Beginning in December 2019 and originating from the city of Wuhan, China, a new type of corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) began to spread to various countries in the world and caused the wide spread of COVID-19 disease globally. On March 11, 2020, WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January 2020, and a pandemic on 11 March 2020. The spread of COVID-19 clearly should not be underestimated because there have only been a few diseases throughout history that were classified as pandemics.
The palm oil business is a labor-intensive business, if COVID-19 is not handled seriously, this can potentially lead to the rapid spread of COVID-19. Therefore, Teladan Prima Agro fully recognized that the company must immediately mitigate and anticipate the spread of the corona virus throughout its oil palm plantation areas and, in the bigger context, contribute to Indonesia’s efforts in mitigating the spread of the virus. The mitigation efforts or organized steps taken by the company that are carried out in accordance with regulations and legislation.
Mitigation efforts that have been carried out by the Company include:
1. Issuance of policies, procedures and provisions related to the prevention of the spread of COVID-19, which includes sharing Circular Letter concerning the Prevention of the Spread of the COVID-19 Pandemic; Memorandum for the Implementation of Work From Home (WFH) for KP Jakarta and KPW Samarinda; COVID-19 Pandemic Vigilance at KPW Samarinda; SOP for Prevention and Handling of COVID-19; SOP for COVID-19 Emergency Response Communication Procedure; SOP for Work from Home; as well as forms of education and raising awareness to increase employees’ and third parties’ understanding of COVID-19 through posters, flyers, circulars, and banners.
2. Formation of Central and Regional COVID-19 Emergency Response Teams.
3. Formation of Central and Regional COVID-19 Emergency Response Teams.
4. Provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), provide sanitation facilities, provide adequate amounts of medicines.
5. Conduct RAPID Test for employees.
Perform self-isolation and monitoring of ODP persons.
Provide extra attention and care for families of plantation workers in Samarinda such as through health monitoring, providing information and education, providing PPE/sanitizer/vitamins and logistics needed (because employees are unable to leave the plantation).
Ensure ambulance is well-equipped and ready to use.
9. Ensure the availability of medical personnel (doctors & nurses) and pay special attention to healthcare practitioners such as ensuring standards of PPE and providing supplements/vitamins during the emergency response period.
10. Coordination with call centre 112 regarding employee and contractor mobility in relation to company activities.
11. Communicate and inform the latest emergency in East Kalimantan to shareholders and contractors.
12. Create and set priorities for strategic projects that are important and critical to be implemented.
13. Postpone all activities related to area optimization until the situation permits and prioritize work related to production and plant health and plantation sustainability.
14. Prioritize work that is preventive maintenance.
15. Communicate to relevant agencies regarding permits and legalities that have not been completed/complied.
16. Communicate to related parties regarding permits for dismantling fertilizers and other logistics.
17. Request relief or schedule of plasma debt installment payments to external parties (financial institutions).
18. Ensure timely payment of local contractors, basic food suppliers and LPKP.
19. Ensuring the availability of rice stock in the plantation is sufficient until June 2020.
20. Establish a “Green Kitchen” program and provide planting areas around employee housing.
21. Evaluating all programs for implementing Emergency Response activities to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic have given much time not only to reflect on our faiths and our sense of concern for others but also forced us to continue to pay attention to the health protocols for handling COVID-19. “Keep physical distance, Take care of health, Uphold Solidarity”. (By: Sigid Kurniawan-HSSE Dept.)
