As Banks DIH Limited continues operating amidst the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, it is assuring that all necessary precautionary measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of its employees and customers.
In a telephone interview with Stabroek News, Human Resources Director Andrew Carto said that during this challenging time, the health and safety of the employees and customers remain a top priority for the company.
“…Whatever else needs to be done is something that we don’t know about or it hasn’t yet come to light,” Carto said.
He stated that since COVID-19 entered the country, Banks DIH Limited implemented measures to safeguard its workers. “We had a plan which we worked out and those things were put in place,” he said.
Two employees of Banks DIH Limited are among the country’s COVID-19 statistics. They are Lennox Williams, who died, and one of the patients who recovered, Frederick Henry.
Carto explained that all the company’s offices and areas where activities are being conducted are being fogged and fumigated twice a week and on weekends.
In an effort to avoid clustering and to maintain social distancing, he said that employees have been working based on a rotation system.
“All the people who did not take leave for 2020, were sent off on leave and once they start to come back, they are rotated so there would be like… well we are going into a process of one week off, one week on, so as to minimise the contact time that they spend with each other,” Carto explained.
The working hours, according to Carto, adhere to the curfew which was established by the Ministry of Public Health. “We close down at 4.30 (pm). Most of the operation is closed down by 4.30 to 5 o’ clock, so staff can get home for 6,” he added.
Banks DIH Limited is also ensuring that workers adhere to basic guidelines highlighted by health officials to prevent the spread of the virus, such as regular washing and sanitisation of hands and the wearing of masks.
He said hand washing facilities have been erected at the entrances of the company’s facilities. “People’s hands have to be sanitized. Everybody must wear masks whilst they are on the premises, at all levels, this is not specific to anybody in particular. In our restaurants, well we shut down all of the bars. Customers have to wear masks to come into the branches to conduct business and they are only allowed in five at a time to maintain social distancing,” Carto further explained.
‘Not at Thirst Park’
Meanwhile, Henry is currently at home recovering. Prior to being discharged, he was asked to remain at home for an additional 14 days. Carto said once this period is over, Henry will have to be evaluated by the company’s industrial nurse before he can return to work. “…The Ministry of Health told him he had to stay home for an additional two weeks and that two weeks period is not up as yet. When that two weeks period is up, he has to go through our industrial nurse before he comes back to work,” Carto said.
Both Henry and Williams had other medical complications as they were both diabetic.
Carto noted that Williams was a diabetic who was hospitalised for a “major” surgery to one of his feet before he was tested positive. He expressed confidence that Williams did not contract the virus from the company’s Thirst Park location. “Well wherever he might have contracted that COVID, it was not at Thirst Park because he had, he was a diabetic and he was, he went into hospital for major surgery. His foot had turned gangrene,” Carto noted.
Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence has identified Georgetown as the epicentre of the virus.
