Jizan ferries and Farasan Islands to transport passengers and goods

Jizan ferries and Farasan Islands to transport passengers and goods

Ferry Halls

General controls:

• Encourage the use of online ticketing system for reservations on ferries, including passengers and goods such as cars.
• Use floor stickers to direct and maintain safe physical distancing (a distance of 1.5 meters) and prevent congestion (such as: in the areas of boarding and disembarking from the ferry, at the entrances and exits, and security checkpoints). 
• Temperature check must be conducted at the entrance to the halls, while still at port.
• Provide hand sanitizers and tissue papers on all counters and at entrances.
• Do not allow passengers who show symptoms [sneezing and coughing, or whose temperature exceeds 38C] from entering the stations.
• Employees and ferry crew members who show symptoms [sneezing and coughing or have a temperature 38C or above] should be isolated and prevented from coming to work.
• Encourage the employees who are among those at higher risk of infection as per Appendix A to work remotely from home.

Inside the Halls:

• Close unnecessary public places in the stations (e.g. smoking rooms)
• Allow cafes, canteens and restaurants to open, with the necessity to follow Restaurant and cafes protocols.
• Restrict meetings and gatherings [following the protocols of the Social Sector].
• Disinfect materials that are commonly shared in the arrival and departure halls between shifts (such as, ticketing machines, reception counters, ferry boarding corridors, and waiting areas)
• Remove or disable the use of items that are commonly shared (such as: pens used for filling papers, water dispensers, and touch screens).
• Disinfect restrooms at least once a day and provide hygienic disposable seat covers.
• Provide trash cans and waste bins that work with no touching required.
• Provide appropriate and equipped isolation rooms in the passenger halls [in compliance with the directives of the competent authorities] for cases that show symptoms [sneezing and coughing, or whose temperature exceeds 38C] while in the hall, where possible.
• Consider conducting a complete disinfection of the halls and ferries in the event that a staff member or passenger is confirmed to have Covid-19, and obligate all employees who were in contact with the case to self-quarantine [in accordance with the Ministry of Health (MOH) directives].

Inside the Halls and Ferries – Employees:

• All employees must wear gloves and medical or cloth masks or anything that covers the mouth and nose at all times, and should avoid touching their face while wearing gloves.
• Require employees to adhere to preventive hygiene practices (such as, using hand sanitizers, frequent hand washing, and putting more emphasis on customer service personnel).
• Customer service personnel must work from cabins or offices with an appropriate distance (1.5 to 2 meters) separating them from passengers (e.g. by using protective glass barriers).
• Reduce the number of field staff and limit them to those working in fundamental services and operations only and encourage employees to work remotely.
• Prevent movement between different work areas without frequent disinfection.

Inside the Halls and Ferries – Passengers:

• All passengers must wear medical or cloth masks or anything that covers the mouth and nose at all times at the station.
• Consider requiring passengers to carry their luggage and personal belongings by themselves at all times.

On The Ferry

Boarding or disembarking the ferry:

• Ensure the recommended physical distance between passengers (for a distance of 1.5 meters) is maintained at all times when boarding or disembarking the ferry.
• Use separate doors to enter and exit the ferries, whenever possible, and prevent the use of the back door with the exception of people who have difficulty moving and need assistance.
• Use floor stickers to direct and maintain safe physical distancing (a distance of 1.5 meters) and prevent congestion (such as: inside the ferry, during boarding and disembarking, and in waiting areas).
• Use mechanisms to verify tickets without contact (such as, through infrared light or QR code scanners).

Inside the Ferry:

• Maintain the recommended social distancing distance [(for a distance of 1.5 meters)] between passengers at all times, by (leaving empty seats between passengers and following the policy of alternate seats or sitting diagonally)
• Avoid changing seats and urge passengers to sit in the same seat throughout the trip.
• Disinfect ferry compartments and outdoor places that passengers commonly share (such as doors and handles) [at the beginning and end of each trip, or if a passenger causes any spray to spread inside the ferry (e.g. sneezing or coughing without a mask on or vomiting)].
• In the event that a passenger has been confirmed to have Covid-19, suspend operation of the ferry until complete disinfection [in accordance with the directions of the MOH].
• Provide hand sanitizers and sanitary papers in the passenger cabin.
• Passengers:
• Only allow passengers with seat tickets to board the ferry, and do not allow passengers to stand while on the ferry.
• Passengers should carry their luggage and personal belongings themselves when boarding the ferry, when possible.
• All passengers must wear medical or cloth masks or anything that covers the mouth and nose at all times.

Ferry Crew:

• The ferry crew members must wear medical or cloth masks or anything that covers the mouth and nose at all times during work.

Monitoring and reporting:

• Follow the instructions of the MOH and the relevant authorities regarding Covid-19 before allowing employees to resume work (including those returning from travel).
• Ensure that a temperature check is performed and the competent authorities are informed about any cases whose temperature exceeds [38C] among employees, passengers or ferry crew members, and that the case is isolated until referring it to the health care facility.
• Require all employees to apply self-isolation in the event of having any symptoms of Covid-19.
• If a confirmed case is registered, it is necessary to inform the MOH immediately and refer to the protocols and guidelines of the MOH regarding testing, tracking and isolation of suspected cases.
• Prepare a detailed daily record of the employees previous travel trips and their health status, including the list of employees who are in quarantine.
• Prepare a list of the employees who work together, their shifts and dates of work.

Communication and Implementation:

• Instruct and guide passengers and employees to sanitize their hands before and after riding the bus.
• Conduct mandatory health and safety trainings on Covid-19 for all employees and ferry crew members.
• Use digital channels (e.g. social media, SMS messages, phone apps and digital boards) and other channels (e.g. place posters on the ferry and at the passenger halls) to raise awareness among employees, passengers and crew members on the Covid-19 disease, in line with the directives of the MOH.
• Assign a protocol manager to ensure that the established protocols issued by the competent authorities are followed.

 

Appendix A: Individuals who are at Higher Risk of Infection

The health controls for suspending attendance at workplaces during the Covid-19 pandemic shall be attached to the medical reports of the below Health Conditions:

• Those over the age of 65 years
• Chronic lung disease, or severe asthma:

For those who have been admitted to the hospital at least once in the past six months.

• Chronic heart diseases:

– Heart muscle failure.

– Coronary artery disease with at least having one heart attack during the past year.

• Inherited Immunodeficiency diseases
• Acquired Immunodeficiency:

1. Acquired immunodeficiency disease

2. Use of immunosuppressive drugs.

3. Use of cancer treatment drugs.

• Obesity:

BMI 40>kg/m2

• Chronic medical conditions:

4. Uncontrolled diabetes, which necessitated admission to the hospital at least once during the past six months

5. High blood pressure disease, which required admission to the hospital at least once during the past six months

6. Kidney failure (dialysis)

7. Cirrhosis.