Epping drug firm closes doors after allegations 70 workers tested positive

Cape Town – Epping-based pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) closed its doors temporarily yesterday after the South African Communist Party (SACP) demanded it cease operations and alleged that at least 70 workers had tested positive for Covid-19.

Department of Labour spokesperson Candice van Reenen said the department inspected the company

on Monday and issued the employer with a prohibition notice which restricts GSK from conducting operations.

Van Reenen said the employer was in contravention of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (No 85 of 1993), and did not have risk assessments in place that speak to the Covid-19 regulations, no sanitising and a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff.

“The department, among other things, has instructed the employer to do a proper risk assessment of the workplace. There also needs to be a deep clean of the entire workplace. Correct PPE also needs to be made available to staff.

“A follow-up inspection will be conducted once the employer has confirmed that all minimum standards have been put in place to ensure the safety of employees.

“If the inspector is satisfied with the efforts of the employer, the prohibition notice will then be lifted,” said Van Reenen.

GSK yesterday said a number of employees at the manufacturing site had tested positive for Covid-19.

“At GSK, the welfare of our people is our first priority and we are taking all recommended steps to support these employees at this time, as well as closing our Epping site on a temporary basis,” GSK said.

SACP provincial secretary Benson Ngqentsu said according to the first person who had tested positive, management told workers to remain silent about the situation.

The party said it welcomed the closure of GSK, which was followed by “interaction with the workers who felt their lives were in danger from Covid-19.”

“It is against this background that the SACP commends the department for the timeous response and swift action to conduct an inspection following the outbreak of Covid-19, where 73 workers tested positive, and order the company to bring its production to a halt with immediate effect.

“The SACP maintains its call that the company be held liable for the spread of the deadly coronavirus in the company. In our view, it does appear that the company was reckless for allowing production to take place despite some workers having tested positive for Covid-19.”

Cape Times