UTM DREDGING LIMITED

CORONA VIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19)

HSE POLICY AND PROCEDURE

Dear all, this document is an overview of the UTM DREDGING LIMITED response to
the Corona virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

As the number of affected areas has expanded globally, we have been working very
closely with our LOCAL health provider partners and monitoring the global trend of the
subject matter.

Our medical retainer ship experts monitor the spread of the virus daily and take
appropriate, responsible action in feeding us with all relevant and vital information’s.

Our first commitment is to our people, working to protect their health and safety while
minimizing the impact on your business and operations.

Below you will find details of some key elements of our crisis management strategy,
including:

Measures we have taken to reduce exposure while minimizing business impact, planning
for business continuity

We would like to take this opportunity to reassure you that, as your strategic partner, we
are committed to conducting our business in the safest manner that we can while meeting
our obligations to your satisfaction.

We invite all to maximize our collaboration because working together is the strongest
defence we have against this and any future health threat.

Thank you for your understanding and full cooperation

Sincerely,

JULIUS RONE
MD/CEO
WHAT IS CORONAVIRUS?
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals or humans.
COVID-19 is the most recently discovered coronavirus.

A coronavirus infection can cause mild to severe respiratory illness.

Symptoms can range from mild illness to pneumonia. Affected people may experience:

 Fever
 Acute respiratory infection (shortness of breath or cough)

The World Health Organization has confirmed that the main driver of transmission is from
symptomatic patients, through coughing or sneezing. Transmission by people without
symptoms is possible, but rare.

Employers have a duty to provide and maintain, so far as is reasonably practicable, a working
environment that is safe and without risks to the health of employees. This includes identifying
risks to health or safety associated with potential exposure to the coronavirus.

UTM DREDGING LIMITED is continuing to closely monitor the outbreak of

coronavirus (COVID-19).  Cases of the COVID-19 virus are increasing in Nigeria and
the situation is changing rapidly.. 

Our duty as employers is to be responsible for workers, identify and manage work health
and safety risks including the exposure to COVID-19. our Businesses shall also plan to
respond to cases of COVID-19 at work in line with advice provided by WHO.
COVID-19 spreads from person to person in a similar way to the flu:

 From close contact with an infected person

 From touching objects or surfaces contaminated by the sneeze or cough of an
infected person and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
COVID-19 can cause symptoms similar to the flu, including fever, cough, sore throat,
tiredness or shortness of breath.

Most people who are infected experience mild illness from which they fully recover.
However, some people may develop more serious illness with pneumonia. People at
increased risk include the elderly and those with chronic medical conditions or a
weakened immune system.

It is important to remember that most people who become ill with respiratory symptoms
at work are likely suffering from a cold, the flu or other respiratory illness –

not COVID-19.
SELF-QUARANTINE

Workers and others must self-quarantine if they have:

 Travelled overseas in the past 14 days

 Been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19.
Workers who need to self-quarantine should notify their employer and stay away from
work. They should seek immediate medical attention if they become ill during the
quarantine period and call ahead of arriving and mention their travel or contact history.

Employers should make appropriate arrangements so that workers who need to self-
quarantine stay away from work. Where possible, the worker should be provided with
flexible work arrangements such as working from home.

PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF INFECTION AT WORK

Simple hygiene practices, similar to those used to protect against the flu, can help prevent
the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections.

For workers:

 Clean your hands regularly with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
 Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or bent elbow when coughing or
sneezing, dispose of tissues immediately after use and wash your hands or apply hand
sanitizer.
 Avoid touching your face, nose and mouth and shaking hands.
 Avoid close contact with anyone who is unwell. Try to stay 1.5 metres away from
anyone coughing or sneezing.
 Stay home if you are unwell.
FOR EMPLOYERS:

 Provide hand washing facilities and make sure these are kept clean, properly
stocked and in good working order.
 Provide alcohol-based hand sanitizer, tissues and cleaning supplies.
 Promote good hygiene practices, e.g. display hand hygiene posters
 Keep the workplace clean and hygienic. Regularly cleaning high-touch surfaces
such as door handles and workstations helps prevent contamination.
 Visit the Smartraveller website for advice about overseas business travel.
 Encourage workers who are sick with respiratory illness to stay home until they are
recovered.
 If someone becomes ill with respiratory symptoms at work, isolate them by placing
them in a room or an area away from others.
 Arrange for the person to be sent home or access medical assistance.
 If a worker is confirmed to have COVID-19, the health services for advice. Inform
co-workers about possible exposure to a confirmed case of COVID-19 but maintain
confidentiality. Advise workers to seek immediate medical advice if they develop
symptoms or are concerned about their health.
 Follow advice from health authorities on social distancing and public gatherings.

