OVERVIEW……………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………7
8. SUPERVISORS’
RESPONSIBILITIES……………………………………………………………………………………
……………7
9. EMPLOYEES’
RESPONSIBILITIES……………………………………………………………………………………
………………8

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10. MANAGER’S
RESPONSIBILITIES……………………………………………………………………………………
………………8
11. IMPLEMENTATION……………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………8
12. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND
SAFETY………………………………………………………………………………………….8
13. GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF THE
POLICY……………………………………………………………………………………………9

REVISION LOG
Revised Section Section Title Short Description

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 WORKPLACE HIV/AIDS POLICY AND
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TD-HSE-POL-0008

1. INTRODUCTION

The following outlines T&D Cleaners Limited’s policy and procedures for interacting with
employees who have been medically diagnosed with or who are suspected of having AIDS
(Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) Virus.

2. PURPOSE

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The purpose of the HIV/AIDS policy is to reassure employees that HIV/AIDS is not spread
through casual contact during normal work practice and to reduce unrealistic fears about
contracting an HIV/AIDS virus-related condition. This policy also protects the legal rights to work
of employees who are diagnosed with an AIDS virus-related condition and provides guidelines
for situations where infection with the AIDS virus is suspected. Our policy is to encourage
sensitivity to and understanding for employees affected with a condition of the AIDS Virus.

3. GENERAL POLICY

We are committed to maintaining a healthy work environment and protecting the physical and
emotional health and well-being of the employees in the workplace. We also have a continuing
commitment to providing employment for people with physical disabilities who are able to work.
The AIDS policy is a direct outgrowth of those commitments. It provides guidelines for situations
when a question as to an AIDS virus-related condition arises.

The ILO’s Code of Practice on AIDS recognizes HIV/AIDS as a workplace issue and goes
beyond raising awareness to include non-discrimination, confidentiality, care, and support. T&D
Cleaners Limited will follow applicable Ugandan national policy on HIV/AIDS.

4. OBJECTIVES
1. To recognize that HIV/AIDS is a workplace issue and it is in the interest of T&D Cleaners
Limited to agree on how to deal with HIV infections and AIDS.
2. To define rights and responsibilities and set down the principles which ensure that a fair
process is applied when dealing with HIV and AIDS at the workplace.
3. To develop and maintain programmes to stop the spread of HIV infection and minimize
the social and economic impact of HIV and AIDS.
4. To implement awareness and prevention programmes, care and support for infected
workers, their families and the community.

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5. JUSTIFICATION OF THE POLICY

T&D Cleaners Limited recognises that HIV and AIDS pose a serious threat to the health and
wellbeing of workers, their families, and communities and to the success of the operations of the
company and its stakeholders.
New operational activities bring economic and social benefits along with it. However, in-flows of
workers mobilized for operations can bring about the transmission of communicable diseases.
HIV/AIDS is a major workplace issue and every effort is required to take the fight against
HIV/AIDS epidemic to all workers and at every workplace.

Extended or repeated travel away from their homes and communities can also increase high-
risk behaviour leading to the contraction of HIV. Insufficient knowledge and poor access to
information and health services also serve to increase vulnerability to HIV infection. The risk of
transmission may be higher in the nearby towns due to the different infection rates between the
countries and the anonymous movement of people.

The T&D cleaners staff will cooperate with the Employer to conduct an HIV-AIDS awareness
programme. This may be through the following:

a) Sub-contract with an Approved Service Provider to provide an HIV Awareness

Programme to Employees and the Local Community;
b) Give any representative of the Approved Service Provider all reasonable access to the
worksite in connection with the HIV Awareness Programme;
c) Instruct Employees to attend the HIV Awareness Programme in the course of their
employment and during their normal working hours or any period of overtime provided
for in the relevant employment contracts and uses all reasonable endeavours to ensure
this instruction is followed;
d) Provide suitable space for delivery of the HIV Awareness Programme; and,

