Abstract
Introduction: One of the greatest challenges faced during Covid-19 pandemic was prolonged business shut down and controlling outbreaks involving industries. Efforts to curb clusters in an organization are highly dependent on early detection and isolation of cases and ensuring risk reduction measures for transmission are in place at all times. On the 19th of July 2021, Tangkak District Health Office reported a large cluster with 13 fatalities involving a factory which provided the opportunity to pilot the Johor Industrial Preparedness Plan (JIPP) framework to contain the outbreak and to implement a sustainable preventive and control measure in that setting.
Methods: The factory was shut and decontaminated immediately to conduct a risk assessment and plan return to work procedures. All cases and controls were managed as per the national guidelines. Stakeholders were engaged to facilitate the implementation of the Johor Industrial Preparedness Plan (JIPP) framework. The framework focused on improving the organizational preparedness and response during and outbreak, implementing a continuous cycle of risk identification and management. Efforts were focused on reengineering work spaces to ensure physical distancing and adequate ventilation. Focus on redesigning work processes to ensure policies were in place to reduce the risk of introducing infection and preventing transmission at the workplace. The importance of personal protective equipment and thorough hygiene and sanitation were re-enforced. Targeted risk communication efforts and up-scaling the vaccination coverage was done. All employees were tested as a part of return to work measure to ensure an infection free premise. Results: The month-long outbreak reported 226 cases and 13 deaths. Majority of the cases (n= 61, 67.8%) that were reported after the risk reduction measures taken were those under quarantine. Return to work screening and testing prevented 32.2% of the remaining cases from entering the workplace. First dose vaccination coverage was 99.8% (n=4048); which was achieved prior to return to work. A follow-up of the factory post JIPP implementation showed that only a total of 11 cases were reported over three months after the outbreak ended; of which five were family close contacts, four sporadic cases and only two workplace contacts allowing business to continue as usual. No new fatalities were reported since then.
Conclusion: The application of the JIPP framework was promising in this industrial outbreak. Empowering the employers and stakeholders with adequate knowledge and skill on early case detection and isolation techniques, targeted risk reduction measures and up scaling vaccination coverage were sustainable measures to ensure a safe working environment. The success of this program is highly dependent on the stakeholder commitment and a continuous monitoring and evaluation cycle within the organization.
Links
- https://apcph.cphm.my/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/APCPH2022-O-29.pdf
- https://apcph.cphm.my/events/oral-session-9-ballroom-C/
BibTeX (Download)
@proceedings{APCPH2022-O-29,
title = {Implementing the Johor Industrial Preparedness Plan (JIPP) in an industrial outbreak: a pilot project-July, 2021},
author = {Jeyanthini Sathasivam and Syafiq Taib and Suriya Kumareswaran and Rosila Yahaya and Firdaus Ashraf Mahzan and Mohamad Farid Hassan and Shaharom Norazian Che Mat Din},
url = {https://apcph.cphm.my/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/APCPH2022-O-29.pdf
https://apcph.cphm.my/events/oral-session-9-ballroom-C/},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-08-01},
urldate = {2022-08-02},
issue = {7},
abstract = {Introduction: One of the greatest challenges faced during Covid-19 pandemic was prolonged business shut down and controlling outbreaks involving industries. Efforts to curb clusters in an organization are highly dependent on early detection and isolation of cases and ensuring risk reduction measures for transmission are in place at all times. On the 19th of July 2021, Tangkak District Health Office reported a large cluster with 13 fatalities involving a factory which provided the opportunity to pilot the Johor Industrial Preparedness Plan (JIPP) framework to contain the outbreak and to implement a sustainable preventive and control measure in that setting.
Methods: The factory was shut and decontaminated immediately to conduct a risk assessment and plan return to work procedures. All cases and controls were managed as per the national guidelines. Stakeholders were engaged to facilitate the implementation of the Johor Industrial Preparedness Plan (JIPP) framework. The framework focused on improving the organizational preparedness and response during and outbreak, implementing a continuous cycle of risk identification and management. Efforts were focused on reengineering work spaces to ensure physical distancing and adequate ventilation. Focus on redesigning work processes to ensure policies were in place to reduce the risk of introducing infection and preventing transmission at the workplace. The importance of personal protective equipment and thorough hygiene and sanitation were re-enforced. Targeted risk communication efforts and up-scaling the vaccination coverage was done. All employees were tested as a part of return to work measure to ensure an infection free premise. Results: The month-long outbreak reported 226 cases and 13 deaths. Majority of the cases (n= 61, 67.8%) that were reported after the risk reduction measures taken were those under quarantine. Return to work screening and testing prevented 32.2% of the remaining cases from entering the workplace. First dose vaccination coverage was 99.8% (n=4048); which was achieved prior to return to work. A follow-up of the factory post JIPP implementation showed that only a total of 11 cases were reported over three months after the outbreak ended; of which five were family close contacts, four sporadic cases and only two workplace contacts allowing business to continue as usual. No new fatalities were reported since then.
Conclusion: The application of the JIPP framework was promising in this industrial outbreak. Empowering the employers and stakeholders with adequate knowledge and skill on early case detection and isolation techniques, targeted risk reduction measures and up scaling vaccination coverage were sustainable measures to ensure a safe working environment. The success of this program is highly dependent on the stakeholder commitment and a continuous monitoring and evaluation cycle within the organization.},
howpublished = {published online at https://apcph.cphm.my},
note = {Type: ORAL PRESENTATION; Organisation: Public Health Division, Johor State Health Department; Tangkak District Health Office, Johor State Health Department},
keywords = {Covid-19, Industry, preparedness, risk assessment, safe workplace},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {proceedings}
}