THE MODEL WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY LAWS

Under the model Work Health and Safety (WHO) laws employers have a duty of care for
the health and safety of their workers and others at the workplace. This includes:

 Providing and maintaining a work environment that is without risk to health and
safety, and
 Providing adequate facilities for workers in carrying out their work.

To meet our duties, we must identify risks at the workplace, and where possible eliminate
or minimise those risks. 

We need to consider what can be done to eliminate or control a risk, whether a control
measure is ‘reasonably practicable’, and if it is reasonable to implement the measure.

To decide if something is reasonably practicable, we need to consider the: 

 Likelihood of the risk occurring

 Degree of harm that might result, and 
 Availability and suitability of a control measure.
STEPS TO TAKE

To slow the spread of the virus, all employers must implement appropriate social
distancing in accordance with state and territory laws.

The latest social distancing measures can be found on the Nigerian Ministry of

Health website. As a result of these measures, a number of restrictions are now in place
on the range of venues and activities that businesses may operate..

What we can do to manage the risk will depend on our workplace and the work that we
do. However, three key things we can do are to:

 Maintain good hygiene and cleanliness of the workplace, 

 Implement physical social distancing – keeping everyone at the workplace
physically apart, and
 Use protective personal equipment (PPE) appropriately.

There might be other controls that would minimise the risk of infection, such as delaying
non-essential tasks. There is no one size fits all approach. 

The important thing is that we:

 Actively consider the context of our business, that is, the workplace, the work
carried out there, our workers and others who come into the workplace, and
 Do what we reasonably can to eliminate or minimise the risk of the people at our
workplace contracting COVID-19.
WORKER AND CUSTOMER HYGIENE

Our workers must practice good hygiene, including: 

 Frequent hand washing or hand sanitising

 Limiting contact with others, including through shaking hands, and
 Covering their mouths while coughing or sneezing with a clean tissue or their
elbow.

Encourage good hand hygiene by everyone at the workplace by:

 Providing access to hand hygiene stations on entry and exit, and

 Encouraging them to only touch what they intend to purchase

If we can, we must put signs around our workplace to remind our workers and others
how and when to wash their hands.

We must also provide a work environment that is without risk to health and safety. This
includes:

 Providing access to facilities for good hygiene such as adequate supply of soap,
water and toilet paper, and
 Making sure these are kept clean, properly stocked and in good working order. 

If those supplies are not available, under the model WHO laws, we will not be required to
provide them. For example, if there are no adequate supplies of masks in Nigeria, an
employer cannot be required to provide a mask for himself. In those circumstances, we
must consider what alternative measures or approaches can be taken to eliminate or
minimise risk.

If we can’t get necessary supplies to provide a work environment that is without risks,

consider whether our workers shall work elsewhere, such as at home, if this is possible.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

We shall provide workers with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and
facilities, and information and training on how and why they are required to use them.

PPE can include gloves, eye protection and face masks. However, PPE must not be the
only control measure that employers consider. By itself, PPE will not control the
transmission of the COVID-19 virus. 

PPE must be used with higher level control measures such as isolation controls such as

social distancing. Social distancing means keeping the required distance apart. At the
moment it is staying at least 1.5 metres away from others. For further information on
social distancing.

Depending on our workplace, it may not always be possible to stay the required distance
apart. Where this is the case, we Shall think of whether there are other things we can do
to help minimise the transmission of the virus. For example:

 For rideshare, passengers Shall be required to sit in the rear seat of a vehicle
 Have contactless deliveries, that is, leave deliveries outside homes without needing
to sign, and
 Encourage customers to use contactless payment options..
CLEANING

We shall and already have in place regular, scheduled cleaning of our workplace. Ensure
any areas frequented by workers or others (e.g. visitors to our premises) are cleaned
daily.

Frequently touched areas and surfaces shall be cleaned several times a day. This includes
All Vessel and equipment, elevator buttons, handrails, tables, counter tops, door knobs,
and sinks.

Protect workers, clients, customers and others by disinfecting all surfaces that are
exposed to respiratory droplets, for example after someone has coughed. Make sure we
use an appropriate disinfectant solution.

When cleaning, workers Shall minimise the risk of being infected with coronavirus by
wearing gloves and washing their hands thoroughly or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer
before and after wearing gloves.

If a worker has been exposed to the virus at the workplace, we will need to deep clean
areas where the worker has been.

.
PHYSICAL SOCIAL DISTANCING

We shall also limit access to the workplace by people who do not need to be there. This
includes children and other relatives of our workers.

RISKS TO PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH

The duty of employers under the model WHO laws apply to psychological health

too.This is a stressful time for all Nigerians, and employers must do what they can to
reduce the psychological risks to workers and others at the workplace.