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e) Referral to testing, counselling and advice on AIDS in compliance with UNAIDS

guidelines

6. COMPANY STRATEGY
Six strategies to be implemented are as follows:

1. Raising awareness about HIV/AIDS - Increased understanding of the disease, through

the dissemination of information and by generating discussion.
2. Promote the benefits of abstinence/avoidance
3. Ensuring that construction workers have access to condoms.
4. Creating HIV/AIDS awareness through trained peer groups of construction workers as
an effective and interactive tool for creating awareness.
5. HIV voluntary counselling, testing and referral services.
6. Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) diagnosis and treatment.

The above strategies are designed to build an HIV resilient workforce as well as communities
associated with the workforce, i.e., communities that are able to draw on their own capacity to
prevent further transmission of HIV, minimize the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and talk
about HIV/AIDS.

The objectives of these strategies are to:

1. Reduce the risk of transfer of the HIV virus between and among construction workers,
their families and the local community;
2. Raise awareness amongst construction workers and the local community of the risk of
infection with the HIV virus;
3. Promote the benefits of abstinence/avoidance
4. Promote voluntary early diagnosis; and

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5. Assist affected individuals to access care and counselling

There are those points:

 Employees who are diagnosed with AIDS virus-related conditions may continue to work
if they are deemed medically able to work and can work and can meet acceptable
performance standards and reasonable accommodation if necessary to enable these
employees to continue working.
 We provide AIDS education for all employees to help them understand how the AIDS
virus is spread and reduce unrealistic fears of contracting an AID virus-related conditions
 The term “AIDS” virus conditions refers to the following medically diagnosed conditions.
I. Presence of the AIDS antibody with symptoms of AIDS
II. Presence of an AIDS-related Complex (ARC)
III. AIDS
IV. Central nervous system infection

7. MEDICAL OVERVIEW

Medical experts on AIDS virus-related conditions have informed us that there is no known risk of
AIDS transmission between an affected person/employee through either casual or close contact
that occurs during normal working activities.

An AIDS-virus-related condition is not transmitted by breathing the same air, using the
lavatories, touching a common piece of paper, or using the same phone. Transmitting the virus
through the oral secretion of tears is not a recognized risk according to the medical authorities.
Additionally, the virus is very fragile and has been found to be transmitted through the intimate
exchange of bodily fluids. The AIDS virus attacks the immune system, causing a breakdown in a
person’s normal protection against infection.

Some people have fears about contracting AIDS based on misinformation or lack of knowledge
about how AIDS is spread.

8. SUPERVISOR’SORS RESPONSIBILITIES

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The physical and emotional health and well-being of all employees must be protected and
reasonable accommodation for some medically impaired employees with an AIDS-Virus related
condition must be provided, as long as the employee is able to meet acceptable performance
standards. To ensure these goals are met, met, the following guidelines are to be followed.

 Any employee diagnosed with an AIDS virus/condition is entitled as is any other employee,
to the confidentiality of their medical condition and medical records
 If it is deemed medically necessary, based upon current physical impairment T&D Cleaners
Limited and the employees’ supervisor will work to bring about reasonable job modification
or transfer of the employee with a diagnosed condition of AIDS
 If the healthy employee refuses to work with an employee who is diagnosed with an AIDS
condition and is medically approved as able to work, job transfer or other work
accommodation for the healthy employee will only occur when medically indicated by written
order for his/her physician. The medical order must be signed as a medical statement
requesting this job change in absence of the medical order, normal transfer procedures will
be followed.

9. EMPLOYEES RESPONSIBILITIES
It is the personal duty of each employee to ensure that they:

 Participate in these HIV/AIDs awareness forums.

 Take personal responsibility for HIV/AIDs prevention, management and positive living.
 Informing responsible management of their HIV/AIDs condition and using established
avenues including grievance handling policy to address

10. THE MANAGER’S RESPONSIBILITY

All T&D Cleaners’ managers or supervisors in the work area will ensure that they:
 Organize site operations in such a way that the risk of cross-infection by infected staff is
avoided.
 Maintain employee confidentiality, except for safeguarding the interest of the affected
employee or public good.

