precautionary measures against covid 19 ......response to bhhrc | precautionary measures against...

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES AGAINST COVID 19 PANDEMIC Response to Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

25th March 2020

Issued by

Olivier Crasson General Manager, Six Construct

Response to BHHRC | Precautionary measures against COVID 19 Pandemic

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Contents 1. Scope ............................................................................................................................................................. 3

2. About SIX CONSTRUCT ................................................................................................................................. 3

3. Our Worker Welfare Policy .......................................................................................................................... 4

4. BHRRC Questionnaire and related Response .............................................................................................. 5

5. Appendices ................................................................................................................................................... 9


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1. Scope

This report has been prepared to fulfil the request from Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) to outline

the steps taken by Six Construct to prevent the spread of Coronavirus among migrant workforce and detail on how

it will assist workers, if they get infected with the virus.

2. About SIX CONSTRUCT

BESIX Group is active in the Gulf via its regional Company Six Construct in 1965. The BESIX Group development is

consequently largely channeled through Six Construct and the answers on following questions focus on Six Construct

and its subsidiaries in UAE.

We endeavored to fairly reply to the questions hereunder, it being understood that our responses are subjected,

where applicable to our CSR reports. Those are indeed submitted to a well monitored issuance and control process

and objectively report our effective achievements including on the Human Rights.


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3. Our Worker Welfare Policy


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4. BHRRC Questionnaire and related Response

a. Please detail what steps and protocols you have you put in place to prevent the spread of the

coronavirus in labour camps that house your workers (Have you provided any masks, hand sanitiser?

Are you funding/ensuring access to testing for workers?)

Six Construct’s Response:

For the past 5 weeks, Six Construct - BESIX Group’s subsidiary in the Middle East, has deployed a large-scale plan

to tackle the COVID-19 spread, in the current labor’s accommodations comprising about 4,900 people:

Concrete actions taken:

COMMUNICATION:

Six Construct has established extensive communication channels with our Labor force both on

Project sites and in Labor accommodation;

Such communication is delivered in the multiple languages of the concerned workforce;

The subjects communicated are:

o Personal Hygiene and prevention measures/ guidelines;

o Sick employees to stay in camps if any explained symptoms occur;

o Protocol of informing and reporting employees appear having symptoms

o Positive cases Protocol

ACCOMMODATION

Increased the frequency of cleaning & disinfection processes of facilities & surfaces in direct contact

with the persons inside the accommodation such as:

o Bathrooms, showers, and washing basins;

o Dining tables and chairs;

o Workers kitchens and their accessories

o Labor bedrooms, furniture, and doors handles;

o Prayer rooms;

o Control devices for electronic & electrical devices (e.g. television, air conditioner, lighting

switches;

o Stairs handrails;

o Gym’s equipment;

o Seats and tables in the training rooms, meeting rooms and entertainment rooms;

Extra cleaning and disinfection measures of facilities provided in Labor Accommodation (mess and

washrooms) twice a day 06:30am & 18:30pm, Deep cleansing detail (life accommodations size) given

to procurement for further process;

Continuous education of labors to maintain imposed distance between them (minimum 1 meter) in

all common areas (e.g. rest areas, messes, etc.);

Rooms re-allocation to give space to workers as per law (3.72m²);


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Cancelled all events within the accommodation e.g. matches, parties, etc;

Reduced the movement of labors from the accommodation to public areas where possible;

Allocated separate areas for quarantine;

Availability of hand sanitizers & hand wash liquid in various locations at the accommodation in

particularly in toilets.

Clear rules established with regards to Travel bans and related measures;

Awareness campaigns, Posters affixed on walls and Notice boards in the worker’s Language, as

issued by the Ministry Of Health in the UAE (See Annex Group 02);

Tool Box Talks conducted daily for all Teams in life accommodations and on Project Sites (See Annex

04);

Provision for Trained Medical Team to monitor the situation in life accommodations and on Project

Sites;

TRANSPORTATION

All buses are disinfected according to the requirements of Public Health Centre;

Maintaining adequate distance between workers while using buses;

Reduced the number of workers for each trip to ensure the safe distance and avoiding spread of

COVID-19;

Daily fever check-up for drivers and workers to ensure no COVID-19 suspicious cases detected on

board;

Placed COVID-19 preventive measures awareness posters inside the buses.

HEALTH SURVEILLANCE

Health and thermal screening of all employees in life accommodations, Project Offices and offices;

(see Annex 05.1 and 05.2)

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

Any potential Medical Emergency will follow the Company Flowchart

Any potential case is referred to the Local approved Medical Facilities


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b. Please detail what steps you are or will take to assist workers that have become infected with the

coronavirus (Do you have an emergency response protocol if a case is confirmed (if so please share

this)? Are you providing or funding free medical assistance?)


Six Contruct’s approach in such a scenario is to follow the strict guidelines issued by local authorities.

If any suspected case of infection is detected, the employee is directed immediately to hospitals, who will

then further assess and direct towards government hospitals (the only ones authorized to treat and

quarantine confirmed cases in the region).

All workers having shared a close proximity with the infected person, will be segregated immediately and

screened at the hospital. If no symptoms, they will be moved to a specific quarantine accommodation we

have setup for the duration of this crisis.

They will need to spend the following 14 days under quarantine and observation.

IF an employee has flu symptoms and is fulfilling the Criteria (confirmed Case) as defined by the “Virtual Doctor”

from MOFA, the employee will be referred to the nearest Medical Facility or contact COVID-19 Virtual Doctor

(UAE online program).

The employee will contact with HSE heads and/or Nurses of the project/camps who will follow up the case with

the UAE authorities.

a. If tested negative for COVID-19; the employee will receive medical treatment as per the treating

doctor’s instructions;

b. If tested positive for COVID-19; the employee will be isolated for 14 days in the Medical Facility l

assigned by the Ministry of Health 8001717 or 02-4493333 (UAE). The Ministry will inform the

Company for the upcoming processes.


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c. Please explain how you will ensure workers do not suffer hardship as the result of the coronavirus

outbreak and are not afraid to report symptoms (Will you guarantee wages for sick or quarantined

workers and keep jobs open for workers who can’t return to the country at this time because of the

virus?)


Any staff or worker facing a quarantine upon return to his country of assignment is paid his normal wages for

the duration of said quarantine.

Alternatively, any employee barred from return to his country of assignment is given extended leave as long as

his leave entitlement can cover this period. In no leave remains, the employee is put on standby.

All workers already benefit from free medical insurance provided by the company. It is also understood that the

company would cover any of the workers local medical expenses, resulting from such a serious event.

5. Appendices

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