STEPS TO MINIMISE WORKPLACE STRESS

Steps we can take to eliminate or minimise workplace stress are to:

 Be well informed with information from official sources

 Regularly communicate with workers and share relevant information as it comes to
hand
 Consult our workers on any risks to their psychological health and how these can
be managed
 Provide workers with a point of contact to discuss their concerns and to find
workplace information in a central place
 Inform workers about their entitlements if they become unfit for work or have
caring responsibilities
 Proactively support workers who we identify may be more at risk of workplace
psychological injury (e.g. frontline workers or those working from home), and
 Refer workers to appropriate channels to support workplace mental health and
wellbeing such as employee assistance programs.
STAYING INFORMED

We must keep up to date with the latest COVID-19 information and advice, from
organisations such as:

 www.health.gov.ng
 Nigeria Ministry of Health
 the Smartraveller website, and 
 advice from state or territory government agencies, including health departments
and WHO regulators. See the List of contacts section below for links to these
agencies

WORKPLACE ENTITLEMENTS

We must allow workers to continue to access available entitlements, including leave,

under the relevant enterprise agreement, award, contracts of employment and workplace
policies.

CONSULTING AND COMMUNICATING WITH WORKERS

We must consult with workers on health and safety matters relating to the COVID-19
virus. Allow workers to express views to we and take them into account before we make
any decisions. 

Workers are most likely to know about the risks of their work. Involving them will help
build worker commitment to health and safety and increase understanding of any changes
we need to make.
EMERGENCY PLANS 

We shall have a plan for managing COVID-19, including when there is exposure to
COVID-19 in our workplace. We shall communicate this clearly and honestly with
workers. Provide clear direction and guidance about what is expected of workers and
update them when this changes. 

Workers shall know: 

 When to stay away from the workplace 

 What action to take if they become unwell, and
 What symptoms to be concerned about.

Workers shall also know they have duties too – they must take reasonable care for their
own health and safety, not adversely affect the health and safety of others and follow any
reasonable policies and directions we have told them about. This includes staying away
from the workplace if they may have contracted the COVID-19 virus.

Workers shall also know who to talk to about their concerns – provide them with a point
of contact, and if we can, access to support services, including employee assistance
programs.

If we need help making a plan speak to our WHO regulator. Industry and employee

representatives may also be able to help.
PRIVACY OBLIGATIONS

The Office of the Nigerian Information Commissioner has published guidance on how to

protect privacy while ensuring safety.

What to do when

… A WORKER IS CONFIRMED OR SUSPECTED TO HAVE THE COVID-19

VIRUS

If we know a worker is confirmed to have the COVID-19 virus, we must make sure the
worker does not return to work while they are infectious. 

If we notice a worker showing other signs they may be unwell (e.g. frequent coughing)
and we think they Shall not be at work, we Shall follow our usual workplace policies and
procedures. This may include directing the worker to go home.

Seek advice from health authorities immediately if there has been a confirmed case of the
COVID-19 virus in our workplace (See contacts below). 

… A WORKER REFUSES TO COME TO WORK

In some circumstances a worker has the right to stop or refuse to carry out unsafe work.

A worker has this right to cease work if there is a reasonable concern that they would be
exposed to a serious risk to their health and safety from an immediate or imminent
hazard. 

If a worker ceases work, they must inform us as soon as they can. They must also then be
available to carry out suitable alternative work, such as working from home.

Our Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) can direct a worker in their work group to
cease unsafe work. HSRs can do this if they:

 Have a reasonable concern that a worker would be exposed to a serious risk to

health and safety from an immediate or imminent hazard, and
 Have already consulted and attempted to resolve the issue, unless the risk is so
serious and immediate or imminent that it is not reasonable to consult first

HSRs must inform the workplace of any direction that has been given to cease unsafe
work. HSRs can only direct that unsafe work cease if they have completed their initial
training under the model WHO laws.

If a worker refuses to come to work when we think they shall, contact the HSRs
… WE WANT TO DIRECT A WORKER TO STAY AWAY FROM A
WORKPLACE

We shall require workers to stay away from the workplace if they are unwell and not fit
for work. Encourage them to seek medical advice as appropriate.

Under the model WHO laws, we can require workers to comply with a direction to
remain away from their usual place of work, if they can and its reasonable for we to
require them to do so. This can be to stay at home, or work from somewhere else.

However, we also need to consider the worker’s entitlements under workplace

instruments, such as an enterprise agreement or award.
WORKING FROM HOME SAFELY

In Nigeria, the model WHO laws still apply if workers are required to work somewhere
other than their usual workplace, for example, from home

What an employer can do to minimise risks at a worker's home will be different to what

they can do at the usual workplace.  However, if we can, we shall:

 Provide guidance on what is a safe home office environment, including what a

good work station set up looks like and how to keep physically active
 Require workers to familiarise themselves and comply with good ergonomic
practices, for example by referring to a self-assessment checklist
 Maintain daily communication with workers 
 Provide continued access to an employee assistance program, and 
 Appoint a contact person in the business that workers can talk to about any
concerns.

