Critical measures for the prevention and control of respiratory infectious diseases in the workplace: a South African facilities management perspective

Purpose This study aims to comprehensively examine the respiratory infection prevention and control measures used in South African workplaces, particularly in the context of facilities management (FM), during the 2020–2022 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach The present research involved pre-crafted semi-structured interviews conducted by University of the Witwatersrand students with FM heads in Johannesburg, South Africa. Recurrent themes were generated using NVIVO software and analysed using frequencies, word counts and word clouds. Findings This study identified 119 measures and placed these into two broad categories. Twelve critical measures were found. These measures were further validated by five FM experts, separate from FM heads, who cross-referenced them with WHO guidelines, enhancing the credibility of the findings. Subsequently, challenges with implementing these measures were explored. Practical implications The findings have direct relevance to the work of FM professionals, as they suggest that applying timely and comprehensive infection prevention and control measures can help employees to safely continue to work or return to the workplace during any future epidemic outbreaks. Originality/value Thus far, limited studies have explored critical measures used to prevent and control COVID-19 in the workplaces of developing countries during the 2020–2022 pandemic.