Close contact workers may come to work under Putrajaya’s new safe workplace plan

Those who have come into close contact with Covid-19 and who require quarantine may now come to work under a new plan by Putrajaya to ensure minimal disruption to industries throughout the pandemic.

International Trade and Industry Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali today said this is part of his ministry’s Safe@Work initiative which was announced by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday.

Under the Safe@Work initiative, close contact workers will be allowed to work under a new protocol called the Safe Work Bubble.

He said the move would empower industries to self-manage health issues linked to the pandemic, adding that it is impossible for authorities to keep track of all of them.

He listed several aspects needed for the Safe@Work initiative to be effective.

They include companies forming their own emergency response teams, constant sanitation of premises, and ensuring conducive accomodation for workers.

“This initiative will prevent disruption of company operations and reduce the impact on productivity when a Covid-19 case is detected on business premises,” he said, adding that the programme was devised following consultation with industry groups and business chambers, as well as the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers.

Companies may sign up for the Safe@Work programme from next month through the ministry’s Covid-19 Intelligent Management System.

The government has offered incentives such as additional tax breaks for the manufacturing and service sectors on expenditure for workers’ hostels of up to RM50,000.

The tax incentives will also cover the purchase of equipment needed to monitor SOPs at the workplace such as CCTVs and tracking devices.

Employers may seek more details on the initiative by emailing Miti at [email protected].