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Allocate time for HIV/AIDs awareness sessions, provide infrastructure for successful
implementation of this policy and take such necessary actions or remedial actions in furtherance
of this policy.

11. IMPLEMENTATION
This HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy shall be made known and explained to all employees through
the distribution of the text as a brochure in the appropriate languages and through meetings.

The implementation of this policy includes information and education activities aimed at
communicating correct information about HIV and AIDS and eradicating myths in order to
eliminate stigma and discrimination.

T&D Cleaners Limited shall organize every three months, in cooperation with the service
provider and if necessary and appropriate with the participation of health professionals, regular
awareness and prevention programmes about HIV and AIDS during working time.
12. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
The work environment must be healthy and safe. Tools which bear the danger of injuries such
as cuts should not be shared between workers.

In case of accidents which involve blood and body fluid emissions, first aid must be exercised
with the use of protective barriers, such as gloves and masks, which prevent direct contact with
blood or other body fluids.

13. GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF THE POLICY

The guiding principles underpinning this policy are based on current scientific, human rights as
an essential component in preventing transmission and mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS
epidemiological and medical knowledge about the distribution and transmission of HIV/AIDS
and proven intervention in prevention and care.

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In addition, cognizance is taken of the public health rationale for respecting the human rights,
privacy and self-determination of persons living with HIV/AIDS in line with Uganda’s constitution.
The Policy aims at promoting and protecting people living with HIV/AIDS.

The following principles will be respected:

1. Non-discrimination
The respect for human rights and dignity of persons infected or affected by HIV and AIDS
requires equality between individuals living with HIV/AIDS and those without. No employee will
be discriminated against on the basis of his or her real or perceived HIV positive status. This
includes;

a) Non-discriminatory and equality policies where workers are assessed on merit and
ability to perform. They shall not be subject to personal discrimination or abuse on the
basis of real or perceived HIV status.
b) No termination of employment on grounds of a positive HIV status and the persons
infected shall be able to work for as long as they are able to perform their duties in
available, appropriate work.
c) Protection against stigma and discrimination for workers with HIV/AIDS in the world of
work as well as access to training and promotion, the inclusion of aspects of this
protection in the education and information activities. Deployment and/or transfer shall
take into account the need to avoid further exposure and spread of HIV as well as
access to optimal care and support services.
d) Grievance procedures and disciplinary measures to deal with HIV-related complaints in
the workplace.
e) Workers’ benefits including medical schemes shall not discriminate, directly or indirectly
against any person on the basis of HIV status.
f) Legal services to enforce human rights and develop expertise in related legal issues
2. Job security
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Employees with HIV infection or AIDS will not be dismissed on the grounds of their status.
Persons with AIDS-related illnesses should be able to work for as long as medically fit and
available.

3. Confidentiality
All persons with HIV or AIDS have the legal right to privacy. No employee or applicant for a job
shall be required to disclose HIV-related personal information. Nor should co-workers be obliged
to reveal such information about fellow workers.

Company management and medical staff who may have access to information are bound by
strict confidentiality about a person’s status.

a) T&D Cleaners Limited will protect the fundamental right to privacy. No obligation by the
worker to inform an employer or other workers of his / her HIV status.
b) Where a worker chooses to voluntarily disclose his or her HIV status to the employer or
other workers, this information shall not be disclosed to others without the worker’s
express consent.
c) T&D Cleaners Limited will protect human rights and the dignity of people living with
HIV/AIDs within the workplace.

However, note that discrimination of any nature is not allowed, and may lead to
termination

This policy statement will be displayed prominently in all work areas and will be made available
to employees

Name: ………………………………… Designation: ……………………………………………………

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Signature: …………………………… Review date: ………………………………………………...

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