Please see attached DOH WORKPLACE HANDBOOK On COVID-19 Management and

Prevention Department of Health as of 30 September 2020 for your additional reference:

Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious public health threat that continues to permeate all
populations and sectors in the country, and the job sector is no exception. To protect the
welfare of the Filipino workforce, the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Labor
and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) together with the World
Health Organization (WHO) and stakeholders from the different medical societies in the
Philippines issue this handbook, which compiles essential information based on important
issuances on COVID-19 prevention and management in the workplace.

This hopes to provide proper guidance and appropriate information to all Occupational
Safety and Health (OSH) Committees and other key stakeholders to empower them in
ensuring that Filipino employees and workers everywhere in the country know how to
protect themselves, their colleagues, and families from the threat of COVID-19.
A. Must Knows
TRANSMISSION

● The virus is primarily spread through respiratory DROPLETS when an infected person
speaks, coughs, or sneezes.
● Transmission can also happen through contact with FOMITES that can enter the mouths,
eyes or noses of people as well as surfaces up to one (1) meter away, and can survive for at
least three (3) days depending on the material.
● The World Health Organization recently added AIRBORNE transmission via micro-droplet
suspension as one of the modes of transmission of COVID-19. Studies reveal that airborne
transmission may be possible in healthcare settings, during aerosol-generating procedures
(i.e. nebulization, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, endotracheal intubation, suctioning of
secretions, etc.), and in small, closed, and confined spaces with little or no ventilation.

SYMPTOMS AND INCUBATION

Symptoms can take UP TO 14 DAYS from infection to show. The most COMMON SYMPTOMS
are:
● Fever (not necessarily high fever)
● Dry cough
● Tiredness or fatigue
● Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Patients may, likewise, experience other non-
specific symptoms such as sore throat, nasal congestion, headache, diarrhea, nausea and
vomiting, and loss of smell (anosmia) or loss of taste (ageusia) preceding the onset of
respiratory symptoms.

B. COVID-19 Cases
Per the latest WHO guidelines as of August 7, 2020, the case definitions of suspect and
probable cases have been revised to account for updated evidence on the most common
signs and symptoms as well as known transmission dynamics of COVID-19.

SUSPECT

A. A person who meets this clinical AND epidemiological criteria

B. A patient with severe acute respiratory illness (SARI: acute respiratory infection with
history of fever or measured fever of > 38oC; and cough; with onset within the last 10 days;
and who requires hospitalization).

PROBABLE

A. A patient who meets clinical criteria of a suspect case AND is a contact of a probable or
confirmed case, or epidemiologically linked to a cluster of cases which has had at least one
confirmed case identified within that cluster.

B. A suspect case with chest imaging showing findings suggestive of COVID-19 disease
C. A person with recent onset of anosmia (loss of smell) or ageusia (loss of taste) in the
absence of any other identified cause.

D. Death, not otherwise explained, in an adult with respiratory distress preceding death AND
who has a contact of a probable or confirmed case or epidemiologically linked to a cluster
which has had at least one confirmed case within that cluster
C. Hierarchy of Controls
Controlling exposures to occupational hazards is the fundamental method of protecting
workers from COVID-19. Traditionally, a hierarchy of controls has been used as a means of
determining how to implement feasible and effective control solutions.
The idea behind this hierarchy is that the control methods at the top of the graphic
illustration are potentially more effective and protective than those at the bottom.
Following this hierarchy normally leads to the implementation of inherently safer systems,
where the risk of illness or injury has been substantially reduced.

A. Must Dos
All employees and workers shall:
3. Undergo risk exposure assessment and be subjected to contact tracing procedure if with
exposure to COVID-19 suspect, probable or confirmed case, according to prescribed national
guidelines set by the Department of Health and local government and workplace policies.

4. Adopt an appropriate alternative work arrangement upon discussion with and approval
by your work supervisors subject to governing rules and regulations and other local
personnel guidelines.
B. General Directions: Case Finding and
Management
1. Contact tracing shall begin for suspect cases even while specimen collection for SARS-CoV-
2 confirmatory testing from the suspect case is yet to commence, or while waiting for PCR
results. This means generating the potential contact list and notifying the potential
contacts.

