Home News Dept inspects Numain, issues contravention notice

Dept inspects Numain, issues contravention notice

2022

The Department of Labour has instructed the wholesaler to comply with Covid-19 protocols.

Numain has denied claims that it had flouted Covid-19 protocols. Picture: Soraya Crowie

A CONTRAVENTION notice was issued to Numain Wholesaler by the Department of Labour to comply with Covid-19 safety protocols following an inspection of the premises earlier this week.

The spokesperson for the department, Kebalepile Khula, did not divulge the findings of the inspection by its occupational health and safety inspector, except that the notice was in line with the Occupation Health and Safety Act.

Khula said the employer has been given a certain period to comply with the notice.

The management of Numain Wholesaler has, however, refuted claims of not following Covid-19 protocols and said there was no need to close shop after five of its employees tested positive on Monday.

The company added that it saw no reason to disinfect the entire premises as the Covid-19 positive workers only passed through certain areas to get to the office.

According to the HR department, the identified employees were all sharing an office and are currently in quarantine.

The company stated that the area where the affected workers worked, was disinfected on Tuesday.

Numain’s HR manager, Charles Konig, said disinfection of the office was done after the second person tested positive.

According to Konig, the specific worker attended a funeral in August after which several people, who attended it, tested positive.

“After the worker came to the business on Wednesday, we immediately sent the other employees based in the same office home and urged them to go for testing,” said Konig.

He added that they then got the rest of the staff together to explain the situation and that the office would be disinfected and closed until the affected employees are out of isolation.

He said they also told them to go home if they felt uneasy about the situation.

Konig dismissed claims of discrimination and the targeting of workers who join trade unions.

“We do not know Saccawu and have never met any union representative. All our staff members are members of Fawu and Hotelica.”

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