COVID-19: Security protocols within companies in Italy

On 14 March 2020, employer and trade union organisations, at the Italian government’s invitation, signed the “Shared protocol containing measures to combat and contain the spread of Covid-19 in the workplace”, which must be guaranteed in all companies.

In conjunction with the Prime Ministerial Decree of 11 March 2020, companies will be able to integrate measures under the above protocol with other equivalent or more incisive ones based on the company’s specific needs and after consulting the company union representatives.

The protocol addresses the following 13 points.

Informing employees

Companies must inform all employees and anyone who enters the workplace regarding the provisions enacted by the authorities. This can be done by sending information brochures and/or posting information at the entrance to the company’s premises. This information must regard the following:

• Employees and anyone else must stay home if they have a fever (higher than 37.5 degrees C) or other flu symptoms and they must also call their doctor and the health authorities.
• Employees and anyone else may not enter the company’s premises with flu symptoms or if the person has been in contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus over the past 14 days, etc. These circumstances must also be reported to the employer if they occur after the person has entered the company’s premises.
• All security and hygiene measures enacted by the authorities and those put in place by employers must be respected.
• Obligation to promptly inform an employer of the onset of flu symptoms at work.

Workplace access

• Possibility of having employee’s temperature taken before they enter the workplace, in compliance with current privacy legislation. Employees with a temperature of higher than 37.5 degrees C cannot enter, must be temporarily isolated, given a mask, and must immediately contact their doctor.
• Employers must inform employees ahead of time that whoever has had contact over the previous 14 days with someone who has coronavirus cannot access the workplace.

Access for external suppliers

• Identify entry, transit, and exit procedures, using predefined methods, routes and schedules, in order to reduce opportunities for contact with staff.
• If possible, drivers must remain in their vehicles, not enter the offices, and maintain a personal safety distance of 1 metre during loading/unloading.
• Install dedicated restrooms for external personnel.
• Reduce access to visitors which, if necessary (e.g. cleaning company), must comply with all company rules.
• If transport is organised by the company, employee safety must be guaranteed during transport.
• Extension of the rules of the protocol also to contractors at production sites.

Cleaning and hygiene in the office

• Daily cleaning and periodic sanitisation of company premises, workstations (including screens, keyboards, mouse) and leisure areas.
• If someone with the virus has been at the company premises, clean and ventilate the rooms as per Ministry of Health instructions.

Personal hygiene

• Obligation for all individuals within the company to observe struct hygienic precautions (e.g. frequently wash hands).
• Supply of suitable hand soaps, etc. by the company.

Individual protection

• If the type of work does not allow employees to respect the 1-metre personal safety distance and other organisational methods cannot be used, employees must be supplied with masks, gloves, goggles, overalls, suits, etc. that comply with the provisions of the health authorities.

Management of common areas (e.g. canteens, changing rooms, smoking areas, leisure areas)

• Limited access, with continuous ventilation of the premises, reduced time spent in these areas, and constant observance of the 1-metre safety distance.
• Periodic sanitisation and daily cleaning of common areas.

Business organisation (shifts, travel, working from home, etc.)

• Employees should be encouraged to work only from home, where possible.
• For the duration of the COVID-19 emergency, possibility of closing all non-production departments or any departments that can be run remotely.
• Possible review of production levels.
• Adoption of an employee shift plan to reduce contact between employees as much as possible.
• Use of social safety nets (with appropriate rotation) and, if not sufficient, use of accrued and untaken vacation days.
• All national and international business trips and business trips should be cancelled, even if already agreed or organised.

Coming/going of employees

• Employees should come/leave at staggered times.

Time spent on premises, meetings, internal events, and training

• Limitation of movement around the company’s premises.
• No face-to-face meetings (except for in the event of urgent matters, if the meeting cannot be held remotely, but with a reduced number of people, with a 1-metre distance, and with adequate cleaning/ventilation of premises).
• All internal corporate events and classroom training activities must be cancelled (remote training is possible).

What to do if a person displays COVID-19 symptoms in the workplace

• If someone develops a fever and symptoms of respiratory infection or cough, they must immediately notify HR. The company must then isolate the individual and any others present, as well as immediately notify the competent health authorities and the emergency COVID-19 numbers indicated by the region or the Ministry of Health.

Health surveillance/company doctor/workers’ health and safety representative

• Health surveillance must continue in compliance with the hygiene measures contained in the indications of the Ministry of Health, and the company doctor must collaborate with the employer and the workers’ health and safety representative.
• Use of a preventative approach with check-ups for workers, as well as check-ups at workers’ request, and upon return from sick leave.
• The company doctor must notify the company if an employee is particularly frail or has other diseases.

Updates to the protocol

Companies must set up a committee to apply and verify the implementation of these rules within the company, with the involvement of the company union representatives and the workers’ health and safety representative.

See our Coronavirus (COVID-19) feature for more information generally on the possible legal implications of COVID-19.