The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, ADDED, has issued a new circular directing owners and managers of commercial and industrial facilities in Abu Dhabi to increase their on-site workforce to 60 per cent.

The department has also reminded establishments on the importance of complying with the set of implemented precautionary measures issued by the Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Committee in the emirate to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, COVID-19.

Rashed Abdul Karim Al Balooshi, Under-Secretary of ADDED, explained that the new circular details all the important measures and regulations that need to be followed based on the directives issued by the Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Committee, which took public health and the safety of employees in the private sector companies into consideration.

The move is expected to contribute to the reactivation of the business sector and economic activities – eventually leading to a gradual hike in productivity levels, which is seen as a key advantage to the sector.

Al Balooshi pointed out that the instructions to be implemented by company owners and managers are focused on maintaining the safety and protection of employees. The instructions include the need to conduct daily body temperature checks on employees; remote work guidelines for employees suffering from chronic diseases and other precautionary and preventive measures for administrative, technical, operational, and logistics jobs.

The circular also calls on company owners and managers to not rely on employees with low health risks to secure health and safety in the workplace and to exclude healthy but unqualified persons.

ADDED also affirmed the importance of directing employees and workers to use face masks and gloves during official working hours. In addition, it also emphasised the use of floor stickers to comply with applying social distancing norms as well as informing the Department of Health in case any of the employees shows symptoms of high-temperature or fever. The circular also mentions the need to close and restrict places where crowds of five or more individuals can gather, noting the importance of periodic sterilisation of surfaces that are exposed to frequent human contact.

The department has designated inspection teams to conduct regular field visits to ensure compliance and to impose penalties on those violating these procedures.

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