Identify dangerous situations
For identify relevant work situations, in which the virus is likely to spread, it is necessary to know in advance the means of transmission of the disease. Thus, if we refer to the information presented on the government.fr site, Covid-19 is transmitted :
- By projection of contaminated secretions by a carrier: by coughing, sneezing or in the event of close contact in the absence of protective measures (physical distance, barrier measures, wearing a mask)
- By direct physical contact (handshake, hug, kiss...) between a carrier and a healthy person.
- By indirect contact, via objects or surfaces contaminated by a carrier
- By The air, mainly in a confined space.
In addition, theWorld Health Organization (WHO) explains, for example, that Covid-19 spreads more easily in places or situations that meet three criteria:
- crowded spaces,
- close contact for extended periods of time,
- confined and enclosed spaces with poor ventilation.
The challenge will therefore be toidentify the situations in which the transmission of the virus can occur : shared office, customer contact, use of common equipment... However, here it is necessary to use common sense and not to fall into extremes. Thus, it may not be necessary to appear in the Single document situations for which it is possible to guarantee physical distancing or the proper ventilation of the premises.
Evaluate risks
After identifying dangerous situations, it is now necessary to assess the risk level. Rating scales vary from company to company (frequency, probability of appearance, control, etc.) but all take severity into account. However, to determine a consistent severity level, it is essential to know the consequences of Covid-19 on people who contract the disease. Thus, the WHO explains to us that about 80% of people who present with symptoms recover without the need to hospitalize them, 15% of patients become seriously ill and require oxygen therapy, 5% of infections are critical and require intensive care. However, the WHO states that Anyone can get COVID-19 and become seriously ill or die at any age.
In addition, Covid-19 may have long-term effects. The WHO tells us that “some people who have contracted COVID-19, regardless of whether their condition required hospitalization or not, continue to experience symptoms, including fatigue and respiratory or neurological symptoms.”
It is obvious that the consequences can be very different depending on the individual, especially in terms of severity. Since it is impossible to determine profiles for which the disease would be more or less virulent, it is recommended to assign the highest severity on your scoring grid to the risks specific to Covid-19, that is to say a possible death.
The other criteria for evaluating the level of risk will obviously depend on the dangerous situation identified.
Implement preventive actions
Faced with the risks identified, the employer is required to prioritize them and to put in place preventive actions to minimize them. To help you in implementing these actions, you can consult the national protocol to ensure the health and safety of employees in companies, developed by the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Inclusion.
These preventive actions can be organizational (teleworking, limiting professional travel, eliminating face-to-face meetings, etc.), technical (supply of masks, hand sanitizer, etc.) or human (information, awareness-raising, etc.).
Whatever the shares that you want to put in place, you must be vigilant about the risks induced by them. So the teleworking can generate psychosocial risks, the redesign of the workplace, TMS problems... The risks related to Covid-19 are not limited to the consequences specific to the disease but also to those caused by the preventive measures applied within the company. These risks must also be identified, evaluated and, where appropriate, be the subject of preventive actions.
It is never easy to develop your Single document, it is easy to not be precise enough or, on the contrary, to turn it into a gas factory. However, you should keep in mind that beyond the regulatory obligation, your Single Document must be in line with your company, that it must be useful to you and allow you to trigger a preventive approach effective.
