The coronavirus pandemic should not be taken lightly. As the country is gradually lifting the pause on its operations, it is also making sure that the spread of the virus remains limited. The government has imposed several restrictions and regulations that every industry is required to follow.
However, if your workplace fails to abide by the safety procedures, they can place you, as well as your family members at grave risk of catching the virus. As this virus is airborne, it can easily spread with or without physical contact. Taking this into account, there are serious repercussions for the spread of COVID-19.
What is the coronavirus (COVID-19)?
The coronavirus (COVID-19) is an illness that is transmitted from person to person, with or without contact. The first case of COVID-19 was found in China, however, since then, the virus has made a major impact throughout the planet. As COVID-19 is an airborne virus, its spread can be attributed to a number of things. You can catch the virus through close contact (a distance of fewer than six feet), with an infected individual. Additionally, the virus can further penetrate your body through the inhalation of respiratory droplets, which are released when an infected person talks, coughs or sneezes. Moreover, you can also catch the virus by touching an object which has the virus on it, and subsequently, touching the regions of your eyes, nose, or mouth.
What restrictions has the government imposed on the workplace?
In the UK, the increasing number of cases has died down following the quarantine period. Although the threat of the coronavirus has not entirely dissipated, the following of the safety regulations has contained the spread. As a result, the government has now allowed workplaces to resumed their operations, as long as they abide by the safety regulations to protect the interest of their workers. The government has enforced the following rules to make the workplace COVID secure.
Maintain social distancing
Social distancing is extremely important in order to limit or contain the spread. One of the primary conditions that the government has imposed, is to maintain the two-meter social distancing criteria. Keeping this in mind, employers are recommended to take the ensuing steps:
- Use floor tape, chalk or paint to mark the work stations.
- Add signs that remind the workers to maintain the social distancing protocol.
- Add glass or plastic shields to create a barrier between employee workstations.
- Re-arrange the office layout to ensure that the workers maintain a distance
- Introduce policies that limit movement around the workplace.
- Provide transport facilities to employees to reduce public exposure to the virus
- Create a policy for shift rotation to limit the employee’s visitation to the office building
- Encourage employees to eat at their workstations instead of crow.ding in the cafeteria
- Introduce policies to make remote work a possibility.
Maintain a clean and hygienic environment
In addition to introducing the social distancing policy, the workplaces are further .required to create a clean and hygienic environment. This means that every surface should be wiped clean using sanitation products. Employers must take the necessary precautions to limit the spread.
Mandate the wearing of face masks
Wearing face masks in public is extremely important in limiting the spread of the virus. The employers must create a strict policy that makes it obligatory for all employees to keep their mouth and nose covered as a means. to limit the spread through the respiratory droplets.
Can you file a compensation claim against your employer?
It is extremely difficult to determine the origin of the virus. However, if you have tested positive for COVID-19, it is imperative to inform your workplace, as well as the people you may have come in contact with. Moreover, yo.u must also isolate yourself to contain the spread.
With that said, if you believe that you have contacted the virus due to work-related exposure, you can submit a compensation claim after consulting a personal injury lawyer in Glasgow. While you are in self-isolation, you can discuss the details of your case via call, along with discussing the safety measures that your company failed to apply. The solicitor can then establish the role of your workplace in you contracting the virus. This can become the basis of your case.
What compensation can you expect?
The compensation amount for coronavirus can include the medical bills, as well as the cost of staying in isolation. However, the overall compensation can vary, depending on the nature of your condition. You can schedule a consultation session with a professional solicitor to get a better idea about the progression of your case.
Following the safety measures is extremely crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic. The employers should make the workplace COVID secure to ensure the safety of their workers, as well as their business.