Protocols for Wholesale and Retail Trade Stores, Malls and Commercial Centers

Protocols for Wholesale and Retail Trade Stores, Malls and Commercial Centers

Working hours:

• The working hours should be set according to the applicable regulations prior to the Covid-19 crisis, unless directives are issued otherwise.

Customers:

• Customers’ temperature must be checked at the entrances, and any customers whose temperature exceeds [38C] should not be allowed to enter the center.
• Prevent customers who are not committed to wearing a mask or anything that covers the mouth and nose from entering.
• Place visible floor stickers to organize queues in crowded places to ensure physical distance is maintained between customers (e.g. at entrances, exits, elevators and restrooms.
• Determine the number of customers in each store [one customer for every 9 square meters of the internal space of the store] and set up boards that show the maximum capacity of customers in the store.

Employees:

• Use visible floor stickers to impose and maintain safe physical distancing among employees, and between employees and customers in crowded workplaces (such as: customer service offices).
• Employees temperature must be checked and any employee whose temperature exceeds [38C] must not be allowed to enter the workplace. The employee must adhere to home isolation and be notified on the importance of seeing a doctor and bringing a medical review notice.
• All employees must wear personal protective equipment (medical or cloth masks or anything that covers the mouth and nose) at all times during work.
• Do not allow employees who are among those at higher risk of infection as per Appendix A to come to work and oblige them to work remotely from home.

Store items:

• Customer may try any tester items in the stores; however, stores’ fitting rooms should be closed.

Store/Warehouse:

• Maintain the recommended social distancing distance (for a distance of 1.5 meters) between customers and employees in crowded areas of the store at all times (such as: entrances exits, and customer service counters).
• Use floor paint on escalators to ensure that one person uses each step at a time while ensuring a 6-step distance between individuals.
• Encourage electronic means of payment (i.e. such as online payment, bank card and smart phone).
• Disinfect facilities and all surfaces that employees and customers commonly touch (such as cash counters, shelves, and restrooms) [at least once per day].
• Disinfect shopping baskets and carts after each use (if any).
• Ensure placing hand sanitizers in common areas and restrooms in prominent places (such as near the doors that are used frequently to ensure sanitizing after each use).
• Disable all public touch screens (e.g. interactive and information screens).
• Dispose of items that workers share internally (such as, pens used for filling papers, and shared devices such as water dispensers and others).
• Ensure that there are trash cans and waste bins that work with no touching required and waste must be disposed of continuously.
• Allow unrestricted use of parking spaces and valet parking services.
• Allow full access to the mall and its facilities, including sitting, dining, and prayer areas, cinemas and gaming halls, with the necessity to apply health protocols for each facility.
• Allow restaurants and food courts to be opened, with the necessity to adhere to the protocols of restaurants and cafes.
• Allow places for entertainment and games to be opened, including those designated for children, with the necessity to adhere to the protocols for entertainment places.
• Close all changing and fitting rooms in the facilities.

Reporting:

• Provide isolation rooms for suspected cases of Covid-19.
• Ensure that a temperature check is performed and the competent authorities are informed about any cases whose temperature exceeds [38C] among employees, and that the case is isolated until referring it to the health care facility (as per the directives of the competent authorities)
• If a confirmed case is registered among employees, the protocols approved by Weqaya Center, the MOH, and the SCDC must be applied.

Awareness and implementation of regulations:

• Educate customers and employees to adhere to the latest safety precautions (such as, physical distance, hand washing, and surface disinfection).
• Place a board at the entrance to the center containing a statement of the acts that violate the health requirements.
• Assign a protocol manager and directing the Security and Safety Department (if any) to support him with security guards or employees at the entrances and exits and inside the centers to ensure that the established protocols issued by the competent authorities are followed, with the exception of small centers such as grocery and supplies stores; in which a worker from the same store is sufficient to regulate entry and prevent crowding.
• Dedicate a certain channel to receive opinions and feedback from customers and employees to report any breach of protocols or to put forward new ideas, such as: a designated e-mail, social media account, or a phone number.

 

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.