Politap Conducts Practicums Under Health Protocols

Politeknik Negeri Ketapang (Ketapang State Polytechnic) has finally reopened face-to-face learning for practicums that cannot be conducted online. Vice Director for Academic Affairs Adha Panca Wardanu stated that practicum sessions have been reopened since 20 June 2020 under health protocols. These practicum learning activities were carried out after continuous coordination with Heads of Departments, Study Program Coordinators, and Heads of Laboratories/Workshops through preparation, readiness, implementation, monitoring, as well as evaluation and improvement stages.

Adha Panca Wardanu further explained all stages in detail as follows:

1. Preparation Stage

• Laboratories and workshops are only open for practicums that cannot be replaced online, including research for final project completion.
• Establish task forces in each unit, led by the head of the unit.
• Prepare Health Protocol Guidelines.
• Prepare an operational plan for those involved and responsible, specifying at least: where the activity takes place; what is being done; when it is conducted; who carries it out and is responsible; and how it is carried out.
• Prepare health protocol facilities and infrastructure (thermoguns, face shields, masks, hand sanitizers, washbasins (hand soap and water)).
• Prepare contingency (emergency) steps or procedures.

2. Readiness Stage

• Ensure proper air circulation in laboratory rooms.
• Ensure occupational health and safety equipment in the laboratory functions properly.
• Ensure laboratory equipment operates properly with no damage or malfunctions.
• Ensure the equipment used has been disinfected.
• Ensure ventilation in laboratory/workshop rooms functions well.
• Ensure all participants and personnel involved in practicum activities thoroughly understand the laboratory SOPs.

3. Implementation Stage

• Activity implementation adheres to safety and health principles; ensure no 3Cs (Closed spaces, Crowded places, Close-contact settings) occur.
• Everyone involved in practicum implementation must maintain high awareness to protect, look out for, and monitor one another against any possibility of COVID-19 transmission.
• Practicum participants must arrive 15 minutes before activities begin.
• Ensure room occupancy is not overcrowded (10–15 students).
• Ensure practicum participants undergo temperature and health checks before attending practicums (only healthy, non-at-risk individuals). Body temperature scanning using an infrared thermometer (thermogun) is conducted for lecturers and students at the entrance under the following rules:

1. If body temperature is ≤ 37.5 °C, entry to the campus is permitted.
2. If body temperature is > 37.5 °C, a re-check is conducted once with an infrared thermometer by the Task Force team.
3. If after two temperature checks the reading remains > 37.5 °C, students and lecturers are asked to return home, rest until their condition improves, consume nutritious food, and get sun exposure.

• All participants involved in practicum activities must wash hands with soap before and after practicums or use handsanitizer, and wear masks or face shields.
• Do not hand over lab equipment with bare hands (use latex gloves or disinfect equipment before using/passing it to others).
• While working in the laboratory, ensure the 3Cs are avoided by maintaining physical distance or installing protective barriers between lab members. Where possible, experiments should be conducted remotely. Recommended distance is 1.5–2 m.
• Ensure no unauthorized persons enter the laboratory.
• Any lab member who has had contact with a PDP (patient under monitoring) must report it, will not be allowed to attend practicums, and must self-isolate at home.

4. Monitoring Stage

• Routinely monitor every laboratory activity.
• Monitor compliance regarding 3Cs.
• Report monitoring results of each activity periodically to the task force head (unit head) after each session.
• Monitor the availability of emergency facilities and infrastructure.
• Ensure health protocols are implemented properly using a checklist.

5. Evaluation and Improvement Stage

• Activity evaluation is conducted by the task force head (unit head) and reported to immediate supervisors.
• Improvements based on evaluation results must be implemented promptly.