The Land & Maritime Department of the UAE’s Federal Transport Authority has issued a Coronavirus compliance warning and additional instructions to ensure compliance. Anyone involved in land transport activities should ensure they comply with the instructions and guidelines issued by the UAE authorities. They should also educate their employees about these instructions and guidelines and apply the necessary and required anti-Coronavirus guidelines in all their operations. Under the instructions, no ships can enter drydocks or repair and maintenance workshops before 14 have passed after they left their last international port and no one must have come into contact with anyone outside the ship from outside the UAE in the last 14 days. Organisations have also been instructed to ensure accuracy, only seek information from official source and keep up to date regarding Coronavirus. They have also been instructed to develop and apply appropriate internal anti-Coronavirus plans and educate their employees about the anti-Coronavirus measures they should adopt. In addition, they must ensure all the necessary preventive equipment and disinfection supplies are available to all employees, particularly frontline employees and monitor stocks to make sure they are kept available. Each organisation should also draw up and implement an appropriate plan for regularly disinfecting transport and facilities in line with decisions of the relevant authorities. They should establish communication channels with the relevant officers in each organisation to facilitate reporting of symptoms and deal swiftly with any suspected or actual cases in line with the country’s applicable procedures. In addition, they should ensure alternative support is available to maintain the vital functions if those currently undertaking the functions are infected and cannot continue their work. Operating organisations should reduce the number of frontline employees and apply remote working when and where it is possible by using modern technologies. They should also launch communication channels with users and publicise them as widely as possible. In addition, they should implement appropriate procedures to ensure the social distancing rules are adhered to in public transport, stations and customer service centres to avoid infections spreading. Finally, the appropriate anti-Coronavirus measures must be applied when passengers get on and off public transport to reduce the risk of infection for drivers and passengers. For example, drivers should direct passengers to use rear doors instead of front doors to protect drivers from infection. Public transport must also provide disinfection and prevention equipment and supplies on board. In addition, anti-Coronavirus measures in all mass transport services like transporting labourers from and to worksites should be adopted to reduce the risk of infection for drivers and passengers. The Department will continue to work with all of the relevant authorities to enforce these instructions and fine violators. Full story
