Management of SHSO of Mar Azul Projects, in times of Covid-19

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a global situation that has led us to make changes in all areas of our lives and, for Mar Azul Project Management, it has been no different. Within our structure we have a Department of Occupational Safety, Hygiene and Health (SHSO), which in 2020 overcame great challenges, but, above all, acquired a lot of learning.

“This is an unprecedented virus in our lives and requires unprecedented responses.” Jorge Silva, our SHSO Coordinator, tells us about his experiences on how he faced the Covid-19 virus in Mar Azul Project Management.

Once Covid-19 pandemic was declared, the role played by the SHSO department was vital, and we counted with the full support and trust of the company’s senior management. The first step that was taken was to understand it and start assembling all the biosafety protocols focused on our sector and the service that Mar Azul offers in each project; the protocols were put together in line with what was requested by the Panamanian health entities, with the purpose of maintaining control over all the necessary biosafety measures at the time of the opening of the construction sector, at that time in suspension under executive decree.

“As part of the preparation to face this unusual virus, I was trained with courses and seminars, on different respiratory viruses, including —of course— the Covid-19 virus, learning about its methods of detection, prevention, response and control, and with specific training in the preparation and response to COVID-19 for the construction sector. All with PAHO and WHO certifications,” Silva tells us.

Following the requirements of the health entities for the opening, the Covid-19 Business Committee of Mar Azul Project Management was formed, made up of the Project Manager, Partner Director, Organizational Development Manager and SHSO Coordinator; and, in turn, the Covid-19 Committees for each project in compliance with resolution 405 of May 11, 2020.

Silva tells us about the application of the elaborated biosafety protocols: “Once the gradual openings and the reactivation of the construction sector began, we were ready to start our operations, complying with all the necessary measures. One of the experiences that fills me with pride was having been named as the first project in the province of Cocle to comply with the sanitary requirements and resolutions 405 and 672, through the Sanitary Inspection Act, by the Ministry of Health, resulting in the reopening of the Marina Village and Velamar projects, both located in the Buenaventura residential complex.

Despite maintaining strict biosafety controls, challenges arose in mid-2020, such as the case of identifying and locating a positive case within a contractor’s work team. Immediately, the local health entities were contacted and it was possible to get all the contractor’s staff to take an antigen test, thus managing to locate the infected people, stopping the source of infection and avoiding the increase in infections within the project. Thus, we saw the importance of having drawn up clear protocols, which allowed us to act quickly, without the need for improvisations, and therefore achieve efficient results.

Understanding the importance of early detections of positive cases, we continued the work and after several steps on our part, and through formal requests to the Health Director of the Cocle area, it was possible to have three visits to the Marina Village and Velamar projects, with the participation of the Anton and Penonome medical brigades endorsed by the Ministry of Health, in order to perform antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2, with the result that all tests have yielded: No Detected. This result allows us to provide a safe environment for all our employees and their families.

We trust that with the good execution of the Covid-19 Committee, the good behavior and the commitment of the staff, we will be able to continue having zero sources of infection.

Now is the time for the international community to work together and in solidarity to stop this virus. It is important that each of our collaborators, suppliers and contractors follow the established protocols to the letter, in order to achieve a safe work environment and not only avoid damaging the project, but also create organizational structures that collaborate with the control of the spread of the virus, thus supporting our country and society as a whole.