How the company covid protocol changes from May 1st: accesses, masks and smart working, the news

The companies from 1 May 2022 they would no longer be obliged to adopt an anti Covid corporate protocol, also thanks to the deregulation in progress which provides for a progressive relaxation of the measures: from the elimination of limitations / restrictions (color zones) to the stop of the verification of the basic and super Greenpass. But it is good to continue to be cautious.

Smart working, if you know it does not harm you: rules, risks and safeguards

Corporate protocol in the post Covid, how to do it

In the post Covid in the company, there remains the opportunity to have a corporate protocol in line with prudence, in accordance with the update note of last April 30 from Confindustria, available here.

The reasons of expediencynevertheless, they are important especially in a balance of interests based on the basic consideration according to which, we can agree by asking ourselves: given the many efforts made so far, what sense would it be to disperse them? Hence, the opportunity to adapt the previous company protocol, lightening it considerably, also by virtue of the mere fact that many of the obligations such as, one for all, the Green pass checks will no longer have to be carried out.

The Protocol of 6 April 2021 has been extended, in the company until 30 June

On 4 May, some exponents of various ministries (of Labor, Health, Economic Development), INAIL and related social partners, reached the shared decision to extend the validity of the Shared protocol on measures to combat and contain the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace of 6 April 2021.

Pending the formalization of this, to date there would seem to be no particular changes to the version of April 6, 2021.

In practice, in the workplace, whether indoors or outdoors, the use of at least surgical masks continues to be mandatory. Only if you work in unshared spaces, you can not wear the mask.

In anticipation of the deadline of 30 June, the social partners may in the meantime decide to fix, if appropriate, a new meeting in which to discuss any updates related to the evolution of the epidemiological situation.

The line of caution wins

With the obligation of masks to workthe Government reaffirms the prudential line, while always moving towards a gradual exit from the COVID-19 emergency.

Stop at the Green pass checks

Given the obligation of vaccination for senior workers (over 50), up to the date of June 15 as per law, in fact no control is required in the company. Even less than the basic Green pass. Consequently, the entire tax and sanction system collapses in the event that a worker over fifty or has them in the year completed or must complete them by mid-June, had not been vaccinated. Basically, he can work and for the truth already from today, indeed to be precise since last April 1st with the latest covid decree when a first massif was decreedalbeit gradual, easing.

Green light to smart working but no longer due to a health emergency

The use of smart working, until 30 June and waiting for everything to change from July, continues to be accessible in the simplified form, given the cessation of the state of emergency which took place on 31 March. However, it has become a so-called agile way of working that companies have implemented first to deal with the emergency, especially in its peaks, and then for reasons of opportunity, also meeting the new needs and no less increasingly preponderant requests, with a view to work life balance.

How to change the anti Covid protocol in the company

Each employee and / or external collaborator and / or visitor will be advised to continue to carry out, for mere scruple, independently at their home and before going to the Company:

• detection of body temperature, and avoiding to present itself in the event that it goes beyond 37.5 ° centigrade;
• symptoms of the disease (altered temperature, cold, cough, muscle aches, sore throat, breathlessness, breathing difficulties, lack of taste, absence of smell, dysentery, abdominal pain, etc. as reported by the Ministry of Health) in the presence of which , the Company may ask, but not impose, not to go to the Company.

Visits / activities with customers and therefore to be carried out outside the company premises remain freetaking care to pay attention again, also in this case what is suggested about the preventive and autonomous checks of the body temperature.

The privacy implications

About privacy obligationsdespite the cessation of checks on the Green pass and how consequently generating one of the most invasive data treatments, it is advisable to maintain them and in particular to update the information; assuming and already carried out further compliance obligations in terms of privacy including:

• updating of registers;
• robust risk analysis and possible impact assessment;
• training – authorization / designation

Corporate Covid protocol, a model

Companies will be able to establish respectively in the preliminary contents of the new protocol:

• scope
• references and risk assessments
• responsibility

About i references, despite the easing, it is good to follow the regulatory evolution on Covid-19. As for the risk assessment, the contents referred to in the INAIL document of 23 April 2020 remain unchanged, unchanged and valid and reproduce the associated risk scale. With particular regard to “responsibility“For the implementation of any further protocol, it is up to the Management / members of the board of directors / Directors / Managers so that this company document can have the desired effects and make it possible to (continue to) work safely, strongly suggesting scrupulous attention to the indications provided therein, through responsible behavior.

THE central contents which essentially concern, on the assumption of wanting to strengthen company policy, some prudential organizational measures as we will see below, and above all a strong appeal to the sense of responsibility that, without imposing tones, with authority the Company can request by appealing, for reasons of good judgment , to a sense more general than individual responsibility.

I cconclusive contentsLastly, they may concern the reasons for the existence of the Team which could substantially follow the initial ones of prudence and opportunity. We remind you that the Covid Team is generally composed of a member of the following Offices:

• Human resources or HR;
• Technical director, if present;
• Legal & compliance office, where established;
• DPO, where present
• Company RSPP.

Behavioral best practices

It is not at all anachronistic, in the post Covid, to continue talking about good behavioral and precautionary rules. These are suggestions and, as such, they must also be transferred to their own contexts of reference. The underlying leitmotiv always sounds the same: the people present in the company (internal and external) will do well if they adopt the well-known notes useful for preventing exposure to the risk of Covid, protecting themselves and others.

Masks, what changes

The FFP2 mask which will remain mandatory on means of transport, at shows and sporting events indoors until June 15, and in the company until June 30.

Access to company premises

With regard to access to company premises, once the verification of the Green pass has been stopped, whether it is strengthened or basic, in implementation of the measures for the total resumption of economic activities and in compliance with the precautionary requirements against the Covid 19 epidemic, the Company may freely decide to keep the attention high by adopting a series of suggestions in the protocol including, as mentioned, the autonomous performance of the temperature also thanks to instruments such as columns or thermometers, at the time of entry.

Use of common areas

With reference to the use of common areas, it is possible to generalize by thinking that each business environment, more or less large, includes common spaces. It is evident that contemplating indications to suggest a safe presence in these environments will vary depending on the context / place and specific circumstances. However, the basic message that companies in drafting a more “slim” protocol from next May, will respond to the usual basic criterion: «access … is allowed, provided it is limited and respecting the distancing». The local too cafeteriafor the company that has it, it will be regulated according to this criterion.

Special cases and specific organizational needs

For some sectors (RSA, long-term hospitalization, hospice, school, social welfare, university, etc.) the activities with customers could still determine the application of more restrictive containment measures, derogating from the “free all”. Should particular requests be received from Customers, they must be forwarded to the competent HR Office and to the Legal & Compliance Office if present. Both, in coordination and harmony with each other, will deal with the evaluation and management of individual cases, informing the employees of the consequences.

What the company can do

The company in general can ask to:

• respect the limit of capacity of the venue, waiting for one’s turn;
• do not create gatherings;
• respect the rule of hand sanitation;
• keep the mask on when not sitting at the table;
• organize to limit the stay in the dining room, including the canteen, to the time necessary for the consummation of the meal;
• sanitize the workstation and the equipment used from time to time, in any case always before leaving room for any other colleagues (the products for sanitation and sanitation are available to everyone inside the room)

PPE and spacing

Below are the so-called PPE summarized by type and description, as per the following table.

Conclusion

Ultimately, revisiting the company protocol would mean not losing the results achieved thanks to everyone’s efforts. Just think of the sometimes huge investments made to adapt the company premises to face the pandemic emergency situation.

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