How can workplace design prevent the spread of diseases in the office?

1. Increase ventilation: Proper ventilation in a workplace can prevent the transmission of infectious diseases. Workplace designs that facilitate the regular flow of fresh air can reduce the life-span of airborne viruses and render them less infective.

2. Social Distancing: Increase the distance between workstations and public spaces like the cafeteria, meeting rooms, and break rooms, to keep the employees further apart from each other. The 6-feet rule is crucial to prevent the transmission of airborne droplets that can spread diseases.

3. Work from home policies: Organizations can adopt remote working policies where applicable to reduce the number of people in the office. This reduces congestion, overcrowding, and helps maintain social distancing.

4. Routine cleaning: Increase your cleaning and sanitization standards throughout the office. Use antibacterial disinfectants for high-touch surfaces and ensure that the communal spaces such as toilets, elevators, and door handles are cleaned frequently.

5. The usage of protective gear: Encourage the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by employees. This includes face masks, gloves, and hand sanitizers in and out of the workplace.

6. Canteen Seating Arrangements: Re-design canteen seating arrangements to ensure that a safe distance is maintained between diners.

7. Install physical barriers: Install physical barriers such as transparent shields to reduce the spread of germs while still providing visibility and an open space concept.

8. Use modern technologies: Utilize contactless technology such as elevators, door sensors, and touchless fixtures to reduce the contact of commonly touched surfaces.

9. Education and Training: Educate employees on best hygiene practices and what they can do to prevent the spread of diseases. Management can organize training sessions, posters, and other educational resources available for employees.

10. Contact Tracing: Deploy contact tracing to prevent clusters of disease outbreaks. This entails keeping accurate records of employee movements and office interactions. In the event of a COVID outbreak, contact tracing can help locate the source of the outbreak, allowing management to provide guidance and support to those affected.

Publication date: