Application of ISO/IEC Guide 51 to COVID-19 infection control for the occupational safety

COVID-19 is around the world. We attempt to apply three-step method in ISO/IEC Guide 51: 2014 to COVID-19 infection control in the workplace. The results show that the COVID-19 infection control measures include the eradication of the virus, the destruction of infectivity, the detoxification and weakening and the elimination of opportunities for infection as “Inherently Safe Design Measures”, the avoidance of contact as “Safeguarding and Complementary Protective Measures” and the reduction of contact and the avoidance of seriousness as “Information for Use”. Among these specific measures, the New Normal, especially in the manufacturing industries, would be “telecommuting” and “unmanned workplaces”, which are part of the elimination of opportunities for infection, and “changes in flow lines” and “changes in airflow”, which are part of the avoidance of contact. Where “telecommuting” and “unmanned workplaces” are feasible, they should be implemented as much as possible, and where they are not, attempts should be made to minimize human-to-human contact by “changes in flow lines”. In addition, in the area of “changes in airflow”, there are high expectations for future research on how to establish a ventilation design for COVID-19, in which but also the source would be workers themselves, not only combustible gases and toxic gases.