KUALA LUMPUR – Security services company Safeguards G4S Sdn Bhd has denied any allegation that the company had failed to comply with the Health Ministry’s standard operating procedures following a spate of Covid-19 cases involving its staff.
Dismissing the allegations as inaccurate, company spokesman R. Kumaraswaran said that when a staffer has been identified as Covid-19 positive, the company will help conduct close contact tracing immediately and send them for swab tests at its panel clinics.
“Close contacts are not allowed to come to work and are only allowed to be present at work after the quarantine period.
“Prior to coming back to work, another swab test will be conducted to confirm that the staff is not positive.
“The affected area will be sanitised on the same day and continue to be sanitised for several weeks to contain the spread of the virus,” Kumaraswaran told The Vibes in an email.
For Covid-19 cases identified at the guards’ hostels, he said the company will isolate such cases in different hostels for both males and females separately.
“We have specific hostels for both males and females for isolation purposes so they are not mixed with other non-positive staff.
“For any staffer who fails to declare their close contacts, the organisation will take necessary disciplinary actions since they have failed to follow the SOPs set by the company and Health Ministry,” he added.
In response to the alleged 70 positive cases in Klang Valley involving the company’s security guards, Kumaraswaran said the actual number of cases to date is below 20.
“Those who are not close contacts will also be sent for swab tests for safety purposes, but they are allowed to come to work the next day if the result is negative with no symptoms.
“In a nutshell, the organisation is 100% in compliance as per the Health Ministry’s requirement. Being under essential services, necessary precautions are taken to ensure our services to the public are not disrupted,” he added.
Kumaraswaran’s response comes after Malaysian Trade Union Council general council member A. Sivananthan told The Vibes last week that over 70 of the company’s personnel have tested positive for Covid-19 since March.
“The virus has spread throughout various departments including the cash processing centre, ATM technicians, armed and unarmed security guards, and administrative staff,” Sivananthan had said.
He had also alleged that the spread of Covid-19 among the company’s staff was due to Safeguards’ lack of SOP compliance.
“We heard that staff members who were identified in contract tracing activities are required to perform swab tests, and if they test negative, are still required to work before their second test.
“What if symptoms or infection appear three days later?” he asked.
Sivananthan had also claimed that staff members required to isolate were asked to quarantine in quarters with those who tested negative for the virus.– The Vibes, June 24, 2021
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