2. Quarantine if asymptomatic, isolate if symptomatic. Hence, quarantine close contacts,

isolate suspect and probable, cohort confirmed cases. Monitoring under quarantine may be
done by a non-medical personnel of the BHERT (if from community) or OSH (if from
workplace). OSH officer should immediately coordinate with their local health office.
Monitoring under isolation must be done by medical personnel for symptom management.

3. All who get tested shall be under quarantine / isolation.

4. No test is necessary to determine recovery. Symptom-based strategy shall be used to

determine recovery or return-to-work for symptomatic patients.

C. Detection

D. Isolation and Referral

E. Contact Tracing
Contact tracing in the workplace shall be immediately initiated by the OSH Committee or
employer after identification of an employee falling under the case definition of either
suspect, probable, or confirmed COVID-19.

F. COVID-19 Testing

G. Occupational Safety and Health Committees

3. Monitoring by the OSH Committees shall include evaluation and analysis of the company’s
implementation of the minimum health standards and protocols to immediately address the
spread of COVID-19 in the workplace, if any, and recommend and implement appropriate
preventive measures. Health surveillance may be conducted to determine the cause/s of the
spread/transmission of the virus in the workplace.

4. For 2 or more private establishments housed under the same building, a joint OSH
Committee shall also be established in accordance with DOLE Department Order No. 198,
Series of 2018. They may share resources for a successful implementation of a
comprehensive OSH Program, including a COVID-19 Prevention and Control Program.

H. Discharge

I. Notification and Reporting

J. Leave of Absences and Entitlements

K. Reintegration
A. Personal Safety Practices

● Replace the mask with a new one as soon as it is damp, soiled, or damaged and do not
reuse single-use masks.
● Cloth face masks must be worn only for one day at a time and must be properly washed
before using again.
● Remove the mask from behind using the string and properly dispose single-use masks
immediately in a closed bin.
● Wash your hands before putting on and after taking off your mask.

● Face shields and masks should always be worn together when interacting with colleagues,
clients and/or visitors.
● Face shields may be removed according to the demands of the work or when the
occupational safety and health of the employees so requires.

Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use alcohol-based hand
sanitizer. Keep your hands clean before, during, and after working. Or use hand disinfectants
with 60-70% alcohol specifically, but not limited to these moments:
● Before entering their workplace
● Before and after handling food or eating
● After using the toilet/bathroom
● Before putting on and after taking off their face mask
● After touching frequently touched surfaces and objects such as stair railings, elevator
controls, door knobs, electrical switches, etc.
● Before and after touching their face
B. Mental and Emotional Well-being
● Regularly talk with your family and friends.
● Draw on skills you have used in the past that have helped you manage previous life
adversities/ stresses.
● If you are feeling stressed, limit the time you spend watching or listening to media
coverage that you perceive upsetting.
● Have adequate rest and at least 8 hours of sleep.
● Don’t use smoking, alcohol or other drugs to deal with your emotions.
● For mental health concerns, you may reach out to the National Center for Mental Health
hotlines: 0917-899-USAP (8727), (02) 7 989-USAP (8727) o 1553.

C. Diet and Nutrition

D. Physical Fitness

E. BIDA Solusyon sa COVID-19

The BIDA Solusyon sa COVID-19 campaign, the Philippine government’s banner
communication campaign in COVID-19 response, highlights the simple individual actions each
and every Filipino could do to contribute to our fight against COVID-19 (the COntraVIDa).

F. Smoke-Free Workplaces
A. Working in the Office
The workplace is highly-encouraged to adopt alternative work arrangements. However,
when reporting physically to work could not be avoided, the following must be observed:

● Stay in your own workstations whenever possible. Limit movements between buildings
and offices.
● Optimize work areas (including dining area and client reception areas) to allow physical
distancing of at least 1 meter between tables, cubicles, chairs, etc.
● Practice physical distancing by avoiding large gatherings and maintaining distance (at least
one meter) from others when possible.
● Communal eating is discouraged.
● Limit visitors or clients at the lobby of the building.
● Display of signages/visual cues and reminders to practice proper handwashing and other
hygiene behaviors among employees is mandatory.

Ventilation

● Adequate ventilation should be strictly enforced inside the workplace. Natural air flow
exchange (opening windows, opening doors, turning off air-conditioning units to reduce air
recirculation) is highly encouraged.
● Individuals should not be situated directly in the flow of air coming from fans and air-
conditioners.
● If possible, the installation of exhaust fans, installation of air filtration devices with High-
Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, or the standard maintenance and recalibration of
building heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems should be explored

B. Alternative Work Arrangements

Employers shall determine the optimal number of employees that could report at any given
time without compromising the required physical distancing. They shall adopt options that
will allow them to comply with this requirement.

