File photo for illustration purposes.
KUCHING: The Forest Department Sarawak has prepared the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for several forestry activities to serve as a guidance for Forest Timber Licensees operating under Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) due to Covid-19.
The SOP will be subjected to review from time to time depending on the decisions made by the state government, the Department said today.
For campsites and log ponds, the SOP requires the licensee or company to prepare an internal SOP to ensure that all employees in the license area are safe and healthy based on operating hours; number of workers staying in quarters provided by the licensee/company; number of workers commuting to work from home (not staying in worker quarters); and daily trips of logs from source to mills or suppliers.
The company must practice hygiene and temperature screening of daily temperature readings of all workers. Readings are to be recorded and kept for reference.
No visitors are allowed to enter the licensed area or premises during the CMCO period except the officers from the Forest Department Sarawak and relevant agencies such as Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) and Harwood Timber Sdn. Bhd.
The company shall provide hand sanitisers at relevant places in the premises and ensure social distancing best practice guidelines are in place and implemented.
All workers shall comply with Covid-19 preventive procedures issued by the Ministry of Health from time to time.
The SOP for transportation of logs requires all lorry or truck drivers to obtain permit from the nearest police station in the case of the transportation of logs by lorry or truck through public road outside the district or division.
A maximum of two persons are allowed in the lorry or truck during the transportation of logs.
The operating time allow for transportation of logs through public roads is from 7am to 7pm.
The licensee or company must practice high standard of hygiene and provide temperature screening device to take daily temperature readings of all lorry drivers at the premises entrance. Readings for every driver shall be recorded and kept for reference.
If the body temperature is found to be above than 37.5 Celsius, the driver shall contact the nearest health office or government hospital.
All lorry or truck drivers and workers have to comply with Covid-19 preventive procedures issued by the Ministry of Health from time to time.
The company shall provide hand sanitisers at the entrance and other relevant places in the premises, and ensure that social distancing best practice guidelines are in place and are implemented.
The company also need to carry out a disinfection process at the lorries or trucks before and after movement of logs.
In the event of a driver being infected with Covid-19, the licensee shall be responsible for the full costs of all medical expenses, the process of disinfecting premises, and other related costs.
This approval can be cancelled and revoked if the licensee or company fails to meet the specified terms and conditions.
The Forest Department Sarawak, as the enforcement authority, must be allowed to conduct random checking and entries visit to the licensed area and log pond at any time during the Order period.
The licensee shall comply with all circulars issued from time to time by the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC). Circulars issued by SDMC shall prevail over and above the existing terms and conditions, which can be amended and varied from time to time subject to the prevailing circumstances.
For more information, visit the Forest Department Sarawak website.