"We cannot be in survival mode,
We have to be in growth mode."
(Jeff Bezos)
COVID-19 is the most recently discovered infectious disease caused by a virus. Both, this new virus and the disease it causes, were unknown before the outbreak in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Nowadays COVID-19 is a pandemic that affects many countries around the world, however, and despite to the impacts that it has had, it is not the only virus that in matters of safety and industrial hygiene has led us to develop and implement measures, whether temporary or permanent.
“Taking care of our health and avoiding infections is everyone´s responsibility”
At ARGO our priority is to prevent, control, take action and minimize the harmful effects and consequences on health; for this, we comply with government technical guidelines, health security protocols, company´s internal controls as well as with specific requirements from our clients.
Everyday, measures are carried out to prevent and/ or minimize the risk of contagion or infection, not only by COVID-19, but also by diseases such as influenza, pneumonia, typhoid, dengue, as well as gastrointestinal infections, infections of the respiratory tract, among others.
The last year has definitely been one of extreme precautions, since March 2020 we have reinforced efforts to monitor the entrance and exit of personnel, be alert of symptoms, in medical service we have monitored closely vulnerable personnel, we have increased the periodicity to constantly clean, sanitize and disinfect the spaces, and common areas, work areas, dining rooms, meeting rooms, among others, have been marked and delimited to comply with a healthy distance.
Communication, efficient, concrete and in a timely manner, has once again proven to be a key factor, thus we have been constantly sharing with our staff, through newsletters, mail, visual aids, etc., tips or relevant news on topics that can contribute to prevention and control.
However, many of these activities were carried out before and, whats most, they were implemented after different infectious outbreaks over the years; perhaps the questions we must ask ourselves now are:
What are the lessons learnt? What of what we do know will or should remain permanently? and What things were important that we stopped doing over time and why?
The truth is that carrying out this measures in a constant and timely manner has allowed us to detect personnel with symptoms and activate isolation or quarantine protocols, thus reducing the level of infection or possible contagion within the company, and this applies not only for COVID-19, but for all the viruses that in terms of safety and industrial hygiene we must be preventing and attending; the challenge now is to generate a change in the culture of the organization that may allow us to be prepared for the future.
Text by
Ana Zamira López
Jefe de Seguridad, Higiene y Medio Ambiente
ARGO Steel Works