Developed with the help of the High Council for Public Health, the health protocol for companies, as part of the fight against the Covi-19 epidemic, was made public this Monday, August 31, 2020 by the Minister of Labor , Elisabeth Borne. It applies from this day. Here are the gist of it.
Wearing a mask is compulsory in the workplace
From September 1, wearing a mask is mandatory in all companies, whether private or public. An obligation both for open spaces, meeting rooms, circulation corridors, changing rooms, cafeterias and other relaxation areas. Only individual offices depart from the rule.
Depending on the epidemiological color of the department, the company health protocol may allow some adjustments. In departments classified in the green zone, it is possible to partially remove the mask provided that the premises have functional ventilation / ventilation, protective screens between workstations and visors made available to employees. For the orange zones, in addition to the previous conditions, two criteria are added: the premises must be large volumes and must have high air extraction. Finally, for the departments in the red zone, the exemption is only possible if, in addition to the above criteria, the premises benefit from mechanical ventilation and guarantee people a space of 4 m².
If the wearing of a mask is not applied by an employee, the latter may incur penalties ranging from a simple warning to dismissal for professional misconduct. For this, the rules of the protocol must be transcribed in the internal regulations.
And the temperature measurement on arrival at the office?
If the health protocol provides for the mandatory wearing of a mask in a company, taking employees’ temperatures is not recommended. However, the protocol provides that “ companies wishing to do so, as part of a set of precautionary measures, can organize a temperature control of people entering their site in compliance with the regulations in force “. Since this is not an obligation, the employee is entitled to refuse it. In all cases, the Ministry of Solidarity and Health recommends that anyone measure their temperature themselves in the event of symptoms suggestive of Covid-19.
What are the employer’s obligations if an employee is declared positive?
If one of the employees of a company is tested positive for Covid-19, the protocol indicates that ” it is up to the company, in conjunction with the occupational health service, to preventively draft a suitable procedure for the immediate management of symptomatic people in order to quickly isolate them in a dedicated room, wearing a surgical mask and invite them to return home, if possible using another mode of transport than public transport and contact their attending physician “.
The employer must then contact the occupational health service and follow its instructions, including for the cleaning and disinfection of the workstation and the monitoring of employees who have been in contact with the case.
Find the health protocol for companies on work-employment.gouv
