Oman closes 42 industrial estates over COVID-19 violations

Cairo: Forty-two industrial estates have been shut down in Oman due to failure to comply with precautions against the spread of the new coronavirus, according to an environmental health official.

The shutdowns were ordered by Oman’s Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn) during inspection tours of industrial facilities.

“Until June 30, Madayn has adopted a host of measures to confront the COVID-19 pandemic including inspection visits to 2,392 industrial estates,” said Basim Al-Zadjali, a senior health, safety and environmental health specialist at Madayn.

He added that 42 industrial enterprises were found non-compliant with health precautions and closed.

In recent weeks, Oman has seen a spike in virus cases reaching a total of 56,015 infections and 257 related fatalities on Sunday. Authorities have vowed to take tougher penalties against violators of measures in place to stem the highly infectious disease.

According to Al-Zadjali, companies and factories are obliged to observe public health measures and ensure their employees’ abidance by the anti-virus precautions in line with two relevant decrees issued by the Ministry of Manpower.

“Specialists in Madayn continue their oversight duty with the aim of ensuring the implementation of relevant measures,” he added, according to Omani newspaper Al Shabiba.

Industrial estates risk penalties for virus-related violations, including nonavaibility of protective personal equipment for employees and hand sterilisers at workplaces as well as failure to observe distancing and carry out daily examinations of the workforce.

During their visits, inspectors randomly check temperatures of employees and verify the implantation of safety measures.

Madayn specialists, meanwhile, answer queries they receive on the hotline 2449685 or via the app 92389609.