Precautions and Measures Taken by Manufacturing Companies in India

The pandemic of COVID-19 and the lockdown following it affected a lot of businesses. However, the process of unlocking has begun in almost every city and industries are now reopening. But, we all know that things are not going to be the same as before. Government health authorities have listed out a few mandatory things that every industry will have to follow before restarting the work and processes. 

Now, the companies must give priority to their employee’s health apart from maintaining the quality of the products they are delivering. 

The leading spices manufacturers in India GHCL Ltd, MDH, TATA, etc are getting back with their operations and it’s been believed that due to the outbreak of Coronavirus, the demand of spices, like chilli powder manufacturers in India will witness a great rise in demands at national and international level. 

The guidelines for restarting manufacturing industries in India are as follows:

The National Disaster Management Authority has advised the industries to consider the first week as the trial or test run period while starting the units and ensure all safety protocols. 

Ensuring 24-hour sanitisation of the factory premises.

Right from regular sanitization of the working space, to providing PPE kits and masks to all the workers; everything must be kept in check.

 Entrance health check-ups

Temperature checks of all employees to be done twice a day.

Workers showing symptoms should be refrained from reporting to work

Provisions of hand sanitisers and masks to all employers.

Providing gloves, masks, and hand sanitisers to be done at all factories and manufacturing units.

COVID 19 health and prevention staff education

Education on safety steps to take from entry to exit in the factory

Measures to take precautions at personal level

Quarantine measures for supply and storage of goods

Sterilise boxes and wrapping brought into factory premises

Isolate and sanitise finished goods as appropriate

Delivery of goods in shifts

Physical distancing measures

Create physical barriers to ensure the physical distance within the work floor and dining facilities

Provide face protection shields along with masks and PPEs.

Working in shifts

Factories that work 24 hours at full production capacity should consider one hour gaps between shifts, except factories/plants requiring continuous operations.

Managerial and administrative staff should work one shift at 33 per cent capacity as per MHA guidelines; but while deciding which particular person to be included in 33% at any given point of time, overriding priority should be given to personnel dealing with safety.

Ensure no sharing of tools or workstations to the extent possible. Provide additional sets of tools if needed.

Scenario plan on discovering a positive case

Factories have to prepare accommodation to isolate workers, if needed.

HR has to help manage the whole process for individual, all travelling employees also to undergo a mandatory14-day quarantine

Presence of skilled workers

 Workers involved in dealing with hazardous material must be skilled and experienced in the field. No compromise on deployment of such workers should be permitted when an industrial unit is opened up.