We Shall also think about how our existing policies and procedures apply when working
from home, including:

 Notification of incidents, injuries hazards and changes in circumstances

 Consultation and review of work health and safety processes, and
 Attendance, timesheets, leave and other entitlements and arrangements.

Working from home may change, increase or create work health or safety risks. To
understand these risks, we must consult with workers. 

Possible new risks include:

 Physical risks from poor work environment, such as workstation set up, heat, cold,
lighting, electrical safety, home hygiene and home renovations, and
 Psychosocial risks such as isolation, high or low job demands, reduced social
support from managers and colleagues, fatigue, online harassment and family and
domestic violence.

We will still need to do what we reasonably can to manage the risks to a worker who
works from home.
 WORKING FROM HOME CHECKLIST
Please see below a checklist of considerations for short-term working from home
arrangements. This includes workers that enter the 14-day isolation period for
COVID-19.

This checklist provides guidance for workers and Persons Conducting a Business or
Undertaking (PCBUs to be referred to as ‘employers’). Please note, the following
considerations should be seen as minimum requirements only.

ANY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY REQUIRED TO BE UNDERTAKEN

 Take appropriate breaks to ensure repetitive actions are not continued for long
periods.
 Breaks involve stretching and changing of posture, and possibly alternating activity.
 Check you have a comfortable posture.
 Make sure any lifting, pushing, or carrying type task is well within your
physical capacity.
 Use trolleys or other mechanisms to move heavy and awkward items.

THE WORK ENVIRONMENT

 Check the level of illumination and location of lighting fixtures are suited to the
activity. Lighting level should be sufficient for visual tasks to be completed without
eye strain. Greater illumination is generally needed for very fine visual tasks. Natural
and artificial light sources should not create glare via reflection on the computer
screen or working surface.
 Check there are sufficient levels of ventilation and thermal comfort.
 Check the location, height and other physical characteristics of furniture and
computer/s are suited to the task and take into consideration other factors, for
example, egress routes, direction of light source.
 Check walkways are clear of clutter and trip hazards such as trailing electrical cords.
 Check there is no damaged flooring (uneven tiles, pulled up carpet).
 Check there is suitable storage for documents and books.
 Where possible, only use equipment that has been issued by your organisation and has
recently been tagged and tested.
 COMMUNICATION
 All workers must make an agreement about a reasonable communication
system between you and your manager (for example, call-in or email morning
and night).
 Inform your manager if there is any change that may impact your health and
safety or the health and safety of another worker (for example, a new pet,
renovations or moving house).
 PCBUs to ensure the agreed communications strategy with the worker is
documented.

WORK PRACTICES
 Take breaks every 30 minutes of keyboarding and stand at least once per hour.
 Keep wrists upright while typing and make sure they are not supported on any
surface while typing.
 Sitting posture is upright or slightly reclined, maintaining slight hollow in lower
back.
 Use your hand to hold telephone receiver or wear a headset (no cradling).
 Break up long periods of continuous computer use by performing other tasks.

MENTAL HEALTH
 Set up your workstation and establish boundaries around your work hours with
your partner, children and/or house mates.
 Schedule regular meetings and catch ups with your manager, team and clients to
help you maintain ongoing contact and foster positive working relationships.
 Stay connected via phone, email and/or online (via your organisation’s
videoconferencing, instant messaging platforms, etc) to keep you across latest
developments with work, your team and organisation.
 Use outdoor spaces where possible when you take breaks and try to incorporate
some exercise or other activity as part of your working day.
 Play music or listen to the radio to create a harmonious working environment.
 Identify any potential distractions and put strategies in place to minimise them,
for example separating your workstation from the rest of the house.
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION SHCME AND COVID-19

As a national policy body, Safe Work UTM does not have a role in determining
coverage or eligibility for benefits in workers’ compensation schemes. This is the
responsibility of the WORKERS’ COMPENSATION SHCME.

Workers’ compensation arrangements differ across schemes however generally to be

eligible a worker:

 Would need to be covered by the scheme, either as an employee or a deemed

worker, and
 Would need to have an injury, illness or disease of a kind covered by the
scheme, that arose out of or in the course of their employment.

It can be difficult to prove that a disease was contracted in, or caused by, particular
employment. In the case of a virus such as COVID-19, establishing the time and
place of contraction may become increasingly hard.

Whether a claim for workers’ compensation for contracting the COVID-19 virus is
accepted will be a matter for the relevant workers’ compensation authority, applying
their jurisdictions’ workers’ compensation laws. Workers’ compensation authorities
will consider each claim on its merits, with regard to the individual circumstances
and evidence.