Impact on Health and Safety

COVID-19 is an infectious disease. This virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It is also possible that a person may catch coronavirus by touching something that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or their eyes. Gathering employees together at the workplace or large corporate events may put them at risk of exposure to the virus. The nature of the virus makes it challenging for companies to strike a balance between maintaining productivity and efficiency and providing a safe working environment for their employees. Early adoption of adequate preventive measures and maintaining an effective communicable illness policy can help ensure a safe work environment for employees, customers and clients.

RISK RESPONSE
To protect employee and customer safety while minimizing adverse economic impacts on the business, companies should consider the following actions, among others:

• Remind employees about the importance of maintaining personal hygiene and thoroughly washing hands and/or using hand sanitizer. Refer to guidance provided by the WHO, the and Cayman local authorities.
• Encourage employees to stay home at the first onset of any cold or flu-like symptoms.
• Disseminate information on precautions to help stop the spread of the virus.
• Continually monitor employees’ potential exposure to COVID-19.
• Reconsider any non-essential travel plans, especially to events with large groups of people. Social distancing is encouraged at this time.
• Review and evaluate remote work policies and capabilities.
• Provide sufficient and accessible infection control supplies (e.g. hand sanitizer) and ensure cleaning services are properly cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Coordinate with Human Resources to establish procedures for how to respond to any symptoms displayed by employees.