They may implement modified work structures and schedules to avoid crowding in their
workplaces. The number of employees who will physically report to work shall be identified
to ensure physical distancing.

C. Meetings and Document Transmittal

D. Meals and Lunch Breaks

● Lunch breaks must be staggered when possible to limit the number of people in pantries.
● The face mask may be removed when eating or drinking during lunch breaks but physical
distancing must be observed.
● Place face masks and face shields inside a paper bag or put them on top of a clean tissue
paper in a designated area minimizing cross contamination with other items and persons.
● Do not sit near one another.
● Consider alternative areas for lunch breaks (e.g., workstations, meeting rooms, etc).
E. Shuttle Services

3. In case the private establishments are unable to financially sustain the provision of shuttle
services, they may adopt alternative arrangements, such as cost-sharing, partial vouchers for
use of Transport Network Vehicle Services, and other alternative arrangements to facilitate
the transportation needs of the employees.
4. Minimum public health standards should be enforced in the shuttle services, i.e. use of
face shields and face masks, observance of physical distancing, and frequent disinfection.

5. Employees inside the vehicles should be required to avoid talking with each other, taking
phone calls, eating and removing their masks and shields. Signages of “No Talking,” “No
Eating,” and “No Taking Phone Calls” should likewise be displayed or posted on the
conspicuous areas in the vehicle.

6. Adequate ventilation should be strictly enforced inside the shuttle service. The opening of
windows, with at least three (3) inches of opening, while in transit should be practiced
whenever possible. Proper disinfection before and after each use of the vehicle is likewise
mandatory.

7. All vehicle types, as long as not expressly prohibited by the Department of Transportation
(DOTr) through an issuance, may be used for shuttle services.

8. Employers may contract the services of Public Utility Vehicles (PUV) to subsidize public
transport operations.

F. Telemedicine
● Employers shall ensure that the Employees, regardless of work arrangements, have access
to telemedicine services, either through health maintenance organization (HMO), employer-
initiated telemedicine services, or Barangay Health Center.

● Large and medium private establishments are strongly encouraged to provide their own
telemedicine services, in the absence of an HMO.
A. Housekeeping and Disinfection
● If one confirmed case of COVID-19 is detected in the workplace, the facility shall be
disinfected with an appropriate disinfectant solution (0.5% bleach solution). The conduct of a
comprehensive disinfection by specialists is recommended.

● The building must be locked down for 24 hours prior to disinfection to lessen transmission
to sanitation personnel. During the disinfection process, all doors and windows should be
opened to maximize ventilation. The building may only be opened 24 hours after the
disinfection process.
● Granular lockdown of the building/facility for disinfection may be allowed, provided that
the building or workplace has a company policy and/or OSH program maintaining the safety
of the unaffected employees (i.e. those whose sections/floors/units are not subject of
granular closure) during disinfection, provided further that, the company policy and/or OSH
program ensures the safe entry of affected employees after disinfection.

● Employers are encouraged to establish their company policies on the temporary closure of
the workplace, disinfection, including procedures for granular lockdown of the
building/facility (i.e. closure of a section/floor/unit of the building/facility) for disinfection, to
ensure continuity of operations. Such company policies are strongly encouraged to also
include provisions for proactive measures, such as regular disinfection procedures and
similar practices.

● Employers shall ensure that the temporary closure of their establishments for disinfection
purposes be done in accordance with the National Task Force Against COVID-19
Memorandum Circular No. 2 dated 15 June 2020 on the Operational Guidelines on the
Application of Zoning Containment Strategy in the Localization of the National Action Plan
against COVID-19 Response.
● Individual businesses and offices, regardless of the community quarantine status in their
respective areas, must abide by the directives/advice of their LGU/CESU/RESU on building
closure due to case clustering.

Waste disposal

○ Proper waste disposal shall comply with the DOH Health Care Waste Management Manual
and DM 2020-0170.
○ Waste management and disposal staff should wear proper PPE.
○ All common areas and offices should use covered, hands-free, and foot operated garbage
bins using the appropriate color coded system for waste segregation.
○ Management and final disposal of waste shall be the responsibility of trained personnel, in
coordination with the DENR and the LGU.